Things You Might Think Are Banned At National Parks But Aren’t

Above, camping in North Pines Campground at Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Many people visit national parks in their cars, trucks and RVs. There are some things people possess legally can get one into trouble if used in a national park. 

Some things may be allowed at one national park while they are prohibited in others. One must check the rules first to see where one's item is allowed or not.

That is the topic of an article in RV Travel.

They begin it with:

A recent travel article warns about 11 things that can be “confiscated” at national parks. That sounds like RVers arriving at Yellowstone, opening the truck door, and watching a ranger start emptying the glove box.

The actual rules are considerably more complicated.

Some items really are illegal to possess. Some are perfectly legal to have but illegal to use. Others are prohibited only at particular National Park Service (NPS) sites or under particular circumstances. And “prohibited” does not automatically mean “confiscated.”

Here’s what we found.

 To read more, go here.

Idaho Gun Gurus Shake Heads Over Ballot Choices

Above, the Winchester 94 is one of the choices on the Idaho ballot. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some gun gurus in Idaho are shaking their heads over the choices of guns for the ballot advisory question on what should become the Idaho State Gun.

They are wondering about the reasoning for the guns selected for the the November 3rd ballot. The idea for the ballot advisory question is for getting more Republicans (in a Republican state) out to vote.

According to the The Coeur d'Alene Press:

Idaho lawmakers are aiming for an official state firearm. Like the huckleberry being its state fruit, Idaho could have a Winchester Model 1873 level-action rifle as its state gun.  

What do local Coeur d'Alene gun gurus think about it?

“It’s been a laughing joke of what’s been chosen,” said George Milton, owner of Gem State Firearms in Coeur d’Alene. “That’s the question we ask each other here: How did they come up with some of the guns? How did they come up with those specific guns when none of them tie back to Idaho?”

An advisory question on this year’s general election ballot asks whether voters think Idaho legislators should designate the state gun among a list of possible six options: 

• Remington Model 700 bolt-action rifle (.30-06) 

• Colt M1911 .45 automatic Colt pistol (.45ACP) 

• M1 Garand rifle (.30-06) 

• 1873 Colt Single Action Army Revolver (.45 Colt) 

• Winchester Model 1894 (.30-30)

• Winchester Model 1873 (.44-40) 

The effort to name a state gun was introduced by Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian, who argued it’ll increase voter turnout in an election year that doesn’t involve the president on the ballot. 

Meanwhile, the gun options themselves were selected based on Idaho’s frontier history as well as broader American military history.

Ten states already have designated "state guns."

To read more, go here. 

15 Years With My Ruger P95

Above, my Ruger 95 with the Bill of Rights. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is hard to believe that I've owned my Ruger P95 9mm for 15 years as of next month.

I bought it at Turner's Outdoorsman at their Reseda store in November 2011 to replace the Ruger P89 that I had to sell (I needed the bucks). It was a Christmas present to myself. 

It is my home defense handgun that I keep on my nightstand. While RVing, I bring it along, because, you never know!

According to Wikipedia: 

Introduced in 1996, the P95 incorporated changes from earlier P-series pistols, including a shorter 3.9-inch (99.1 mm) barrel like the P93. The big change was switching the frame construction from an investment cast aluminum alloy to a new high-impact polymer frame made of fiberglass-reinforced polyurethane, based on Dow Chemical's "Isoplast". The P95 was also the first pistol in the series to omit the dropping link underneath the barrel. The first P95s came with a glossy black polymer frame with a hooked trigger guard and lacking an accessory rail and grip texture.

Late model P95PR with Picatinny rail and a Hogue Handall grip installed

Later model P95s featured a matte polymer frame with enhanced grip texturing, an accessory rail and a round trigger guard. The P95 was one of the last in the series to be fully discontinued. Most P95 designs were discontinued in 2004 and 2005, but certain types of the P95 were produced until 2009 and 2013. It is chambered in 9mm with a magazine capacity of 15+1 rounds.

I've taken it out to the range several times and found it to be a good shooter, well-built and accurate. I have other handguns, mainly revolvers, but this is my main semi-automatic pistol. 

The P95 was first introduced in 1996 and discontinued in 2013. 

"Normal and Healthy"

Above, last Friday at Jerry's Cafe in Gallup.

My medical group called me yesterday morning. They said it was about time for me to have some lab work done, just as a check-up and wanted me to check my blood pressure.

The lab work will probably take place either next week or the week after. In any case, they want me to see how my blood pressure is faring. I found that I am no longer to take Carvedilol, an alpha and beta-blocker medication. 

I did my first blood pressure check a few minutes ago and it came out at 119/75, which is considered "normal and healthy." This is nice to know! I am going to check it again in a few hours, after I am done taking care of business today in Gallup. 

7 American Shotguns Quietly Becoming Priceless

7 American Shotguns Quietly Becoming Priceless (These Lesser Known Models are Surprising) video from Loaded Ledger.

Summary:

Somewhere behind the winter coats in a farmhouse closet, there’s an old American shotgun worth more than the car parked outside, and the family has no idea. We’re counting down seven overlooked American shotguns, from forgotten New York makers to a battle-proven fighting pump, plus one that belonged to a US president and sold for more than $800,000 at auction.

You’ll learn what each one sold for new, what it brings at auction today, and the exact stamps, grade marks and patent dates that separate a $500 shotgun from a five-figure collector piece, along with the four rules every owner should follow before cleaning, refinishing or selling a family heirloom.

If you own an old double gun, a trench gun, or a shotgun with a name you’ve never heard of, watch this before you sell it. Subscribe to Loaded Ledger for weekly deep dives into collectible firearms, auction records and the guns quietly becoming priceless.

Welcome to the channel built for serious gun owners, collectors, and preppers who want more than range day content. Every video breaks down collectible firearms, vintage guns, and rare revolvers, rifles, and shotguns with real auction data, real market values, and the technical engineering details most gun owners never learn. From the Colt Python and Smith & Wesson Model 29 to the pre-64 Winchester Model 70, the M1 Garand, the Winchester Model 1886, and the legendary Parker Brothers shotguns, we dig into matching serial numbers, milled receivers, controlled-round feed actions, hand-fitted cylinders, proof marks, and the manufacturing history that separates a $300 gun from a five-figure collector piece.

This channel covers gun collecting, firearms investing, and survival preparedness in equal measure, featuring countdown-style breakdowns of the AK-47, the AR-15, the Glock 17 and Glock 19, the Ruger 10/22, the Mossberg 500, the Benelli M4, the Springfield M1A, Winchester Model 21, Remington 870 Wingmaster, Browning Auto-5, Parker Brothers shotguns, Remington Model 1100, Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight, Winchester Model 12 and classic lever actions like the Henry rifle and the Winchester Model 1894. We pull real numbers from Rock Island Auction Company and other major auction houses to show you exactly what pre-ban rifles, pre-lock revolvers, and original Belgian-made shotguns are bringing today, and why originality, factory letters, and untouched finishes are the biggest drivers of value in the collector firearms market.

Whether you are building a war-ready load-out, preserving a family heirloom, or just trying to figure out what is sitting in your gun safe, this channel gives you the history, the technical detail, and the dollar figures to make informed decisions. New videos drop regularly covering collectible firearms, classic revolvers, vintage shotguns, military surplus rifles, and the preparedness gear every American household should have. 

Gubernatorial Races In New Mexico and California

There are two gubernatorial races I am keeping my eyes on. They are California (the state of my birth) and New Mexico (where I reside). 

Both have things in common in this campaign. Both Democrat nominees (Xavier Becerra in California and Deb Haaland in New Mexico) have long political histories and neither one are so outstanding that they deserve one's vote. Both are dismal career politicians and often referred to as morons.

Becerra had been called an "idiot" by fellow members of the Biden Administration and Haaland has been often referred to as one as well. Both have ducked debating their GOP opponents (well, at least Becerra did participate in one debate against Steve Hilton). Haaland has been dubbed "Princess Running Chicken" for her refusal to debate Hull. Only four tribes has endorsed her.

California is almost in "basket case" territory (dubbed Commiefornia) due to one-party Democrat rule for 16 years and the idiocy of Gov. Gavin Newsom. New Mexico is in a little better shape, but if Haaland gets in, her leftist policy positions would be problematic, turning the state into another Commiefornia in miniature. 

Currently, both Democrats hold leads in the current polls with Becerra leading Hilton at about 5% according to Hilton's campaign tracking poll and Haaland leads Hull at about 7%. They only prove (once again) that stupid people shouldn't be allowed to vote. Both races have large undecided voter numbers.

Polls have been wrong before, so hopefully they will be wrong again in these races and the Republicans are doing better than what we're led to believe.

Interestingly, both California and New Mexico would be red states (Republican) if it weren't for the urban centers of each, which is hugely Democrat. Counties in rural areas in each are strongly Republican, but they aren't where the populations of each are located. 

If Republicans head out to vote November 3 in massive numbers, there's a good chance we can prevail. If they stay at home on Election Day, then one can kiss their states goodbye. 

Republicans, get out and vote!

#1 Best Hunting Rifles of All Time Ranked

#1 Best Hunting Rifles of All Time Ranked: Have You Tried One? video from Alpha GunReview.

Summary:

These are the best hunting rifles of all time, ranked by how much each one shaped American hunting. If you are shopping for the best hunting rifles 2026 has to offer, or just the best deer hunting rifle with real history behind it, start with these seven legends.

From the Winchester Model 1894 to the Ruger 10/22, we cover the specs, the legendary strengths, and what each rifle costs new today. Prices are rough estimates, so always check your local dealer for current pricing.

Which of these have you tried? Tell me in the comments, and tell me if I ranked your favorite too low.

Talarico Was In A Mental Health Facility?

Above, James Talarico. Wikipedia photo.

Democrat nominee for Texas U.S. Senate James Talarico apparently has been gaslighting everyone on his two-week disappearance during the final month of the campaign.

He resurfaced last week claiming he just had the flu, but sources say he was in an Ohio mental health facility.

The Gateway Pundit reported:

We may now know where James Talarico really was when he disappeared for two weeks from the campaign trail.

His excuse was that he was suffering from the flu, but it appears he was suffering from a breakdown of sorts.

Talarico just vanished out of thin air after a September 28 fundraiser with TDS-infected actor Robert DeNiro and allies of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani in New York. He was also raising money from the gay Human Rights Campaign in New York.

Talarico finally resurfaced on Friday, October 9, at the ACL music festival in Austin, Texas, the Gateway Pundit reported. His team tried to gaslight the country. “Hate to disappoint the conspiracy theorists, but James is still alive and meeting with voters at ACL today,” a Talarico spokesperson said as if it’s totally normal to disappear for two weeks in the heat of an election.

It turns out he had a mental health crisis and was allegedly holed up at the Lindner Center of HOPE, an inpatient mental health treatment facility and psychiatric hospital in Mason, Ohio.

In a phone call placed by political strategist Rhein Amacher and independent journalist Nick Sortor to the Lindner Center, an employee allegedly confirms that Talarico had been "just discharged" from the facility on Saturday. He emerged in public the day before, on Friday, but his discharge was seemingly not processed or finalized immediately, Amacher claims. She did, however, appear to say that he was at the facilility.

Whether or not he was at the facility is debatable, but Talarico's camp's handling of the matter calls into question his fitness to be a U.S. Senator. 

To read more, go here. 

Five Years To Universal's "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" Centennials

Five years from now, it will be 2031. 

Of itself, it doesn't mean all that much, but the year will mark the centennials (100 years) of two classic horror movies, Dracula with Bela Lugosi and Frankenstein with Boris Karloff. Both movies were released in 1931. 

I imagine that their parent studio, Universal Pictures, plans to celebrate this milestone. If I were them, I sure as heck would do so. It remains to be seen how they plan to do it. 

According to Google's AI Overview on the subject:

However, the 100th-anniversary milestones for the actual individual theatrical releases of Dracula and Frankenstein will arrive in 2031 (following their respective February and November 1931 premieres). Universal has not yet announced specific promotional or celebratory plans for those 2031 centennials.

In the near term, both Dracula and Frankenstein (1931) are scheduled to officially enter the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2027.

For those of us who are in our senior years (I am 72 now), I hope to be around in 2031 to enjoy the celebrations. It will be interesting to see what will take place. 

Classic Rock Music Monday

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 two from Stephen Bishop: "On and On" and "It Might Be You" (from the movie Tootsie). He was the charming young man with the guitar (that got smashed by John Belushi) in the classic comedy, National Lampoon's Animal House (1978).

From Wikipedia:

Earl Stephen Bishop (born November 14, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor. His biggest hits include "On and On", "It Might Be You", and "Save It for a Rainy Day". He has also written songs for many other artists, such as Barbra Streisand, Phil Collins, and Art Garfunkel. He has contributed music and acted in films including National Lampoon's Animal House.

Only You Can Prevent...

 

Don't Buy A Lever Action Rifle Until You Know This

Don't Buy a Lever Action Rifle Until You Know This video from Dylan Benett.

Summary:

A man named Tom Riley walked up to my counter on a Friday afternoon, held out his phone, and asked me to pick between two rifles he was going to buy the next morning.

He is sixty three. He had wanted a lever gun since he was a boy, since the first time he watched his uncle carry one into the woods in November. Now he was retired, he had a little money set aside, and there was a gun show at the county fairgrounds on Saturday. He had already talked to a seller there on the phone. Two rifles.

The first was a Winchester Model ninety four in thirty thirty. The seller called it a pre sixty four. Fourteen hundred dollars, firm. The second was a Marlin three thirty six, also thirty thirty. The seller said it had the JM stamp, the one everybody wants. Eleven hundred.

Tom had done his homework. He had sent the photos to his brother in law, who has hunted his whole life, and his brother in law told him both were good deals and to grab whichever one he liked better before somebody else did. The seller told him the same thing, of course. Old Winchester, real JM Marlin, they don't make them like this anymore.

I looked at the photos for maybe thirty seconds. Then I asked Tom one question about each rifle. He did not know the answer. He called the seller right there at my counter, and the seller did not know the answer either.

Tom did not buy either rifle that Saturday. And when you hear what the answers turned out to be, you will understand why that one question is the first thing I ask about every lever gun before I tell anybody what it is worth.

That question is number one on this list. But it only makes sense once you know the nine things that come before it, so we are going to build up to it.

Here is what is coming. Lever guns are hotter right now than they have been in decades, and prices have climbed with them. That means more people are buying them, more people are selling them, and a lot more people are paying collector money for rifles that are not what the seller says they are. Today I am going to give you ten things to know before you hand anybody cash for a lever action rifle. One of them could keep somebody in your family from getting hurt. One of them might mean the old rifle in your closet is not legally a firearm at all. And one of them is a family tree so strange that I did not believe it the first time I read it.

I am Dylan Benett. I run the service bench at a gun shop. I see lever guns after people buy them, and I hear about it when they paid too much. Let us start at number ten.

Number ten. The Henry on the rack is not the Henry from the history books.

Walk into any gun shop and you will see them. Brass receivers that shine like gold, walnut stocks, Made in America or Your Money Back printed right on the box. Henry. A lot of buyers assume Henry is one of the old names, a company that has been building lever guns since the Civil War.

It is not.

"Burning Mule"

From what I am reading, the 9-chapter of E Clampus Vitus "Burning Mule" clampout near Boron, California is a rousing success. The clampout ends today.

Even if I wasn't getting over the flu, I wasn't planning to attend as it is too far of a drive. Still, I am there in spirit. 

Above, a couple of food lines. Photo by Roger Lund and posted by Jim Cirner.

The last multi-chapter clampout I attended was a few years ago (about three) at Rice Army Airfield in the Mojave Desert of California. That was an enjoyable event.

Hurricane Rachel Waves Destroys So. Calif. Beaches

Massive Hurricane Rachel waves destroy Southern California Beaches! 25' Backwash Waves and Flooding! video from Beefs T.V.

Summary:

Massive Hurricane Rachel waves batter Southern California beaches and cause severe coastal flooding. This is raw footage taken in Laguna Beach and Dana Point on 10-9-26. Nobody thought the ocean force would be this strong and could have been a Kelvin wave. Be safe out there to everyone on the Southern California coast, its going to be a wild weather event from Hurricane Rachel. This El Nino is proving to be crazy!

A Little Neighborhood Campaigning

Above, after placing the yard sign on my property. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This afternoon, after having breakfast with "Uncle Bob" Weekes at Grandpa's Grill this morning, I spent some time in the neighborhood with Susan Eddy of the McKinley County Republican Party distributing some Gregg Hull and other GOP candidate yard signs.

After she left, I continued by delivering a couple of signs to James, my next-door neighbor. One was for Jerald, another neighbor who wasn't home. It appears that the enthusiasm over the Republican ticket is high after the debate with Gregg Hull and an empty podium where Deb Haaland was supposed to be standing. 

I put my yard sign up after a couple of tries. This was due to the rocky composition of the land. 

Everyone we visited with signs gladly received them. That's definitely a good sign (pardon the pun).

Susan also gave me a small stack of sample ballot cards.

Here's a sample ballot card:

It was a good thing that we stopped when we did, it started to rain.

20 LEVER-ACTIONS THAT PEOPLE WROTE OFF AS OLD-FASHIONED

Above, the pre-64 Winchester 94 made the list at number two. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the years, I have only sold three guns that I bought.

One was a Mossberg pistol grip shotgun that was not pleasant to shoot. I sold it to a guy for the protection of his appliance store. The other two were pistols that, while they were fine guns, I just needed the money. 

The Avid Outdoorsman posted an article on 20 lever-action rifles that people wrote off as "old-fashioned" and are now wishing that they were kept. 

They start it with:

There was a stretch where lever-actions got treated like wall-hangers. Guys traded them off for the newest polymer wonder, a long-range rig with a turreted scope, or whatever the gun-counter conversation said was “modern.” Then ammo shelves went weird, suppressors got common, straight-wall seasons expanded in a lot of places, and suddenly that handy old lever gun started looking like the smartest thing in the safe.

Here are 20 lever-actions I’ve watched folks dump as “outdated,” only to spend the next few years trying to buy back the same rifle… for more money… in worse condition… with no box.

To read more, go here. 

Gas Drops A Little, Diesel Deal With Russia

Above, the Flying J Travel Center in Jamestown, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I was in Gallup last evening for dinner, I noticed that the lowest price for unleaded regular was $4.18/gallon. This was at a gas station across the street from the El Rancho Hotel. It is down a tad from around $4.49/gallon a few days before. 

According to RV Travel, diesel is a different matter. 

They wrote in today's newsletter: 

Gas prices remain the highest they’ve ever been for this time of year. Even though the national average dropped 5 cents this past week to $4.36, AAA reports that pump prices remain at record highs for autumn.The national average price for diesel was $6.28 on Thursday, up $2.50 from the start of the Iran war and up $3.68 from the same time last year.

The omitted, or wasn't aware of, the announcement by President Trump that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin made a deal in which the U.S. will buy 3,000,000 tons of diesel from Russia. 

Predictably, President Zelensky of Ukraine was furious over this deal.   

Inside Clint Eastwood's Gun Collection

Inside Clint Eastwood's Gun Collection video from The Armory Vault. 

Summary:

For over six decades, Clint Eastwood has personified American firepower on the silver screen, from the dusty trails of the Dollars trilogy to Inspector Harry Callahan’s booming .44 Magnum. But does the Hollywood legend actually own the massive private gun vault fans imagine? In this deep dive, we separate cinematic mythology from historical reality to reveal the real story behind his most iconic screen arms, from the Smith & Wesson Model 29 that factory gunsmiths had to hand-assemble from spare toolroom parts, to the rare AMT AutoMag built with a restricted custom serial prefix, to the repurposed Rawhide rattlesnake Colt that Eastwood kept in his personal possession for decades.

We also explore the verified provenance of these historic pieces across major museum archives and five-figure auction sales, while examining Eastwood's documented personal marksmanship habits and his surprising real-world statements on gun legislation. Which of these legendary movie weapons surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments below, be sure to hit that like button if you enjoyed this breakdown, and subscribe to the channel for more deep dives into the real history behind cinema's greatest firearms!

One Year Ago

Above, Russell at Genaro's in 2021. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Time flies so fast that it seems incredible. 

It was one year ago today that I posted the following:

Our Jamestown, New Mexico group received some sad news yesterday. One of our friends, Russell Azbill, was found deceased near his home's front porch. He either died yesterday morning or yesterday night.

He may have been heading to his main outer gate to retrieve a package when stricken and was turning back to go back into the house when he fell. 

Another friend, who was to take him to a doctor appointment was trying to reach him by phone. He went to Russell's home where he found his body on the ground just inside an inner gate at the house. 

Russ's house sold relatively fast. The yard has been cleaned up a bit and some repairs to the fencing of the corral had been made. The new owner is probably going to bring horses there. 

Above, Russell (foreground) one month before his death at Grandpa's Grill in Gallup.

Our Jamestown group talks about Russell frequently. This is especially so if a subject that he was interested in (UFOs, Bigfoot, auto racing/auto repair, etc.) should come up.  

Even though it has been a year since his passing, he is still missed as if he passed yesterday.

Haaland Chickens Out of KOB-TV Debate

Deb Haaland ducked the KOB-TV Debate last night. Gregg Hull appeared along an empty podium where Haaland was supposed to stand. As true to her Princess Running Chicken moniker, she did not show up.

According to the Albuquerque Journal on Facebook:

Republican Gregg Hull had the KOB-TV debate stage to himself Thursday evening, after Democrat Deb Haaland did not show up for the event due to what her campaign described as a scheduling conflict.

 

Even if Haaland's "schedule conflict" were true, she had enough notice to make the necessary changes needed for her to participate. She was meeting with Southern New Mexico farmers and ranchers. Her excuse is pure bullshit.

"Shin Godzilla 2" Reportedly To Begin Filming In November

Above, 2016's Shin Godzilla. Toho Co., Ltd. photo.

Interest in the upcoming Godzilla Minus Zero is rising. It is slated to hit theaters next month and the word-of-mouth is that it will top Godzilla Minus One. We'll see.

However, that's not the end of Godzilla news. Dread Central is reporting that a sequel to 2016's Shin Godzilla will begin filming next month in Japan. 

They wrote:

We might be getting another Shin Godzilla. And the casting rumor makes this even more interesting.

Japanese outlet Smart FLASH reports that a sequel to the phenomenal 2016 film is quietly moving forward, with filming allegedly scheduled to begin in November. Its unnamed film-industry source claims Hiroki Hasegawa and other principal cast members are expected to return, joined by stars Tasuku Emoto (Shin Kamen Rider) and Minami Hamabe.

To read more, go here. 

Lever-Actions: More Useful Than People Give Them Credit

Above, Larry Lucier shooting his Henry .22 cal. lever-action. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Lever-action rifles have seen a big resurgence in popularity over the past several years.

They run the gamut of old classics to new tactical models. 

The Avid Outdoorsman takes a look at how lever-action rifles are more useful than people give them credit for.

They begin with:

Lever guns are often treated like nostalgia pieces, but that undersells how useful they still are. A good lever action is compact, quick to cycle, easy to carry, and available in cartridges that cover everything from small-game plinking to serious big-game  hunting.

Modern versions have also erased many of the old limitations. You can now get threaded barrels, optic rails, weather-resistant finishes, detachable magazines, and chamberings that extend well beyond traditional pistol cartridges. These 20 lever guns prove the platform still has plenty of practical value.

To read more, go here. 

5 Classic Wisconsin Deer Rifles Hunters Still Carry

5 Classic Wisconsin Deer Rifles Hunters Still Carry — And Why Opening Day Keeps Them Alive video from Hunt Forge.

Summary:

A Wisconsin family let a record-book buck go. They kept the rifle — even though nobody can prove it was the one that shot it.

Why do some deer rifles outlive the very reason anyone bought them?

This isn't a top-five countdown. It's the story of five classic rifle families with a documented trail through Wisconsin deer hunting — the Winchester Model 94, Savage Model 99, Marlin 336, Remington 742/7400 Woodsmaster and Winchester Model 70 Featherweight — and the five different ways each one survived. One survived by being ordinary. One by being ahead of its time. One by accepting the scope. One by following the drive-hunting camp into the family. And one by following a family when the camp, the land and the law all changed around it.

You'll meet real Wisconsin hunters from the written record: a family camp that moved from Marinette County to Crawford County and changed rifles along the way, a 1932 Pembine swamp buck that left the family while the Savage stayed, an 80-year-old former Natural Resources Board chair who still keeps his Savage 99 by the window, a father's 70th and final opening day in Jackson County, and the 2013 rule change that finally let the camp rifle come home to eastern Wisconsin.

No nostalgia bait. We'll show you where these rifles fall short, why a new hunter may reasonably choose something else, and the one reason all five still come back every November.

Why Was The .410 Shotgun Invented?

Above, the Mossberg 500E .410 Pump shotgun. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Until I found the Mossberg 500E .410 Pump Shotgun inside a gun case my dad left, I really wasn't too familiar with them. 

After finding the shotgun, I cleaned, oiled it and bought some .410 ammo to try it out. This I did and it wasn't that bad. The recoil was light in comparison to the 12 gauge shotguns I've used. 

What was the purpose of the .410 shotgun?

According to Wikipedia:

The .410 bore (10.4 mm) is a small caliber shotgun, firing one of the smallest commonly available shotgun shells. A .410 bore shotgun loaded with shot shells is well suited for small game hunting and pest control. The .410 started off in the United Kingdom as a garden gun along with the .360 and the No. 3 bore (9 mm) rimfire, No. 2 bore (7 mm) rimfire, and No. 1 bore (6 mm) rimfire. .410 shells have similar base dimensions to the .45 Colt cartridge, allowing many single-shot firearms, as well as derringers and revolvers chambered in that caliber, to fire .410 shot shells without any modifications.

Other small bore shotgun loads include the 9mm Flobert rimfire cartridge, and the less prevalent .22 rimfire shot shell.

I guess if one uses a larger gauge shotgun on small game (such as squirrel and rabbits), those would shred them to pieces. A .410 would not.  

Hell Just Froze Over

 

Debra Messing is one of those television celebrities who were virtually unknown until she got her big break with the show, Will & Grace. Then, she started popping up and popping off with her leftist/liberal political views. 

She's one of those types regular people would conclude that she's a hopeless cause with her politics and she'd never associate with Republicans until hell freezes over. 

Well, it appears that hell did freeze over as she is backing the Republican candidate for New York governor.

According to Newsmax (as posted on Facebook):

MESSING’S POLITICAL SHIFT: Actress Debra Messing, a longtime Democrat, has endorsed Republican Bruce Blakeman over Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in the New York governor’s race, citing taxes, the cost of living and declining quality of life. MORE: https://bit.ly/4jGQzoC

It is good to see that some will eventually come to their senses on occasion. Welcome aboard, Ms. Messing!

Top 5 .30-30 Lever Action Rifles Ranked

Top 5 .30-30 Lever Action Rifles Ranked by Real Field Utility video from Gun-Man Ballistic.

Summary:

For over a century, Winchester and Marlin dominated the whitetail deer woods, but does spending $1,500 on a heritage name still guarantee the best hunting rifle? We evaluate mechanical reliability, optic mounting, receiver lockup, and field usability to rank the 5 best .30-30 lever-action rifles on the modern market—and our top pick might shock traditionalists.   

Cattle Invasion On My Street

This evening, I ventured out for the first time since I went to Lil's Diner yesterday. I am still not 100% over the flu I came down with last week. It seems to have settled into my lungs as I can't seem to get enough air and start gasping on occasion. After a few minutes of this, it starts to ease off. I spent all day in the house.

I headed to the Flying J to pick up some bottled water for the coffeemaker and some gasoline for the Jeep. It was $4.49/gallon, but with my Good Sam discount, I paid $4.39/gallon. 

When I headed out to the Flying J, I saw something unusual two doors to the north of my home on the loop. A herd of cattle "invaded" the neighbor's yard. I've seen them at Nandoh's before, but his gate faces Whispering Cedars Road, an easier access route for the cattle. 

As I drove up, I took the following photos: 

UPDATE (10/08/26):

Nandoh posted on Facebook: 

They were in our yard last night Moo 

20 RIFLES THAT HAVE TRIPLED IN VALUE

Above, my Winchester 94 bought in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I bought my pre-64 (1962) Winchester Model 94 in 2019, it cost me only $495. Today, that same rifle sells for double and, depending upon the area, triple that amount. I feel lucky to have bought mine when I did. That was just before the pandemic hit and prices skyrocketed.

It and other rifles have tripled in value while sitting in safes that nobody thought to open. At least that's according to The Avid Outdoorsman. 

They list 20 such rifles. The pre-64 Winchester 94 is number two on the list.

They begin with:

Every deer camp has at least one “safe that never gets opened.” It’s the one in the back bedroom, or the one tucked in a closet behind winter coats, holding rifles that haven’t seen daylight since the last time someone sighted-in on a paper plate and called it good. Then a family cleans out an estate, or a guy finally decides to thin the herd, and suddenly there’s a hard lesson: some of those “old” rifles got expensive while nobody was paying attention.

Not every dusty rifle is a retirement plan. Plenty of them are just… dusty rifles. But certain models have quietly climbed, mostly because they’re not being made anymore, the quality was better than folks appreciated at the time, or they hit that sweet spot of nostalgia and usefulness. Here are 20 that have a habit of surprising people when the safe door finally swings open.

To read more, go here.