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. 

The El Rancho Hotel's D. W. Griffith Myth

Above, the El Rancho Hotel & Motel in Gallup, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." - quote from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).

Around about the time I first heard of the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico, it was stated that it was built by the brother of noted Silent Era filmmaker D. W. Griffith, R. E. Griffith, so that actors and crew members would have a first-class hotel to stay at while filming in the Southwest.

Like a lot of things, there are stories that are true, some based on true incidents and some are complete fabrications. Well, we have one that is a complete fabrication it appears.

The Never Quite Lost website (or blog?) posted an article on "The Enduring Myth of Hotel El Rancho." In it the subject of D.W. and R.E. Griffith was brought up. 

Here's what it had to say:

Hotel El Rancho in Gallup, New Mexico, is as much a draw for tourists as it was when it opened in 1937 and one of the first things anyone is told about the hotel is that it was owned by the brother of the most famous film director of the early 20th century, David Wark ‘DW’ Griffith. Given its history as home to the stars, commemorated today by named rooms and copious photographs through the hotel, it’s easy to see why the idea that RE Griffith was related to such a movie legend has been repeated over and over again, by everyone from the National Parks Service to Wikipedia.

There’s one problem; it isn’t true.

There has always been something that has troubled me about the Griffith connection; I have a degree in film and have researched DW Griffith and I knew that, of his siblings, not one had a name beginning with R. So down the rabbit hole I went.

Rupert Earl Griffith was born in 1893 in Hallettville, Texas, the second son of Henry and Minnie Griffith. He had two brothers neither of which were David Wark and his only relationship with DW was that they shared a surname. 

The myth was further perpetuated in 2019 by the Lost Dutchman Chapter of E Clampus Vitus with their El Rancho Hotel plaque. 

Above, the El Rancho Hotel plaque placed in 2019 by the Lost
 Dutchman Chapter of E Clampus Vitus. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It should be noted that the myth is not mentioned in the hotel's official website. 

To read more, go here.

Interview With Arthur Lennig On Bela Lugosi

Arthur Lennig interview conducted by Joe Viglione on Visual Radio 10-13-11 video by joeviglione.

Arthur Lennig recently passed away. Fortunately, he was interviewed on his biographical books on Bela Lugosi. Here's the YouTube video of the interview.

Summary:

Fantastic in-depth interview with Arthur Lennig on his books THE COUNT and The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela Lugosi.

Directed by Jeff Dearman

Cameras Joe LaRocca

Special thanks to WiNCAM Winchestere Community Access and Media

On Visual Radio with Joe Viglione

Interview footage COPYRIGHT 2011 Joe Viglione, all rights reserved.  

20 RIFLES THAT WERE STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON WORKING FARMS

Above, yours truly at home with the Winchester 94.

My great-grandparents in Nebraska owned farm property (corn was the crop). My great-grandfather was the town doctor, so he didn't do any farming personally, he just bought the land as an investment and that tenants farm it.

I image those tenants had firearms at the ready if need be. What firearms in particular I couldn't tell you. 

But there are some rifles that were standard equipment on working farms. The Avid Outdoorsman posted an article featuring 20 of them.

They begin with:

Before “vintage” was a sales pitch, a farm rifle was just another tool leaning in the corner. It rode in a truck rack, got dusted with chaff, and lived through rain you didn’t plan on. The job was simple: keep coyotes honest, put down a sick calf when you had to, thin out groundhogs, and maybe fill a freezer if the season lined up with the work. 

Most of these rifles weren’t babied. They were used hard because they were trusted. And now, the same guns that wore wire-brush bluing and tractor-seat scratches are sitting behind glass with price tags that make a guy say, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Here are 20 rifles that used to be standard farm equipment—back when nobody cared what year they were made.

To read more, go here.

Anti-2nd Amendment Ben Ray Lujan

From the Larry Marker for Senate Campaign:

Ben Ray Luján says he respects New Mexico's way of life. His votes say otherwise.

In 2023, the Senate had a chance to overturn the ATF's pistol brace rule, a Washington regulation that would have turned millions of law-abiding gun owners into potential felons overnight. The vote to stop it failed 49–50.

One vote. Ben Ray Luján voted to keep the rule.

That wasn't a one-time thing:

He voted for H.R. 8, which would make it a federal requirement to go through a licensed dealer just to sell a gun to a friend or neighbor.

He voted for H.R. 1112, which would let Washington hold up a law-abiding citizen's purchase for weeks while the government drags its feet on a background check.

And in 2025, he didn't just vote. He introduced his own bill, S. 3256, to take away Americans' Second Amendment rights over a misdemeanor. Not a felony. A misdemeanor.

Out here, a rifle is a tool, a tradition, and for a lot of families the nearest thing to a 911 call. Larry Marker grew up in southeastern New Mexico working on ranches and oil fields. He knows the Second Amendment isn't optional It's a right.

New Mexico deserves a senator who'll defend it, not one who keeps writing new ways to chip away at it.

The Lever Gun That Out-Engineered the Winchester 94 — Then Vanished

The Lever Gun That Out-Engineered the Winchester 94 — Then Vanished video from Hunt Forge.

Summary:

In 1955, Winchester built the Winchester Model 88 — a lever-action deer rifle that fixed nearly every complaint hunters had about the Winchester Model 94.

Roughly 284,000 were made. Then it vanished. The "old-fashioned" 94 didn't. So what actually killed it?

This is an investigation, not a countdown. Four other lever guns that tried to beat the 94 each leave a suspect: the Ruger 96/44, the Winchester Model 71, the Savage Model 99, and the Sako VL63 Finnwolf — a rifle American hunters asked Finland to build. Then every suspect meets in one room: the Model 88.

Price. Complexity. Identity. Each one looks like the answer… until the evidence turns. The Model 94 was discontinued too, and came back. And the idea behind the Model 88 never really died at all.

By the end, the question isn't "old technology vs. new technology." It's what matters more in a hunting rifle: solving measurable design limitations, or fitting the hunter who actually carries it. We separate what the records prove from what is interpretation, and we name the gaps where nobody has a clean answer.

Who Owns The Bela Lugosi Oil Portrait?

Back in 1932, actor Bela Lugosi had his portrait painted by Geza Kende. It is described as a full-length portrait of Lugosi in a gray suit and waist coat.

Lugosi had the portrait commissioned in 1932 and it was displayed in his homes up to his death. Following his death, Bela Lugosi Jr. wanted the painting but, apparently, Lugosi's widow Hope Lininger and he had a dispute over legal cost money and she refused to let him have it and sold it for $5,000, according to author Arthur Lennig. 

Above, Bela Lugosi's body being wheeled past the Kende painting in August 1956.

It was ultimately sold at auction to Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett and was later donated to the Academy Museum. 

Guns That People Want Back Again

Above, the Ruger 10/22 carbine made number one on the list. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

People who have had guns over the years had some old favorites when they were younger. 

But due to changing interests, cash needed to pay bills or other reasons they parted with them. Years later, while perusing a gun store's used guns section, they spot a gun they used to have and wish they still had it.

The Avid Outdoorsman posted a list of 20 guns that people grew up shooting and never stopped wanting to own again.

They begin with:

Most of us didn’t “get into” shooting. We just grew up around it. A .22 behind the kitchen door, a deer rifle that came out when the leaves turned, and a shotgun that lived in the truck during bird season. Then life happened. Guys traded guns to pay bills, downsized when kids came along, or sold “old stuff” to fund the newest thing that looked good on the internet.

And years later, you catch yourself staring at a used rack thinking, I used to have one of those. Not because it was rare. Because it worked, it felt right, and it fit the kind of shooting you actually do. Here are 20 specific guns I see lifelong shooters wanting back again and again.

To read more, go here. 

Arthur Lennig, Lugosi Biographer, Passes Away

Arthur Lennig, who wrote the probably definitive biography of Bela Lugosi, has passed away.

His niece, Rebecca Bartlett, posted at the Bela Lugosi Appreciation Society Facebook page yesterday:

Our uncle Arthur Lennig passed away. Wanted this group to know. 

Lennig's book The Immortal Count has to be the most comprehensive biography on the horror star. It included photos of his meeting with Lugosi when he was a teen. My roommate at the time had been so engrossed in the book that she carried it everywhere.

Above, Arthur Lennig with his idol, Bela Lugosi, circa late 1940s. Author's collection.

UPDATE: 

Laura Wagner posted the following:

R.I.P., ARTHUR LENNIG (February 22, 1933 – October 2026), author of IMMORTAL COUNT: THE LIFE AND FILMS OF BELA LUGOSI (an updated version of THE COUNT: THE LIFE AND FILMS OF BELA "DRACULA" LUGOSI) and STROHEIM.

10 Guns Everyone Thinks Are Valuable — They Aren't

10 Guns Everyone Thinks Are Valuable — They Aren't video from Ivan's Journal.

Summary:

Go and look in the back of your gun safe. If it is like most, there is an engraved commemorative in a velvet box that nobody has ever fired, a certificate of authenticity tucked in the lid, and a quiet belief that it is the family retirement plan. And leaning right next to it, a scratched-up plain rifle that might be worth more.

I once watched a man set a gold-engraved commemorative on a gun-store counter like a winning lottery ticket, and watched the guy behind the counter offer him less than a beat-up working gun in the rack. That look on his face is why I made this.

So nobody writes in about it, here is where I stand. I am not knocking anybody's guns. I have bought, sold, traded and second-guessed myself for years, and I have made most of these mistakes with my own money. If a gun came from your father, keep it forever. Just do not confuse what it means to you with what it brings at the counter.

Age does not make a gun valuable. Engraving does not. A certificate in a fitted case definitely does not. The market pays for three things, genuine rarity, honest condition and real demand, and almost nothing sold to you as collectible has all three.

There is an old saying among collectors that took me a long time to respect: guns are not scarce, condition is scarce. Thirty-seven million Mosin-Nagants were made. A commemorative Winchester came off the line in runs of around twenty thousand. You cannot hold a rare object that thousands of other people were sold on the same promise. So which one is in your safe?

What we go through:

The Mosin-Nagant M91/30, thirty-seven million made and drifting down in price The Nagant M1895 revolver, the gas-seal cylinder and a twenty pound trigger The new-in-box modern gun bought as an investment, and why mass production depreciates The poorly preserved antique, and why a bad cleaning can wipe out a survivor Franklin Mint and "historical society" display guns, zinc castings and non-firing replicas Small-frame factory commemoratives that stay flat for thirty and forty years The 2020 Colt Python reissue, and why the name transferred but the scarcity did not The sporterized Springfield, K98 Mauser and Lee-Enfield, and the value a drill bit erases NRA banquet guns and "special issue" catalog pieces, and checking who really made yours The commemorative Winchester Model 94, the Buffalo Bill and NRA Centennial editions, and the fifteen percent gap Why firing a commemorative can knock about a third off its value The honest exceptions on every one of these

Said plainly on the exceptions: Mosin sniper variants, Finnish rebuilds and early hex receivers can bring real money. A truly original pre-Soviet Nagant climbs above the pack. A rare antique in honest condition can be very valuable. A genuine limited run that stays scarce can climb. Those are specific, verified guns, not the import-stamped one your buddy swears is worth thousands.

There is no shame in any of this. Plenty of these are wonderful guns that put meat in the freezer or hang on the wall with pride. It is only that nobody makes a living telling you a plain working rifle might beat the gold-accented one in the box. I wrote down the guns I misjudged and the money I left on the counter at ivansjournal.com if you want the long version.

Before you count on any gun as money, find out how many were really made, and find out what a plain one actually sells for. Those two numbers will save you more than any certificate.

Tell me in the comments which one of these is sitting in your safe right now. And be honest: did you think it was worth more than it really is?

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 "Rocktober:, we have a couple of songs from the late Emitt Rhodes. I met Rhodes back when I was around 13 years old. I forget the circumstances, but he invited a couple of friends and me into his home recording studio in Hawthorne, California. He lived only a few blocks away from me. To us impressionable teens, it might as well have been in Frankenstein's laboratory with the Kenneth Strickfaden lab machines. We spent about a couple of hours hanging out with him. He was a very nice guy and sounded very much like Paul McCartney.

From Wikipedia:

Emitt Lynn Rhodes (February 25, 1950 – July 19, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer. A cult figure of baroque pop and power pop, he is best known for his solo albums, released from 1970 to 1973, on which he played every instrument and pioneered home recording techniques. He was nicknamed the "One-Man Beatles" due to his musical and vocal style.

At the age of 14, Rhodes began his career as the drummer of the Emerals (later renamed the Palace Guard). He then formed the band The Merry-Go-Round for which he was the leader and primary songwriter on the band's only album, The Merry-Go-Round (1967). In 1969, Rhodes left the band and began a solo career. His self-titled 1970 album, recorded in his parents' garage and on which he played all instruments, was acclaimed upon release. After its first single "Fresh as a Daisy" reached #54 on the Billboard pop charts, A&M Records released an album of Rhodes's The Merry-Go-Round songs as The American Dream (1970), credited solely to Rhodes and released without his input.

Rhodes recorded and released two more albums, Mirror (1971) and Farewell to Paradise (1973). However, he could not meet demands required by his contract with ABC/Dunhill Records and quit performing after 1973 to work as a recording engineer and producer. In 2014, Rhodes began working with producer Chris Price on new music. Rainbow Ends (2016), his first album in 43 years, features Rhodes accompanied by a backup band; it received positive reviews.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's Hiring Workers

The holidays are just around the corner. So if you are in need of a job to pay for your gift-giving, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's just may be just the thing for you.

According to RV Travel:

Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s will hold a hiring event Oct. 7-8 at retail locations across the United States and Canada as they prepare for holiday shopping and Santa’s Wonderland. On-site interviews for local retail positions will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Applicants are encouraged to apply in advance at basspro.com/careers, but walk-in interviews are available.

Execution Botched In Tennessee

Above, Bela Lugosi as Ygor in Son of Frankenstein. Universal Pictures.

The botched execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee was described as "unprecedented" after two tries.

According to an article in the Associated Press:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Christa Pike was in critical condition Thursday and receiving “lifesaving care” at a hospital, her lawyers said, a day after a failed attempt to execute her pushed Tennessee’s governor to halt further executions this year and order an independent review.

Pike, who was sentenced to death for a 1995 murder, was taken to a hospital Wednesday night after surviving a double dose of the drug Tennessee uses to execute prisoners.

“We don’t have a sense of her prognosis or much update on her health at the moment,” attorney Randy Spivey said during a news conference. “But we know she is alive right now.”

The failed execution, which one death penalty expert described as unprecedented, led Republican Gov. Bill Lee to order a review, calling what happened “deeply disturbing” and indefinitely postponing Pike’s execution and another one that had been scheduled for this year. It also reignited the debate over the state’s execution procedures, including its single-drug lethal injections.

I can only think of one other prisoner who survived his execution: old Ygor (Bela Lugosi) in Son of Frankenstein and Ghost of Frankenstein. He was hanged but the hanging only broke and distorted his neck.

To read more, go here.

10 Lever Guns Dirt Cheap Right Now

Prices Are CRASHING: 10 Lever Guns Dirt Cheap Right Now (October 2026)! video from All About Firearms.

Summary:

Lever gun prices are crashing right now — and this window won't stay open long. Every major manufacturer flooded the market at the same time, and in this video I break down the 10 best lever action rifles you can buy cheap before production corrects and prices climb back up. From the $300 Henry Classic H1 (H001) .22 LR plinker all the way up to the $3,500 Big Horn Armory Model 89 chambered in .500 S&W Magnum, this is the complete buyer's guide to affordable lever guns in 2026. We cover the Marlin 1895 Trapper and Marlin 336 Classic under Ruger, the Smith & Wesson Model 1854 in .44 Magnum, the Henry Big Boy X, the Citadel Levtac 92, the Rossi R92, the Savage Rebel Classic, and the Winchester Ranger — with real street prices, calibers, barrel lengths, and what each rifle is actually built for. Whether you want a .45-70 Government brush gun, a .30-30 deer rifle, a .357 Magnum truck gun, or a budget .22 LR for small game and backyard plinking, this list covers the best value lever action rifles on shelves today. Compare specs, capacity, threaded barrels, takedown features, and find the cheapest lever gun deals before the prices go back up.

Mary Louise Weller, R.I.P.

It has been reported that actress Mary Louise Weller has passed away at age 79, one day short of her 80th birthday.

According to People.com:

Mary Louise Weller, the actress best known for her role in National Lampoon’s Animal House, has died. She was 79 years old. 

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Weller’s longtime partner Michael Roy Curtis announced that she died on Thursday, Oct. 1 — one day shy of her 80th birthday, Oct. 2 — after a brief illness. 

It is sometimes mind-boggling to note the ages of celebrities who have passed on. Weller would have turned 80 if she lived one more day. It is a little stunning that so much time had passed since Animal House was released in 1978. But, of course, one realizes that oneself has also aged. I was 24 when Animal House was released and I am 72 now. 

I first saw Animal House at the South Bay Shopping center's theaters with friend Frank Lunney, who would later become a stand-up comic. A short film, Jimmy the C, was shown before Animal House. I actually saw the movie twice during its initial release. Funny how one can remember some stuff after all these years. 

To read more, go here.

Here's Jimmy the C:

Dem Governor May Have Restored Voting Rights To Dead Felon

This may or may not be evidence of Democrat voting fraud, but it is still interesting nonetheless.

A dead felon seems to have his voting right restored by Virginia's Democrat governor.

The Daily Caller reported: 

Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger may have restored voting rights to a felon who has been dead for ten years.

Virginia resident Peggie Young claimed the governor’s office had sent her a letter restoring voting rights to a felon named Peter Alan Breton. In the Facebook post, Young described Breton as her “dear BFF,” who passed away in 2016.

“I don’t know what to say about this,” Young wrote in the post. “I received it yesterday, September 29, 2026. My dear BFF, Pete Breton, passed away in 2016. I have his ashes.”

“Is this perhaps how voter fraud begins? I’m so confused.”

To read the full article, go here. 

A Cold Or Flu Bug Going Around

Above, left to right, yours truly, Bob Weekes, Victor Gomez and Roger Slape last Saturday.

Yup, there's a cold or flu bug going around. 

Last weekend, I made mention that Greg and Larry Lucier couldn't attend our usual Saturday breakfast at Grandpa's Grill in Gallup due to the colds they got. 

Well, they were able to attend the Tuesday coffee at Lil's in Thoreau. 

On Thursday, I came down with a cold or flu in the afternoon. I tend to think it was a flu as I felt feverish. It was bad enough that I couldn't sleep in bed as I couldn't breathe. So I slept sitting up in the den on the sofa. 

I spent yesterday sitting and cat napping. I did manage to sleep in bed last night. I am feeling better today but not well enough to attend today's breakfast at Grandpa's Grill.  

Don't SELL These 10 Winchesters You Bought Before 1964

Don't SELL These 10 Winchesters You Bought Before 1964 video from Collector Insider.

Summary:

The Pre-1964 Winchester designation marks a critical turning point in manufacturing quality that continues to influence collector interest. We analyze why these specific platforms remain essential for any serious firearm investment, separating the models that hold long-term stability from those that have depreciated.

Our investigation highlights the historical significance behind the most sought-after pieces, including the Winchester Model 1873. With recent auction results reaching over half a million dollars for rare examples, we clarify how build history and provenance dictate a collectible Winchester. Understanding these market distinctions is vital for owners looking to preserve the value of their collection against current trends.

Becerra-Hilton Debate: Two Differing Views

Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra held their only debate of the general election campaign last night.

The question on who won the debate, that depends upon one's news source. The Los Angeles Times fawned over Becerra (well, the Times is a liberal rag) and the New York Post lauded Hilton. 

Here's how the Post began their article:

Xavier Becerra may be ahead in the polls, but lost badly to Steve Hilton in Wednesday night’s gubernatorial debate on CNN.

Hilton, the Republican outsider, ran circles around Becerra, the Democrat, who seemed unable to answer basic questions about his record or his policies.

Becerra wanted to debate President Donald Trump — deeply unpopular in California — but walked into one trap after another.

Here's how the Times began their article:

Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton debated for 60 minutes Wednesday night on a soundstage in Burbank. Times columnists Gustavo Arellano, Anita Chabria and Mark Z. Barabak watched the gubernatorial match-up and weigh in.

Arellano: Steve Hilton came in with next to no chance of becoming the next California governor, but maybe if he focused on touting the feel-good messages he’s been spouting since launching his campaign in front of the Huntington Beach Pier earlier this year — Make California Gold Again! Califordable! I’m a Legal Immigrant with a British Accent! — he might’ve convinced at least a few voters to go with him.

Instead, Hilton debated like someone already preparing to launch a podcast or beg for his old Fox News job back after he gets walloped. When your solution for solving California’s housing crisis is building 10 new cities, you’re not running for California governor — you’re angling for an influencer job with the Irvine Co.

See what I mean? One gets the strong impression that the news companies saw two different debates. 

To read the full Los Angeles Times article, go here.

To read the full New York Post article, go here.

If the polls hold, it appears that the voters will flush California down the toilet by keeping the state government firmly in the Democrats' control. 

Dollar At ¥158 Range

Today we're in a new month and it is time to see how the U.S. dollar is faring against the Japanese yen in foreign exchange. 

Since we are now in autumn, it is a good time to visit Japan as the summer heat has ended. This is why checking on the exchange rate between the dollar and yen is of interest to American travelers.

According to Reuters (Japan edition):

[TOKYO, October 1, Reuters] - The dollar was trading in the low 158 yen range at 3 p.m., higher than the close of trading in New York the previous day. Following the release of the September Tankan survey and the main opinions from the September Bank of Japan meeting, expectations of further interest rate hikes have receded, leading to dollar buying and yen selling. The dollar rose by nearly 1 yen, reaching its highest level in about a week.

The dollar, which had been trading in the low 157 yen range in the morning, gradually rose. The Bank of Japan's Tankan survey for September showed that the business sentiment index (DI) for large manufacturers improved to +24 for the sixth consecutive quarter, while that for large non-manufacturing companies deteriorated to +35 for the first time in five quarters .

To read more, go here. 

End The Democrats' New Mexico Trifecta

At present, New Mexico has a one-party state government. The Democrat Party controls both houses of the legislature and the office of the governor. 

This one-party rule is called a trifecta. A trifecta is defined by Ballotpedia as:

State government trifecta is a term to describe single-party government, when one political party holds the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

When I first moved to New Mexico in 2018, the Democrats controlled both houses of the state legislature, but the governor was a Republican. 

California is a one-party Democrat state and has been since 2011. It is a perfect example of how the left wing Democrats have badly ran the state with no checks and balances. Spending has gone wild, taxes have skyrocketed, regulations are choking the populace driving many to flee the state, high unemployment and is suffering a housing crisis. Businesses are also leaving California. Gasoline is the highest in the nation. Refineries are shutting down. Small wonder people refer to California as Commiefornia. 

If Deb Haaland wins in November and the Democrats maintain their majorities, New Mexico can possibly face the same radical policies that already ruined California. 

DON'T CALIFORNICATE NEW MEXICO!

20 Shotguns Almost Impossible To Wear Out

Above, picking up the Winchester Model 12 at Loeffler's Guns Etc.

The first time I shot skeet was a few years ago was with a group in Lake Havasu, Arizona.

I used a shotgun one of the guys let me use as I didn't own (in two cases, I didn't know I even had them) one. After that skeet shoot, I got a good deal on a Remington 870 Express, a "cousin" to the coveted Remington 870 Wingmaster. 

I've shot it a few times enjoyed the experience each time.

The Avid Outdoorsman posted an article on 20 shotguns that are almost impossible to wear out. The Winchest Model 12 I bought two years ago made the list.

The article begins with:

Some shotguns are built to be light, sleek, and pleasant to carry. Others seem happiest after being dragged through a duck marsh, thrown behind a truck seat, fired for thousands of rounds, and handed down to another generation. Those are the guns that earn reputations far beyond whatever the manufacturer originally printed in the catalog.

Nothing mechanical is literally impossible to wear out. Springs weaken, extractors break, firing pins eventually need replacement, and even the toughest action benefits from basic maintenance. But certain shotgun designs have demonstrated that their receivers, bolts, barrels, and core operating systems can survive extraordinary amounts of use. If I wanted a shotgun that could spend decades  hunting, shooting clays, and generally being treated like equipment rather than a display piece, these are 20 models I would trust more than most.

To read more, go here. 

GUNS THAT SERIOUS COLLECTORS BUY NOT CARING ABOUT MARKET TRENDS

Above, the 1962 Winchester 94 .30-30 I bought in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I am not a gun collector. Over the years, I will buy a firearm because I just wanted it or tried one out and liked how it shoots.

The closest thing to a "collection" are the three Winchesters: Winchester Model 94, Winchester Model 62A (inherited from my grandfather) and a Winchester Model 12 shotgun. 

The Avid Outdoorsman posted an article on the guns that serious collectors buy when they stop caring what the market is doing. I was lucky to find the pre-64 Winchester 94 before the pandemic and the prices started skyrocketing. (I saw one this morning of the same year at almost triple the price I paid.) I was looking for one for a while and found it while killing time in an Albuquerque gun store. 

As it turns out, I have two guns on The Avid Outdoorsman list. 

The article begins with:

There’s a stage most gun guys hit after they’ve watched enough “hot” calibers come and go and enough panic cycles roll through like bad weather. You stop trying to guess what’s going to jump in price next month. You stop caring what the forums say is “dead.” You start buying the guns you actually want to own, shoot, carry, and hand down.

Serious collectors aren’t always chasing rare. A lot of the time, they’re chasing right. The stuff that feels good in the hands, runs when it’s dirty, has parts and mags that don’t require a scavenger hunt, and still makes sense in the deer woods or on a gravel road after dark. Here are the kinds of firearms I see seasoned buyers quietly go after when the market noise fades out.

To read more, go here. 

The Plot To Steal Lincoln's Remains

Above, Abraham Lincoln's tomb in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Did you know that the mortal remains of President Abraham Lincoln are sealed in a steel cage covered in concrete ten feet down?

Yes, this is true. There was a plot to steal Lincoln's coffin and hold it for ransom. The plot was foiled and Robert Lincoln, the eldest son of the president, ordered that the coffin be reburied ten feet down inside a steel cage and covered in concrete.

Above, Abraham Lincoln was re-buried ten feet below and a
 few feet behind the sarcophagus. Photo by Armand Vaquer. 

The Lincoln Tomb in Springfield, Illinois at Oak Ridge Cemetery is free to the public to visit. I went there in 2016 when I went to Metropolis, Illinois to attend Noel Neill's memorial service. 

The National Park Service posted the story of the foiled plot and it begins with:

In the fall of 1876, just 11 years after his assassination, there was a plot to steal President Lincoln’s remains from Oak Ridge Cemetery and hold them ransom in the Indiana Dunes.

That October, a prominent engraver for Chicago counterfeiters named Benjamin Boyd was jailed at the nearby Joliet penitentiary. An Irish-American crime boss by the name of Jame "Big Jim" Kinealy relied on Boyd for his business and devised a plan for his release. Kinealy's scheme called for Lincoln’s body to be stolen from his tomb in Springfield, Illinois. The thieves would then take the President's remains over 200 miles to Indiana’s sand dune country. There, Lincoln’s remains would be hidden while the shifting sands would cover the grave-robbers' tracks. After the remains were hidden away, Boyd, the imprisoned engraver, would ransom them for his release, full pardon, and $200,000 (over $5.5 million today).

Above, yours truly at Lincoln's tomb in 2016.

American Heritage posted a detailed account of the attempted theft of Lincoln's coffin. To read it, go here.

To read the NPS story of the plot, go here.

Toru Ohira, the Japanese Voice of George Reeves and Darth Vader

Today would have been the 97th birthday of voice actor Toru Ohira. 

From Dennis Hayes: 

On this date September 29, 1929 Tōru Ōhira (大平 透) was born in Tokyo, Japan.

Ōhira was a Japanese narrator and voice actor (seiyu) from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. He is a representative of Ōhira Production.

One of his most known roles is the dub voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars on the home video releases. He is also known for his many narration roles, most notably in the Super Sentai series.

He was a very influential figure in the dubbing industry during the Sousei period.

After graduating from Tokyo Metropolitan University Jōnan Senior High School (in which he was also the supervisor of the school's volleyball team), he went on to graduate from the Meiji University Department of Political Science and Economics. In 1954, he joined the Nippon Broadcasting System, in which he became an announcer and producer. In 1955, with the opening of the Tokyo Broadcasting System, he enlisted in its theatrical company. He left the company in 1958 to become a voice artist.

His breakthrough performance was the dubbing voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars series. He reprised this role for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and a crossover appearance in Soulcalibur IV- notable because the game was originally in Japanese, meaning that Ōhira was Vader's "original" voice in the game, unlike with the films. In addition, he is usually cast in either astringent villain roles or gag characters.

The first dubbed television show in Japan was "Adventures of Superman", which began broadcasting in 1956 with Tōru Ōhira voicing George Reeves (Clark Kent/Superman). Television had made a strong impression on the Japanese from Emperor Hirohito down. About 99 percent of Japanese TV shows were American, including the Emperor's favorite, "Superman." Emperor Hirohito even sent George Reeves a fan letter.

Ōhira was also the voice of Marlon Brando (Jor-El) in "Superman: The Movie" (1978) when it was released in Japan.

He would have been 97 years old today.

Happy Birthday Tōru !

Top 7 Hunting Rifles Veteran Hunters Keep

Top 7 Hunting Rifles Veteran Hunters Keep in Their Collections — 2026 video from Scoper 360°.

Summary:

Which heritage hunting rifles belong in your collection first, and which ones can wait? We're ranking seven classic American rifles—not by collector value or auction price, but by what a working hunter actually needs to own first. Starting with practical ownership sequence: the Winchester Model 70 pre-1964, Remington Model 700, Marlin 336 lever-action, Browning Superposed shotgun, Savage 99, Ruger No. 1, and best hunting rifles for priority.

This ranking reflects real hunting priorities. We break down the claw extractor reliability of controlled-round-feed systems, compare modern rifle design versus heritage craftsmanship, and explore which rifles demand mastery before others. Whether you're building a serious rifle collection, hunting in brushy terrain, or pursuing long-range precision, we reveal which platform teaches you what excellence means—and which models work as backup tools instead of foundations.

Hard To Find Firearms In Famous Configuration

Above, my 1962 Winchester 94 .30-30 cal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With new gun prices rising into the stratosphere, many people are resorting to buying "tried and true" used guns. Many of these people are serious collector who want that iconic gun in configuration that made those guns famous in the first place.

The Avid Outdoorsman listed 20 of these guns that are getting harder to find on the used gun market. I have two that made the list.

They begin with:

Anybody can find “a” version of a popular gun. What’s getting tougher is finding the version everybody actually remembers—the one with the right barrel length, the right sights, the right stock, the right finish, and the right little details that made it iconic in the first place. Walk into a shop today and you’ll see plenty of close-enough models, “tribute” runs, and updated variants with rails, optics cuts, and modern coatings.

That’s not automatically bad. But if you grew up with certain rifles and handguns in your head—what they looked like in a deer camp rack, behind a truck seat, or on a hip in an old holster—then you already know the sting of trying to replace one and realizing the famous configuration is the one that’s thinned out.

To read more, go here. 

Newsom Signs 10 Anti-Gun Laws

California Gov. Gavin Newsom never met a gun control bill he didn't like. This is especially true in this legislative session.

Newsom received and signed 10 gun control laws that the Democrat supermajority in the state legislature sent him. I am sure glad I moved out of Commiefornia eight and a half years ago!

According to Guns.com:

As he meanders towards higher office in government, California's Gavin Newsom signed every piece of gun-control legislation on his desk last week and took a victory lap.

Newsom, the former mayor of San Francisco and one of the most high-profile Democrats to watch in the 2028 presidential election cycle, signed no less than 10 pieces of legislation on Saturday. 

To read more and see what each bill signed into law is going to do, go here.