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:
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.
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.
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| 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
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
Ballistics and practical hunting performance
Why it still works so well today
Some cartridges fade away. Others become legends.
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.
According to Wikipedia:
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:
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.
Here's Mercer's voicing of Popeye:
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.
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| 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.
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| 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).
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| 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.
From Wikipedia:
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.
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| 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.
To read more and see the video, go here.
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| 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.
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| 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. |
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.
To read more, go here.
We Ranked Every .30-30 Lever Gun — Yours Might Be Worth a Fortune video from At The Range.
Summary:
The .30-30 has been putting meat on the table for generations, but not every lever gun chambered for it deserves the same attention.
Some are classics for a reason. Others have a much harder case to make.
Which .30-30 would you put at number one?
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.
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| 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.
To read more, go here.
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| Above, purchasing my Winchester 94 at Ron Peterson's Firearms in Albuquerque. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
I was on the lookout for a good pre-64 Winchester 94 in .30-30 around eight years ago (shortly after moving to New Mexico).
Then, in 2019, I was browsing a gun store in Albuquerque for something to do (I had a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida the next day for a cruise) when I spotted one made in 1962 in great shape. I put it on layaway and picked it up when I got back to Albuquerque. It was just under $500. Today, that same rifle would fetch double (or, in some cases, triple) that amount. Thank God I got it before everyone else jumped on the bandwagon.
Since that time, firearm prices have climbed since the 2020 pandemic. Some rifles have even become harder to find. That is the topic of an article in The Avid Outdoorsman.
They begin it with:
Every gun shop has that empty spot on the rack where something good should be. You ask about it and the guy behind the counter gives you the same look you’ve seen a hundred times: “If one comes in, it’s already gone.” These aren’t just collector toys, either. A bunch of the toughest-to-locate rifles are the ones that actually make sense in the field—smooth actions, sane weights, magazines you can live with, and accuracy you don’t have to apologize for.
What makes them scarce varies. Some are discontinued. Some got caught in the hype cycle and never came back down. Some are “boring” rifles that owners quietly refuse to sell once they realize what they have. Here are 20 rifles I’d keep hunting for if you want something that’s hard to snag but easy to appreciate once it’s in your hands.
The Winchester 94 made the list, which is not at all surprising!
To see what else made the list, go here.
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| Above, a mother bear and cub in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
The following doesn't apply to me (I have two cats), but I have relatives with RVs who camp with their dogs.
That is camping with the family dog in bear country. RV Travel posted an article on the fact that dogs can, and do, initiate conflicts with bears in campgrounds.
They begin with:
If you camp in bear country with a dog, you might figure Fido gives you an early-warning system. After all, he’ll probably smell or hear a bear long before you do.
A new study suggests you might not want to count on that.
Researchers examined 326 human-bear conflicts involving domestic dogs across North America. Dogs initiated 54% of those conflicts, according to the study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management.
And don’t count on your dog to sound the alarm. Dogs warned their owners about a bear in only 9.2% of the conflicts studied.
This isn’t just a backcountry-hiking problem, either. While 45.1% of the conflicts occurred while people were hiking in wilderness areas, 35.3% happened in front-country settings.
For RVers traveling with dogs, that’s an important distinction.
To read more, go here.
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| Above, yours truly with the Winchester Model 12 shotgun at Loeffler's Guns Etc. in Grants, New Mexico. |
Having a shotgun or two (or three) in one's arsenal is something every Second Amendment supporter should have.
I have several, two of which I bought (a Winchester Model 12 and a Remington 870 Express) and the others were inherited from my dad, including a Manton 12 gauge made in the 1800s.
The Avid Outdoorsman posted a list of 20 shotguns that were built to last and proven it for over 50 years.
They begin with:
Every fall I see the same thing at the gun counter and at the range: a guy with a brand-new shotgun in a fancy box, and another guy quietly carrying a 40-year-old blued steel and walnut “plain” gun that has killed more birds than the shiny one ever will. Trends come and go. What lasts is a shotgun that feeds, fires, ejects, and keeps doing it after it’s been rained on, bounced around in a truck, and leaned in the corner of a duck blind for decades.
This isn’t a museum list. These are working shotguns that have earned their reputations over 50 years of upland miles, waterfowl mud, and the kind of hard use that shows up in worn checkering and thin bluing. Some are expensive now, some are still affordable, and a few are just heavy and boring. Still, they keep showing up because they keep working.
To read more, go here.
