Guns Cleaned

Above, the Winchester 94 after I finished cleaning it. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, I finally got around to cleaning the two rifles I shot with last Friday.

The first to be cleaned was the Winchester 94 .30-30. That went without a hitch.

Then, I cleaned the Winchester 62A .22 cal. That didn't go so smoothly. The rod end came off in the barrel and I tried getting it out with a wire hangar. That didn't work, so I loaded a couple of rounds and the first shot blew the obstruction out. I did this in the front yard. The sound wasn't much as it was a .22. A neighbor was taking a walk on the road in front during this and just grinned and waved. I waved back.

The rifles have been put back in the cabinet all ready for the next shooting session. 

Bringing Back a Piece of History: Winchester 94 Preservation

Bringing Back a Piece of History: Winchester 94 Preservation video by Outdoor Tactics.

Summary:

I’m preserving a 1915 Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 in this first episode of the One More Hunt series. This rifle is 110 years old and has seen better days—but it’s not done yet.

We’ll fully disassemble, clean, and preserve the rifle while leaving its history intact. There will be no rebluing or heavy sanding. We will just give this lever gun what it needs to get back to the field.

Gun Cleaning, Etc.

Above, the Winchester 94. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning, I cleaned the guns I brought with me to Lake Havasu for the Christmas holiday.

The guns are both Winchesters, one a Model 94 and one a Model 12 shotgun. Both were cleaned and oiled.

As I mentioned a few days ago, I had problems with the shotgun after firing one shot. I think that the gun was not properly aligned (it is a take-down model) and the pump action wouldn't cock. I did some tinkering with it and it cocks fine. I'll have to give it a try-out.

That will have to wait for a few months as the weather is cold out (15°) and there's bound to be snow (eventually).

Gun Cleaning

Above, Hoppe's No. 9 gun oil and gun solvent. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After a shoot, some people may think that cleaning their firearms is tedious and/or boring. I am not one of them. 

I like the smell of Hoppe's No. 9 gun solvent, I don't mind doing the necessary gun cleaning. I have about five Hoppe's gun cleaning kits that I have accumulated over 40 years. I also have two Winchester gun cleaning kits as well that I picked up a year ago in Lake Havasu City. They were on sale. 

I use the cleaning task to inventory the supplies, especially patches. Right now, I have plenty of patches of differing sizes. 

Before locking the guns away after cleaning, I give each a good oiling to prevent rust. Guns that I bought 40 years ago have no signs of any rust as I have always oiled them. Living in a semi-arid environment also helps. 

Cleaning Your RV Awning

Above, making use of the awning at the Devils Tower KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV awnings are great things to have, especially if one is camped where there are no trees around. I had to replace the awning fabric seven years ago as a small tear (from a leaning telephone pole I didn't see) got larger over the years.

Do It Yourself RV has posted an article on what to use (and what not to use) for cleaning RV awnings. Personally, I have specially-made RV awning cleaner. 

The article begins with:

It’s time to clean your RV awning. No, it’s not the most thrilling moment of your life, but it’s a job worth doing. Awnings get filthy fast, and neglecting them can cost you. Replacing one runs anywhere from $500 to $2,000, so keeping yours clean is a smart money move.

Plus, no one wants to sit under a moldy eyesore. A dirty awning can smell bad, attract bugs, work less effectively, and even pose health risks. Let’s skip that mess and go over a few simple ways to keep yours clean, functional, and campsite-ready. 

 To read more, go here.

Winchester Model 12 Disassembly & Assembly (Video)

 

Gun Cleaning

Above, the Winchester 62A before disassembly. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As I've said before, I love the smell of Hoppe's No. 9 in the morning.

A while ago, I cleaned the rifles used during yesterday's plinking. I limited myself to shooting the Winchester 62A .22 and the Winchester 94 .30-30. 

Above, the Winchester 62A after disassembly. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I got both cleaned and oiled this morning. I took apart the Winchester 92A as a couple of patches got stuck inside the receiver. It was easy to take apart and put back together. After taking out the patches, I did a thorough cleaning inside. It probably hadn't been taken apart and cleaned this extensively since my grandfather had it. 

Above, the Winchester 94 before cleaning. Photo by Armand Vaquer

Now both rifles are ready to shoot again.

Picked Up A Couple of Winchesters

Yes, I picked up a couple of Winchesters yesterday. Not guns, but Winchester brand cleaning kits for shotguns and rifles.

Mitch Geriminsky and I went to a Lake Havasu pawn shop (Mr. Pawn) and they had the gun cleaning kits for the ungodly sum of $10.00 each. I thought the price was reasonable and got one of each. Mitch bought the rifle cleaning kit. 

Their gun prices were also reasonable. Unfortunately, I didn't see any that I would interested in buying.

Here's what I got:

Post-Travel Cleaning Today

Above, the motorhome at the Monument Valley KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today's the day for some post-travel work.

I've already started the laundry and will start cleaning the motorhome (The Beast) and doing some minor repair to a drawer. Once that's all done, it will be put into the GOCO Beast Barn until the Lost Dutchman chapter's clampout in October. 

Overall, the RV performed just fine during the trip.  

Winchester Model 12 Shotgun Worked Great

Above, cleaning the Winchester Model 12 shotgun. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I was able to fire several shot shells through the Winchester Model 12 shotgun I bought earlier this year.

The shotgun is a take-down model made in 1919, making it over 105 years old. Since it is a take-down, it has to be put together and have its components in the correct configurations.

I couldn't fire it the last time I tried (back in April), so I took it to Loeffler's Guns, Etc. in Grants to see what was causing it. They showed me how to put it together and configure it. I videoed their instructions for future reference (glad I thought of doing so).

It operated just fine. I actually enjoyed shooting it along with the other shotgun I brought along yesterday, the Remington 870 Express. 

It is probably more appropriate for trap shooting than the Remington. I will give it a try the next time I go to Lake Havasu. 

I was very pleased at its performance. No wonder it is a popular shotgun.

Love The Smell of Hoppe's In The Morning...

Above, cleaning the Remington 870 Express shotgun. 

As usual, following target shooting, the time comes for cleaning and oiling the guns to keep them in good working order. It's a task I don't mind doing since I like the smell of Hoppe's No. 9 solvent.

Above, about to clean the Winchester 94. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I took care of that this morning after I took a quick jaunt to Gallup for some grocery shopping.

So now, the guns are ready for the next session of shooting.

First Mow of the Year

Above, Barking Spider Acre after mowing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since it may rain this coming week, I figured that today would be a good day to mow Barking Spider Acre.

I got the Jeep fired up and took it down to the Flying J for our Saturday gathering at Denny's.

Above, after coming home from the Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Later, I cleaned the inside of The Beast (the motorhome) and took it into Gallup to a coin-operated car wash and washed the outside of it.

I then put it into the GOCO Beast Barn once I got back home. 

Afterwards, I got the mower started and mowed Barking Spider Acre and some areas of the front yard. I will be doing some more trimming of weeds tomorrow in the front yard. This is the first mow of the year. 

After I was done, I popped open an Alien Amber Ale. 

RV Spring Cleaning

Right now, it is too cold, rainy (with some snow showers) to start spring cleaning of the motorhome, but that will come soon enough.

RV spring cleaning is virtually a ritual (an important one) to get it ready for the travel season. I last used my motorhome in December. It has been sitting in its garage since then.

RV spring cleaning is the topic of an article in RV Life.

They begin it with:

Spring is a great time for most RVers because it marks the beginning of RV trip planning and vacation travel. The initial focus after dewinterizing the plumbing system is getting the RV ready with a good spring cleaning.

Spring cleaning an RV is much like prepping a country cabin that’s been locked up since the previous fall. It requires a thorough walk-around inspection, a top-to-bottom cleaning, and doing the necessary maintenance and repairs to make the RV ready for use. 

The article describes the things that need to be attended to, inside and out.

To read more, go here. 

Cleaning and Oiling Winchester 1894 Rifles

A couple of months ago, I found that cocking the lever of my Winchester 1894 .30-30 rifle wasn't pushing the trigger all the way back into firing position. I had to manually do so for it to fire.

Thinking that it was a worn out sear or some other internal problem, I brought it to a gunsmith in Thoreau, New Mexico to find out what the problem was.

It turned out that it only needed a "deep cleaning". After he did so, the trigger was pushed correctly into firing position with the lever. 

For my future reference (and for helping others) for cleaning the Winchester, I looked up videos on YouTube for correctly cleaning the 1894 and posted a couple of them below.

As the old saying goes, hope this helps!

New Vacuum Cleaner

Five years ago, I bought a Hoover Wind Tunnel upright vacuum. From the first day I had it, I had nothing but problems with it.

A part was broken when it arrived. So I had to bring it to an authorized dealer in Albuquerque to get it fixed under warranty. Changing the bags was a major chore. It never worked right.

The latest and final straw was when I was vacuuming the house on Sunday. I finished the living room, den and hallway and just started with my bedroom when the stupid thing just came apart. So, I picked it up and dumped it into the trash and proceeded to look for a replacement.

I checked different stores, brands and models online read each vacuum's reviews.

I settled on a Bissell upright canister vacuum (photo above).

It arrived today. It was easy to put together and after doing so, tried it out.

I was very pleased with its performance and emptying the canister was easy. No bags are necessary! A definite plus! It is also more lightweight than the Hoover. It picked up more in one cleaning than the Hoover did after several cleanings.

I definitely recommend this Bissell upright vacuum and would not recommend any Hoover vacuum products. They are nothing but cheap crap.

Love The Smell of Hoppes No. 9 In The Morning

Since it is a whopping 30° outside, I will be deferring working on The Beast (motorhome) until tomorrow.

Instead, I cleaned and oiled my Ruger 9mm pistol and Remington shotgun. I had to do it anyway, so I might as well get it done. It was something to do since it is too cold outside.

Rainy Day Gun Cleaning

Above, cleaning and oiling the Winchester 1894. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It's a good thing that I waited until today to clean my guns.

Since this morning, we've had our real sustained rain in Jamestown, New Mexico. It has been a dry autumn and we've only had very little precipitation. This storm has given the ground and, most importantly, the trees, a good soaking. 

So, I stayed inside since we had breakfast this morning at Denny's and cleaned the guns I used yesterday. What a difference a day makes.

Maybe we'll get our first snow soon.

How To Clean Silver Coins

Above, an uncirculated Peace dollar with tarnish (or
 patina) just beginning to form. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After finding a bunch of Franklin half dollars in a strongbox that had been locked over 23 years, I found it necessary to clean one of them.

The reason was old masking tape was wrapped around it and the adhesive hardened onto the coin's surface.

Fortunately, I had some non-abrasive jewelry cleaner and cleaned the coin completely. It actually looks quite good.

Cleaning coins is something that stirs up controversy among coin collectors. Generally, cleaning coins (especially silver) with abrasive cleaners is a definite no-no.

Gainesville Coins has posted an article on this subject.

They begin it with:

There are few areas in numismatics as controversial as the matter of cleaning coins. This is certainly true among people who collect or invest in silver coins, which are prone to tarnish. Tarnishing, known as patina among numismatists, is something that coin collectors generally desire – especially when the patination has taken on an eye-appealing color or form.

In the realm of coin collecting, the general rule of thumb is to simply not clean your coins, period. Cleaning a coin can impair its surface and hamper its appearance, causing the coin to lose a significant amount of its collectible value and monetary worth.

It’s often the case that a cleaned coin suffers a decrease in value (above spot) of 20% to 30% or more. Harsh, abrasive cleanings sometimes cut the numismatic premium by more than half. Many silver coins that have been cleaned will lose virtually all their numismatic premium, causing such pieces to be traded only for their bullion content. While this, of course, does not negatively impact a cleaned silver coin’s merit as a bullion vehicle, it does eliminate its potential for being traded as a numismatic item – a lucrative market for collectible silver coinage.

While we address this topic to answer questions some people may have on how to clean silver coins, we want to make it clear that cleaning coins is generally not advised, nor do we endorse it. Cleaning coins, especially with abrasive agents or caustic chemicals, can cause irreparable damage to the coin and irrecuperable loss to its value.

To read more, go here. 

One More Gun To Clean

A few minutes ago, I cleaned and oiled my grandfather's old (at least since the 1940s) Benjamin air pellet rifle.

It still works great. I had it overhauled back in the 1990s and I occasionally shoot it in my front yard or at Barking Spider Acre. It's a good little plinker.

Here's the rifle after cleaning and oiling:

One More Gun Cleaned

Later this morning, I have to go into Gallup to pick up a few things at the market. Right now it's too cold out (around 36°). 

So, to kill time, I cleaned and oiled my old Rossi .38/.357 6" barrel revolver that I used when I worked armed patrol. That about takes care of the guns, unless I find the two of my dad's that apparently were boxed when I moved out of Tarzana. They are in a locked case.