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. 

Guns That Rust Faster Than You Can Clean Them

Above, the Winchester 94 made the list. Fortunately, mine has not a speck of rust. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Rust.

That is something that has never been a problem for my guns. I keep most of them (except for two shotguns that won't fit) in my gun cabinet. I keep them clean and occasionally oil them and keep a coat of oil on their exterior metal surfaces.

Fortunately, I also live in a semi-arid area. That helps a lot!

MSN posted a slideshow of guns susceptible to rust. I guess some guns rust faster than others.  

They begin with:

Moisture doesn’t care how much your gun cost or what kind of safe it lives in. Some guns just rust faster than others. Thin finishes, poor materials, or a lack of proper coatings can turn a morning hunt into a corrosion cleanup by lunch. If you’ve ever pulled a gun out after a wet weekend and found orange creeping in, you know the frustration.

Some guns demand more maintenance than they’re worth in the elements. You either baby them or learn the hard way. These are the ones you need to stay on top of—or leave home when the weather’s turning sideways.

To read more and see the slideshow, go here. 

How Much Are You Paying For Gas?

Here's the prices by state:

California’s Gas Prices Could Hit $8 Per Gallon

A few days ago, ABC7 posted the following on Facebook:

Gov. Gavin Newsom is demanding to know why California's gas prices are so much higher than the prices in other states.

The governor has tasked the attorney general with investigating why California drivers are paying as much as $1 more per gallon. Is it price gouging? Or something else? https://abc7.la/33OfIUf 

For anyone who either lives (or lived) in California in recent years knows the answer. It is the one-party state government (i.e., Democrats) that over-regulated and over-taxed gasoline and oil in the state. Newsom should take a look in the mirror for his answer.

Now comes a new kicker, and this is from RV Travel:

Hold onto your wallets—California’s gas prices are on track to hit a jaw-dropping $8.44 per gallon by the end of 2026, and experts warn the financial aftershocks could slam Western states too. With two major refineries set to close and a tangle of new state regulations driving up costs, the Golden State’s gas crisis isn’t just a local headache—it’s shaping up to be a regional economic earthquake. The specter of $8 gasoline is enough to make a trip back East look downright inexpensive.

Now nearly $5… $8 gasoline could happen

The highest gas prices in the country are out West. California hits the top of the gauge with an average price per gallon of $4.78 as of Tuesday, May 6. But a new analysis says you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. With the shutdown of two of the state’s refineries in the offing, the findings point to the possibility of pump prices hitting $8.44 by the end of next year. But state lines won’t stop the pump pain—neighbors Nevada and Arizona may feel the big bite, too.

A study released by the University of Southern California took a look at the Golden State’s history of gas prices, its supply of oil, and the capacity of state refineries. It factored in the potential impact of closing two refineries (representing 20% of the state’s refining capacity), and took in the cost of fees and regulations. In the end, this study says $8 gasoline is likely.

Every time I see stories like the above, I have to thank my lucky stars that I moved out of Commiefornia just in the nick of time before Newsom took over. I've been living in New Mexico, where gasoline is under $3.00/gallon, for seven years. No regrets!

No wonder people are leaving the state.

To read more, go here.

Gas Prices Will Fly For the 4th of July

When I last looked, the price for unleaded regular at the local Flying J was $3.159/gallon. I don't know what it is today, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is higher than that.

Nationally, gas prices are higher for the Independence Day holiday.

According to RV Travel: 

Just in time for holiday RV travel, the national average for gas prices shook off nearly three weeks of stagnation, moving a nickel higher since last week to hit $3.50.

In AAA’s most recent gas price report (June 27), the outfit noted the cost of oil crossed the $80 per barrel mark, putting upward pressure on pump prices. With oil costs accounting for about 54% of what you pay at the pump, more expensive oil usually leads to more expensive gas. Yes, gas prices will fly for the 4th of July.

To read more, go here. 

Gas Prices Expected To Fall and Stay Low

Above, filling up at the Jamestown Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Gasoline prices in New Mexico are dropping and are expected to stay low through summer. At least that's what the AAA is saying.

According to the Rio Rancho Observer:

Commuters and vacationers can breathe a sigh of relief at the gas pump knowing gas prices appear to be dropping as the summer travel season kicks in, according to a report from AAA.

“New Mexicans are paying less for gasoline so far this summer when compared to last year,” Daniel Armbruster, AAA New Mexico spokesman, said in a news release. “Supply builds of crude oil and gasoline are helping to keep retail fuel prices in check as many hit the road for summer vacations.”

Although oil supplies are the main catalyst for price drops, there are other reasons pump prices are slowly creeping down.

AAA spokesman Andrew Gross told the Associated Press that demand for gas is declining. “Traditionally — pre-pandemic — after Memorial Day, demand would start to pick up in the summertime. And we just don’t see it anymore.”

The rise in popularity of electric vehicles and other fuel-efficient vehicles is also credited as a reason for declining demand.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in New Mexico on Thursday was $3.20, 4 cents less than a week before and 23 cents less than on June 13, 2023, according to AAA. 

To read more, go here. 

California's Gas Prices "Gone Ballistic"

Each passing week I thank my lucky stars that I moved out of Commiefornia. The wacko leftist policies of the one-party (i.e., Democrat) government has made the cost of living unbearable to many people. Small wonder people are fleeing.

The state's oil and gas policies have made California's gas prices one of the highest in the nation. Yet, the stupid asses think they are pulling the wool over people's eyes with their Gas Price Gouging and Transparency Law passed last year.

From Yahoo! Finance:

Gas prices have been on the rise nationwide, but for California drivers, they've skyrocketed in a short amount of time.

The Golden State's average at the pump surged by $0.23 to $5.27 per gallon on Friday from a week ago, according to AAA data. Meanwhile, the nationwide average sat at $3.54 per gallon on Friday, up $0.04 during the same period.

Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at OPIS, points to refinery challenges as the main culprit for California's surging prices, including an important Phillips 66 refiner in the Bay Area halting gasoline production in favor of renewable diesel.

“Throw in regularly scheduled maintenance that will occur at two critical refineries in May and the normal penchant for speculative buying in global markets in the second quarter, and you have wholesale prices that have gone ballistic,” he said.

Kloza calculates gasoline in San Francisco, less taxes and other costs, is at a premium of almost $60 per barrel more than current crude levels. 

Last year California passed the Gas Price Gouging and Transparency Law, aimed at keeping a lid on refinery margins. Regulators will meet next week to iron out the details for specific rules.

Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, said the law's requirements "may lead some gasoline importers to halt doing business in the state and that could exacerbate the supply situation at exactly the same time supplies from outside the state are needed."

The citizens who voted for Democrats in California have no reason to complain. They asked for it with their votes. The Democrats piled on taxes at the pump.  Another great example of why stupid people should not be allowed to vote.

To read more, go here. 

Gas Prices Jumped Sharply

Above, filling up at the Jamestown, New Mexico Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The national average price of gasoline jumped last week.

I noticed that the price for unleaded regular yesterday at the local Flying J was at $3.039/gallon. The last time I checked (last Friday), gasoline in Gallup (18 miles away) was $2.779/gallon. 

According to RV Travel, while demand has lessened, the price of oil is what's driving up gasoline prices.

They wrote:

The national average for a gallon of gas rose 11 cents since last week to $3.52. While demand for domestic gas has been lackluster, rising oil prices helped push pump prices higher. The Midwest may see a bit of a price reprieve, as the large BP Whiting refinery in Indiana is back up and running after being down since February 1.

“Gas prices are a lot like seasonal temperatures. They start to rise with the arrival of spring, said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “And the national average for gas is now higher than a year ago, which we have not seen since late December.”

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!

Gas Prices Drop

Above, filling up for the drive to Lake Havasu last month. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The cost of gasoline has been trending downward for the past few weeks. I noticed this during my recent trip to Lake Havasu, Arizona. 

RV Travel has posted an article on the drop in gasoline prices. In some areas, it has dropped to below $2.00/gallon.

They begin with:

Are your gas pains better? If you’re talking about the ones that come with fueling up your rig, then AAA says you’re right. The price of regular gasoline dropped nine cents over the last week across the country. What’s behind the relief?

Gas pains better because of two factors

Two key factors are playing into the drop in fuel prices. First, Americans are using less gas. Federal watchdog the Energy Information Administration (EIA) says gas demand decreased slightly from 8.86 to 8.7 million b/d (barrels per day) last week. Secondly, oil prices are down, despite the Middle East situation. At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices decreased by 58 cents to settle at $80.44.

To read more, go here. 

Sec. Haaland Hit With Ethics Complaint Over Chaco Canyon

Above, ruins at Chaco Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those of us who are familiar with the lack of ethics on the part of Leftists, this really should not come as a surprise.

Secretary of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has been "smacked" with an ethics complaint over the land grab of the area surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park (also known as Chaco Canyon).

According to Piñon Post:

Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) has taken a significant step by filing an ethics complaint that calls upon the Department of the Interior (DOI) Inspector General to thoroughly investigate a potential ethics violation involving DOI Secretary Deb Haaland. The complaint arises from Secretary Haaland’s recent exercise of regulatory authority to implement a contentious moratorium on oil and gas leasing near Chaco Canyon National Historical Park. This move has raised concerns about pre-determined decision-making, prompting PPT to question whether the Secretary fulfilled her impartiality and ethics obligations.

Secretary Haaland’s involvement in the documentary film Our Story: The Indigenous Led Fight to Protect Greater Chaco, narrated by her child, Somah Haaland, has raised eyebrows regarding her impartiality in this matter. The film features footage of Secretary Haaland expressing opposition to oil and gas leasing at Chaco, including what seems to be a one-on-one interview near the site. PPT sought a comprehensive investigation into whether the Secretary adhered to her ethical responsibilities.

To read more, go here. 

Sec. Haaland's Celebration of Drilling Ban Blows Up In Her Face

Above, ruins at Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Things didn't quite go as planned for Interior Secretary Deb Haaland when she tried to enter Chaco Culture National Historical Park for a "celebration" of the Biden Administration's 20-year ban on gas and oil drilling.

Protesters blocked her from entering the park.

The Associated Press reported:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — It was supposed to be a homecoming of sorts for U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, after her agency spent many months hosting public meetings and talking with Native American leaders about curbing the pace of oil and gas development in the San Juan Basin and protecting culturally significant sites.

But her return to Chaco Culture National Historical Park on Sunday was derailed when a group of Navajo landowners blocked the road, upset with the Biden administration’s recent decision to enshrine for the next 20 years what previously had been an informal 10-mile (16-kilometer) buffer around the World Heritage site.

Social media posts showed protesters yelling “Go Home!” as some held signs that read no trespassing on allottee land.

The landowners and Navajo leaders have said Haaland and the Biden administration ignored efforts to reach a compromise that would have established a smaller buffer to protect cultural sites while keeping intact the viability of tribal land and private Navajo-owned parcels for future development.

The "celebration" had to be moved to Albuquerque.

To read more, go here.

Navajo Nation Leaders Rebuke Biden Administration Over Leasing Ban

Above, an archeological site of Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Biden Administration, particularly Sec. of  the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, are undergoing heavy criticism by tribal leaders of the Navajo Nation for banning oil and gas drilling for 20 years near Chaco Canyon. 

They said the decision violates their sovereignty and will cause economic hardships to members of the Nation.

From Fox News:

Leaders of the Navajo Nation, a federally-recognized tribe in the southwest, are heavily criticizing the Biden administration for its action last week banning oil and gas leasing impacting their citizens.

In a highly-anticipated action last week, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland finalized a ban on fossil fuel leasing within 10 miles of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park located near San Juan County, New Mexico. While she said the move would protect the sacred and culturally significant site, Navajo leaders have argued it will wreak economic devastation on tribal members who rely on leasing the land for income.

"I really am emotionally distraught for our constituents that have been impacted by this," Brenda Jesus, who chairs Navajo Nation Council's Resources & Development Committee, told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

Navajo Nation leaders have also warned that the federal government failed to properly consult them on the action. They said Haaland never seriously considered their compromise solution and potentially neglected her legal duty to protect rights of Navajo allottees.

According to the Western Energy Alliance, an industry group that represents oil and gas producers in the area, Navajo members will lose an estimated $194 million over the 20 years the action is in place.

In addition, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren blasted Haaland for announcing the leasing ban on Treaty Day, which celebrates the signing of the 1868 treaty that formally began the government-to-government relationship between U.S. and the Navajo Nation.

"The Secretary’s action undermines our sovereignty and self-determination," Nygren said in a statement. "Despite my concerns and denunciation, the Department of Interior has moved forward, which is highly disappointing. Secretary Haaland’s decision impacts Navajo allottees but also disregards the tribe’s choice to lease lands for economic development." 

To read the full article, go here. 

Navajo Nation Not Happy With Chaco Canyon Drilling Order

Above, Fajada Butte in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Department of the Interior has decided capitulate to radical environmentalist groups and spit in the face of the Navajo Nation by ordering a 20-year moratorium on oil and gas drilling in a ten-mile radius around Chaco Canyon.

The Albuquerque Journal reported: 

SANTA FE — After an extended review, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland issued an order Friday withdrawing federal lands within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Canyon from new oil and natural gas leasing for the next 20 years.

The order was immediately lauded by environmental groups who have pushed for permanent protections in the area, but drew criticism from fossil fuel advocates who described it as arbitrary and potentially harmful to Navajo Nation residents who financially benefit from drilling royalties.

Haaland, a former New Mexico congresswoman who is the nation’s first-ever Native American Cabinet secretary, said many tribal communities have raised concern for decades about the impacts of new oil and gas drilling in the northwest New Mexico national historical site.

However, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren criticized Haaland’s order, saying it undermined the nation’s sovereignty and self-determination.

“Secretary Haaland’s decision impacts Navajo allottees, but also disregard’s the tribe’s choice to lease lands for economic development,” Nygren also said.

Meanwhile, the congressional delegation announced last month it had reintroduced legislation that would permanently block new oil and gas drilling and leasing on most federal lands within the 10-mile buffer zone. Similar legislation passed the U.S. House in 2019 but fell short of final approval.

To read the full article, go here. 

NM Democrats File Bill To "Protect" Chaco Canyon

Above, Chaco Culture ancient ruins. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After the Navajo Nation passed a resolution opposing a ten-mile oil and gas drilling buffer around Chaco Culture National Historical Park, five Democrats thumbed their noses at them by introducing a bill for "permanent Chaco Canyon protection".

According to Kiowa County Press:

(The Center Square) - Five Congressmen and Senators from New Mexico introduced a bill that they hope will protect Chaco Canyon.

U.S. Senators Ben Ray Lujan and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernandez, Melanie Stansbury, and Gabe Vasquez, all Democrats from New Mexico, reintroduced the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act this week.

The bill hopes to protect Chaco Canyon and the "greater sacred landscape surrounding the Chaco Culture National Historical Park," according to a press release from Lujan's office.

The Navajo Nation recently voted to reject a proposed buffer around the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, as well as a plan by the U.S. Department of the Interior to withdraw 351,000 acres from oil and natural gas leasing.

Navajo Nation people depend on oil and gas revenue and any bans would put them into deeper poverty.

To read more, go here.

Tribe Condemns Biden Administration Plan To Ban Oil and Gas Drilling

Above, Culture National Historical Park ruins. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Navajo Nation is not pleased with the Biden Administration over a proposed 10-mile "buffer" around Chaco Culture National Historical Park prohibiting oil and gas drilling.

The tribe said in a committee-passed resolution that such a buffer would put tribal members in "greater poverty".

From Fox News:

A prominent Native American tribe approved a resolution to oppose a Biden administration proposal to prohibit oil and gas drilling near a cultural site for the next two decades.

The Navajo Nation's resource and development committee, which has policymaking authority over the tribe's natural resources, agreed in a 15-1 vote to oppose any fossil fuel drilling "buffer zone" around the Chaco Culture National Historical Park located in northwest New Mexico. The resolution comes in response to federal efforts to create a 10-mile buffer zone where drilling would be prohibited.

"The Chapters recognize the detrimental economic impact to the Navajo allottees should a buffer zone of any size be imposed around Chaco Canyon," the resolution stated. "If a buffer zone is adopted, the Navajo allottees who rely on the income realized from oil and gas royalties will be pushed into greater poverty."

To read more, go here.

Gas Prices: $4 By April

Above, today's gas prices at the local Flying J.

Rising gas prices is being blamed on "mild weather" (sure as heck not here) and higher demand.

But there are other reasons and prices could go even higher by April. That's just lovely, since I have a clampout in Tombstone, Arizona in April.

Here's what Yahoo! Finance is saying:

Get ready for gas prices to rise again going into spring. A gallon of driving fuel could go back above $4, according to GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan.

"It's a question of when, not if. I think something like that could happen by potentially April, maybe sooner," said De Haan.

"I think motorists are going to start getting squeezed more so in late February. The next three weeks could be a bit of a mixed bag," he said.

De Haan points to planned breaks in production at refineries as part of the reason for a rise in prices. 

One good thing about the recent snowstorms, I haven't been out driving much, thereby saving gasoline.

To read more, go here. 

Gold and Silver Rising, Oil and Gas Sinking

Above, 2022 Canadian Silver Maple Leaf coins. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The prices for gold and silver are defying "conventional wisdom" as their prices are rising while oil and gas prices are sinking.

At least that's what BullionVault is saying.

They begin with:

GOLD PRICES rose to fresh multi-month highs against a weaker US Dollar on Wednesday, gaining 2.9% for New Year 2023 as silver held firm above $24 per ounce and platinum touched its highest since Russia invaded Ukraine, but commodity prices fell as oil and gas sank near 1-year lows amid record January temperatures across Europe.

"National records have fallen in eight countries and regional records in another three," says the BBC, with the Alpine ski season currently lacking almost any natural snow.

 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:

Biden's War On Energy

 His Fraudulency Joe Biden made his intentions clear: Close down coal plants and no more oil drilling.