I recently traded my wonderful little Bersa Thunder CC plus too much money for a Model 36 from the early '70s.

It came with nothing, but the required gun lock. It has the original ****** stocks, and has the sensitive and fragile nickel finish.

I will be CCing it, and didn't exactly remember until I got home that I've had a lifelong allergy to nickel. I have to buy stainless steel belt buckles or my skin rots off.

Did I mention it's the 3 inch barrel version that is incompatible with practically every commercial holster on the market?

A custom holster with the added option of complete hammer shields to protect my dumb skin is in the mail.

I took it to the range today with a whole box of Ultramax, which if you don't know, is the Pall Mall of ammunition. It gets the job done, but you immediately have lung cancer after using it.

On the way out, I had to buy some nickel-safe cleaner. I got two shot glasses full of CLP Breakfree for $20. Top shelf tequila is cheaper than that stuff.

The webbing of my hand was still sore from the bad grips when I got home. Luckily, I got to soothe it by gripping on to a bore brush for an hour after I got home to remove the lead deposits all over the gun. And my lung cancer was cured by the noxious, but medicinal, qualities of the LCP skunk spray liquid.

After I finish typing this I'm going to give my fingers a tomato soup bath.

Despite all this, the 36 performed flawlessly. My groups were tight, and it is easily tied with my model 10 for my favorite gun. I can't wait for my rosewood grips and my new holster to get here. That's how good the M-36 is.