A 1917 vintage commercial Colt 1911. It was Grampa's, then Dad's, now mine. Grampa and Dad shot competitive Bullseye with it and there is no telling how many thousands of rounds have been down the pipe. I remember the very first time I was allowed to shoot it. Grampa drove us down a dirt road on the outskirts of Raymond, NH and we put some old cans up on a wooden fence. Grampa had it stoked with his competition loads, an H&G #130 over some tiny charge of Hercules Bullseye. Real softball loads they were, but I was 8 years old and had only shot .22's up to that point. Old slab sides made quite an impression on this kid.

Grampa was the one that soldered on the Patridge front and bobbed the hammer. No doubt killed any collector value, but no matter... It's priceless to me.