Storm
Member
Howdy from North Georgia. I've got to tell you that I'm thrilled to be a member here. Up until now I've only been able to read as with AOL I wasn't able to register. Something obviously changed.
I've been a shooter since I was 17 (33 years ago) and fired my first handgun as an Explorer with a local police department. We had to "qualify" before we were able to go out on patrol in squad cars (very different times!). I first squeezed the trigger on a Model 39 as the deaprtment was just switching over to semi-autos. I recall being disappointed that it was a semi-auto as my first love was the Model 19 (and Model 28). I also well recall buying my first Smiths years later in the late 80's, a 5906, 4506, and 686. I eventually sold those guns, something that I always regretted, and only in the past two years have really come to appreciate my first love, Smith & Wesson.
So, I have built an appreciable Smith collection all the way from old M&P's to new M&P's, with everything in between from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Gen semi-autos to Smith/Walthers to wheelguns with and without locks (mostly without). I am primarily a shooter but also a collector. I also have "collected" SIG, Walther and HK, but, my focus is on Smith & Wesson. The single most important factor in my evolution into Smiths, besides my 5906, 4506 and 686 of years ago, was acquiring the Standard Catalog, an incredible resource.
I'd also like to thank folks who are probably members here who have answered my Smith questions on other forums. Folks like Fastbolt, whose generosity with his knowledge is epic, have been a huge help. Fastbolt's comments also got me to the 3913, a gun that I treasure.
It has also really been great to see some fine handguns finally getting the respect that they deserve, especially the 2nd and 3rd Gen semi-autos. Just last night I was dry firing my 645 and 3913 and marvelling at what a fine guns that they are. If the M&P semi-auto is great for no other reason it gave departments something to go to so that all of those great police trade-ins could be released after years of service.
And yeah, that little kid who spent most of his youth with his nose pressed up against the glass drooling over a Model 19 finally got one, pinned and recessed no less, and in 99.9% condition. I found it going on two years ago and I haven't been able to bring myself to shoot it
So, glad to be here, and I'll see y'all around.
BTW, my nickname, "Storm", has nothing to do with Berettas. I usually go by "Buzz" (and sometimes "Que") but that name is always taken. Storm is a reference to one of my pastimes, chasing storms.
I've been a shooter since I was 17 (33 years ago) and fired my first handgun as an Explorer with a local police department. We had to "qualify" before we were able to go out on patrol in squad cars (very different times!). I first squeezed the trigger on a Model 39 as the deaprtment was just switching over to semi-autos. I recall being disappointed that it was a semi-auto as my first love was the Model 19 (and Model 28). I also well recall buying my first Smiths years later in the late 80's, a 5906, 4506, and 686. I eventually sold those guns, something that I always regretted, and only in the past two years have really come to appreciate my first love, Smith & Wesson.
So, I have built an appreciable Smith collection all the way from old M&P's to new M&P's, with everything in between from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Gen semi-autos to Smith/Walthers to wheelguns with and without locks (mostly without). I am primarily a shooter but also a collector. I also have "collected" SIG, Walther and HK, but, my focus is on Smith & Wesson. The single most important factor in my evolution into Smiths, besides my 5906, 4506 and 686 of years ago, was acquiring the Standard Catalog, an incredible resource.
I'd also like to thank folks who are probably members here who have answered my Smith questions on other forums. Folks like Fastbolt, whose generosity with his knowledge is epic, have been a huge help. Fastbolt's comments also got me to the 3913, a gun that I treasure.
It has also really been great to see some fine handguns finally getting the respect that they deserve, especially the 2nd and 3rd Gen semi-autos. Just last night I was dry firing my 645 and 3913 and marvelling at what a fine guns that they are. If the M&P semi-auto is great for no other reason it gave departments something to go to so that all of those great police trade-ins could be released after years of service.
And yeah, that little kid who spent most of his youth with his nose pressed up against the glass drooling over a Model 19 finally got one, pinned and recessed no less, and in 99.9% condition. I found it going on two years ago and I haven't been able to bring myself to shoot it
So, glad to be here, and I'll see y'all around.
BTW, my nickname, "Storm", has nothing to do with Berettas. I usually go by "Buzz" (and sometimes "Que") but that name is always taken. Storm is a reference to one of my pastimes, chasing storms.
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Welcome from Tenn. Don
