My first handgun, still have it, and still makes me smile to shoot it.

[CavCop]

I was at Fort Hood, it was circa 1994 and I just turned 21, and was about to get married. Decided I needed a handgun (military bases always seem to have lots of crime off base, heck even on base back then with gangs). I had been into firearms since I was a kid. I put a bit of thought into it over the years. Being in the Infantry most guys over 21 had handguns and passed on knowledge. The Luby’s shooting was still a current thing. Semi auto’s back then were ok, but not as reliable as today. The 9mm was not favored. The .45 and .357 were what the Military and Police saw as effective in real world use. I took the money I had saved up and bought a blued Colt King Cobra .357 as what I felt was the best option for accuracy, reliability, and power. To this day, it’s a revolver I love to shoot. No longer in my nightstand, but never let me down, and the first center fire I bring out when training new shooters.

 

[Terralk]

I'll say it... That was a GREAT choice of a first gun buy!

Pretty good decision making skills for a youngster. Took me until middle age before I could even see those type of good skills.

 

[hornetguy]

Very nice! I can see how it would make anyone smile to shoot it... Colt certainly made some wonderfully smooth revolvers... I don't know how their current line-up is, but the "snakes" were very nice... I had a .38 Diamondback for a short while, when I was young and stupid....back in the mid-70's... stupid because I traded it off for something else I thought I "needed"..... That one was a thing of beauty.

 

[Lead Belly]

Nice first choice and you can tell you've put your time in with that pistol.