Ninth Stage

Smith & Wesson 640-1 .357 Magnum 5-shot revolver (click on image for larger view).

I purchased this pistol some 12 years ago at one of those rare gun-shows that required a background check. They even made me wait a couple weeks like I was some kind of criminal - cauc-haters - good thing I wasn’t being threatened by an ex or anyone else. Anyway, a couple weeks later the UPS dude delivered it to my front step.Gun in hand (actually still at home) I headed to the sheriff’s station to get fingerprinted and pay for a background check under the old concealed carry scheme. A month or so later I had a date for the final class necessary to get my Concealed Carry Permit.I went to the class, learned the difference between a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol and aced the written test. After a break for lunch we headed for the range. I ended up with a perfect score shooting this snubbie from 3 yards to 25.I chose to shoot this pistol for qualification because, under the old CCW scheme, you could only carry the pistol you qualified with. I could have used a 1911 but I don’t see me carrying one in the summer. I ended up carrying this pistol in a Kramer pocket holster until I renewed my permit into the current CCW scheme. Fortunately, us old-time CCW permit holders were allowed to simply renew our permits rather than pay again for the new permits.

BTW.  Recoil? Punishing with .357 Mag rounds.  I load .38+P rounds only now.