The first S&W Combat Magnum. I ever saw was in the Spring of 1959 inFisher's Café on Elizabeth Street in Brownsville, Texas. It was in the holster of a tall Border Patrolman. I knew the Patrolman through the local skeet club to which we both belonged. A few months later we met again on a bend in the Rio Grande River known as "Las Prietas", which is now a sub division. I was shooting and he allow me to fire off a cylinder from his Combat Magnum. His name was Bill Jordan.

It would be 1965 before I had my own and by then it was the Model 19. I had Stelzigs Saddlery in Houston make me a black Sam Browne belt and bought a black Border Patrol holster from Bianchi. I spent many hours trying to learn to draw and shoot half as good as Jordan. I never made the grade, but developed a real bond with that pistol.

In 1971, I was back in school at a Seminary in Kentucky and had to sell the Model 19 to pay tuition, buy food or some such basic need. I have missed it ever since.

I just pulled the trigger on a Model 19-2 on Gunbroker and in the due course of time it will be in my hands. It is of the right vintage to take me back to the days on the river at Las Prietas. That was 54 years ago, but it seems like just last week.

When it gets here, I will post some pics...stay tuned! I still have the old Bianchi holster, but the Sam Browne belt is long gone, and I would have to wear it around my thigh anyway these days. I might buy me a good River Belt, if I can find one big enough. These were plain black 2 1/4 leather belts with billets.

result of something that happened or we did long ago...

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Sincerely,

Hobie

I have noticed that, too. I think it has something to do with growing old.

Is it a four-inch gun?

(Just curious...)

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Or just old age creeping up???

Yep, a 4 inch pistol. In Texas, all handguns are pistols.

Well some could call that "cause and effect", other would call it "Karma". Sometimes it is just running in the ruts, and sometimes because of how we were raised. But, in the last analysis, we do make current decisions based on past decision. Now let me preach a second......well maybe a minute.

It we are going to continue to run in the same ruts, or make decisions today based on decisions of years ago, that should teach us to make good quality decision to start with. If we made crappy decisions years ago, most likely the decisions we make today based on those will also be crappy.

You can send your tithes and offerings to me for more guns.

"Never look back, you might not know what is gaining on you." Satchel Paige

K-frame loose in the past, but I don't run 'em that hard anymore.

On that other subject, I've always said each and every one of us are products of our own experiences.

I am in a FREETAGH mood today, Charles, so how 'bout you relieve me of the burden of having to buy a(nother) gun to match this item:

The belt loop is 1½"

It was even made in the correct State-Of-Mind

Email me your address, and it's yours.

NOTICE This is a one-time offer; Don't mess it up!

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My dad worked in the ID Bureau of the FWPD, and uniformed reserves several nights a week. The issue sidearm was a mod. 27 in a flap holster. He spent hours oiling and working the hinge of the flap until it was a doll rag, and filing down the "dot" snap until it barely latched, then many hours more perfecting his draw from a closed and snapped flap holster. His speed was pretty amazing. Then the dept. dropped the 27 in favor of the new 19, and it was love at first sight. Not only was the weight difference in lugging the thing around like being reborn, but his speed on the draw about doubled. My older brother has the 19 now, and I'm just patiently waiting to outlive him.

JLF

recreating memories or desires from childhood or adolescence. many of the firearms i have pursued are ones i saw in magazines back then....like in the doctors or dentist waiting room, or the hospital [ yes my adventourous ADHD childhood made me visit those places way too often ! ]

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Sincerely,

Hobie

That makes even more memories. I used to hang around in the back of El Paso Saddlery after hours with Bobby McNellis, along with a bunch of gun and western history buffs, when I lived in El Paso in the mid-80s. This will build even more memories into the gun. The Threepersons was always my favorite model and had Bobby make me several. I checked yesterday and have none for the K frame. Thanks for your generosity.

Charles, a great story that brings back some fond memories for me.

Back in the mid 60s, I had some summer job money burning a hole in my pocket, so I ordered a basket weave Bianchi holster and belt rig, and a set of Herrett Jordan Troopers (fancy walnut) for my prized M19. The grips proved too big so I modified them to fit me and finished off, with multiple coats of tru oil and then hand rubbed with rotten stone. Loaded ammo with a Lyman 310 tong tool (which I sent to Rob L, to be gifted to a new shooter) – even exchanged a few letters with Dean Grennel (Sp?) on load data. The gun was stolen in the 70s and I finally replaced it several years ago with a 19-3. Here is the “19-3” with a set Grasshorn elk stags, in the 1960s era Bianchi holster (the belt was worn out long ago).

Paul