1911Heaven
New member
My first handgun was a Ruger Single-Six,found under the tree on Christmas morning in 1967-I was 12 years old and had wanted it for a long time;after all,as I've related here before,back then being able to shoot as well as Nick & Heath Barclay on the Big Valley was pretty important stuff-so it had to be a single action.I remember my father taking me to the local gun store just after Thanksgiving that year "just to look".The store was owned by Theodore M. Hutcheson,which some of you here may know was one of the premier collector/traders of Colt Single Actions and 1886 Winchesters;I think I knew even then that the store was "special".Anyway,I spotted the Ruger right away,known in intimate detail from so many study hall peeks at Shooters Bible.The salesman put it in my hand and I was transported to a magic place...my father,next to me,was handling a Colt 1911 .45 (it TOO appeared under the tree that year with his name on it,and later that year began my life long love affair with the 1911)I will never forget my fathers patient instruction that year and the fun we had-although he's no longer here to ask,I believe that when he put that 1911 in his hand that Christmas morning,that he began the journey of healing from his experiences as a 101stparatrooper on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day for my mother told me after his death that it was that year he finally began to talk about it and put it behind.Fortunatly,in those years,I had had my own"Big Valley"to roam with that Ruger Single-Six that I will never forget.How about you? I would love to hear your stories.