[AGE]

Jan,

Glad to see a post from you today. Us dummies need people like you to learn from. I personally have enjoyed your posts, but I understand that others may have had some concerns.

Hugh,

I did the same brilliant stunt you pulled back in about 1962 with a slightly used Ruger flattop--about 6 inch barrel. This was my second handgun and the first was a crude late WWII P-38 (which also hurt my tender unprotected ears). The Ruger came with staghorn grips, jeweled hammer, lightened trigger, drop loop holster, 200 reloads, reloading dies, etc. for $65.

Anyway, this beast shredded my palms, notched my knuckles, ruined my ears, and gave me a perpetual ringing sound in what was left of my ears. Now I hear crickets 24/365. Once I got ear protection, Herrit's grips and shot it a few hundred times, the beast became a real wonder. It would shoot 3-4" groups at 100 yards with iron sights, outshooting my buddies' scoped rifles more than once.

In a fit of stupidity I sold this Ruger about 1980 when I quit hunting in PA figuring it was more gun than I would ever want again. Wrong, there are worse things than armadillos in FL. About 5 years ago I got a 4 5/8 SS super blackhawk for these overgrown FL varmints. Great gun at 25 yards, but not as neat as the old flattop. Never tried it at 100 yards because I don't feel like walking that far.