29 years at a glance: My first duty pistol(s) was/were a 4", nickel plated, rubber Pachmyr gripped, S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman, in .357 mag on the strong side backed up by a blue S&W Model 39 (9mm), carried crossdraw on the weak side, backed up by a High Standard derringer (.22 mag). Next were a brace of nickeled, consecutive serial numbered, Model 59s (9mm), followed by a brace of Glock 17s (9mm), followed by a Glock 22 & 27 (.40 S&W). As I now have pretty much gone away from carrying two primary pistols, the Glock 27 has been sold and my 4" stainless, S&W "N' frame, in .45c, performs 2nd primary gun duty when I feel the need (the Glock 22 remains my primary duty pistol). While not as modern as my Glock, but for sheer intimidation value, the S&W is almost as effective as a nickel plated, double barrel, SxS, 12 gauge (which is what I carried with me in suburban Chicago, in the late 1970s). I also note, that after selling the High Standard derringer about 1980 something, the back up to my back up gun has been a Beretta M21 (.22). Earlier this year, I tried a new Kel-Tec 3AT (.380) to replace the Beretta, but it kept ejecting magazines in my pocket. I sold it after 3 months and my 20 yr old Beretta is back in the pocket. (Note #1: I have owned many guns over the years, but the aforementioned guns were/are the actual duty guns I used/use daily. Note: #2: Not an on-duty gun, but close, was my long time off-duty gun which was a Colt New Service (large frame), in .45 Colt, with barrel cut to about 3" and finished in custom nickel with very attractive wood grips.)
Note: On 11/16/06 I removed my original (and inaccurate) comments regarding my Ruger Blackhawk. I somehow got on a tangent and confused the gun with my S&W "N" frame. Don't have a clue how I did this, but it's fixed now. Also, since my original post, I have sold my Beretta M-21 and am now using my AMT .380 back up as a back up to my back up.