My name is Les and I'm new in this site and thought that I'd tell a little about myself. I retired as a police detective in a suburb of
Columbus 6 years ago and my wife and I retired to SW Florida. I've been shooting since I was 8 and became the proud owner of a new Daisy pump bb gun. A year later it was with a new JC Higgins bolt action 22 and the next a JC Higgins bolt action 410. Living on a farm in Central Ohio gave ample opportunity for shooting and hunting. And shoot, I did; a lot. When I was a teen, my father had a Double Nine revolver which we both shot a lot. This hooked me for life on single actions.
My first experience with Ruger was when I was at the CPD Academy and in the midst of firearms qualifications. CPD at the time was still using 38 revolvers as modern 45 cal double action semi-automatics were still a few years off. The department at that time furnished either Colt Troopers or Smith 686s both in 4 inch. Duty ammo was +P+ and the range was and still remains the largest indoor range in the world. All my shooting came in handy but I really didn't shoot as well as I thought that I should. I had started out with the Colt which the range instructors said really wasn't all that well made. I next tried the Smith and did a little better but not as well as I wanted. I had a Smith model 29 at the time in polished stainless with an 8 inch barrel. I asked but it was a no go for carry. The range instructors suggested a Ruger GP 100. I bought one in mat stainless and instantly added 10 points to my scores.The bottom line was that I ended up shooting a 96% and got a pistol experts badge.
Advance quite a few years later and I have my duty weapon from my retirement, a Smith 3913. For fun, I have a Ruger Single
Six 22 in stainless and a 4 1/2 inch barrel. For my upcoming 60th birthday my wife bought me a New Vaquero polished stainless
45 cal 7 1/2 inch barrel. It was really my only consideration. I'd like to get involved in cowboy action shooting at some point but
for now am just having fun getting the right equipment.
Les
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