First step taken on the way to my first S&W Nightguard revolver

I finally pulled the trigger today, so to speak.

The gun-buying frenzy has died down for sure and I got tired of waiting for my two chosen sacrifices to be sold from amongst my small herd of handguns.

My Dan Wesson 22 .22LR 6-Shot DA/SA Revolver 6" Bl. and the S&W 469 Mini 9mm Compact DA/SA Pistol-4 Magazines are both nearing the end of another cycle of 14-day gunbroker auctions with no takers.

So today I took the measly $100 cash I had in hand and make a down payment on my first S&W Nightguard, the Model 396NG .44 Special DA/SA 5-shot revolver.

It's a lightweight L-frame and the more I carry two guns every day I work at the gun shop, the more I appreciate lightweight but still potent handguns.

And though it's light, it's not too light to be a good shooter, with a comfortable rubber grip and a set of C&S sights, U-Notch Rear and Trijicon Tritium Big-Dot Front Night Sight. Even these tired ancient old eyes can see these sights.

And five rounds of .44 Special is far more better than five rounds of .38 Special, all day every day.

That big hole in the end of the barrel means a big old .44 caliber hunk of lead comes out it with ballistics that's even better than that favorite man-stopper, the venerable .45 ACP. Faster ballistics, more foot-pounds of energy, what's not to like about .44 Special? I love .45 ACP, too, but I love .44 Special more better.

On days I work up front in the shop instead of back in the bowels taking photos of guns for gunbroker, I usually wear a .45 and a .44, just in case some idiot decides again that a gun store is a good place to rob.

It's happened at the gun shop before twice, so it most definitely can happen again.

So now all I gotta do is save up or raise another $700 or so and I'll get to take my first S&W Nightguard home.