[MRM]

That's great! Pistol shooting really is fun and is a good discipline for the mind and body. The .40 cal is a popular model. A lot of people like it better than the 9 mm, especially for slf defense. It is pretty much the preferred law enforcement caliber these days. Two words of advice. First, the law enforcement provinence of the gun may someday add to its value. It will certainly add to its collectablity and will always be a great story. Keep it in good shape and keep the original box with the trooper's name and number on it in as unused of condition as you can. as an example of what can happen, a few years ago Rolex supplied fairly run of the mill submariners that were available for millitary issue. At first Millitary Subs were nothing unusual, then they were curiosities, and now they are mid-five figure collectibles.

Second word of advise is to also pick up a nice .22 auto to go with your .40 cal. The .40 is a great gun, but it is expensive to shoot a lot, has a bit of recoil, and is harder to control than a .22. After a week or so you'll be able to put five .22 rounds inside a dime on the target at the range. No one but a professional couldever do the same with the .40. A box (50 rounds) of .22 ammo is about a buck. A box (25 rounds or so) of the .40 will set you back a bit more than that.

Having said that, there is nothing like holding a pistol in both hands and hearing the boom, feeling the recoil, waiting for the smoke to clear so you can see where the hole is on the target. Mix the two calibers up and you can shoot all day. Remember to check back here and tell us how it goes.