First gun... Ah, memories.
When I was 21 and could get my first purchase permit (this was in NJ), I was looking at a Ruger Security Six. My friend did not like the Rugers (shows what he knows... I now have 3 and love them), and took me to J&J Guns in Bayonne, NJ. They had a cop's S&W Model 19 in the case... it had holster wear and beat up factory wood grips that I've never figured out how ANYONE ever thinks fits a human hand...
It also had a smooooth action and a light SA trigger pull. Seems that the cop who owned it brought it in to get the action worked on and while it was there, he decided to retire... and told them to put it in the case with a $150 tag on it. Add in $10 bucks for Siles grips, and that 4" .357 was mine.
I kept it for many years, learned how to handload to feed it... and even named it. Since the muzzle flash from my somewhat warm handloads was about a foot or more long, I named it "Flametongue".
Unfortunately, in a fit of stupity, I decided I was tired of cleaning out all the chambers and I was only going to shoot autoloaders... and sold it to the guy who was with me when I bought it. (He'd always told me that if I ever wanted to sell it, please tell him first.)
'Course, now that I want it back... I can't get him to sell it back to me. But I'm still working on him. Soon... maybe. At least it's still in a good home!
Ross