When Uncle Kenny picked up another 1911, it took him straight back to his Army days. His own 1943 1911A1 has lived through World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, passed through the hands of Rangers, soldiers, and friends. Here’s how the 1911 evolved and the story this one still tells.

Cousin Denny’s mule-plowing days and his trusty Winchester Model 36 come to life in this story of Missouri farm life, 9 mm Flobert history, and a rare find during a Webster Groves firearm appraisal.

Seeing that Colt Cobra in the University City collection took me straight back to my boyhood in St. Francois County, where my father, the county judge, kept a first-model .38 Special strapped to his ankle beneath his robe. Light, sleek, and built for discretion, the Cobra was perfect for quiet carry — and for one summer afternoon when a friend and I snuck it from Dad’s desk to shoot bottles on the St. Francois River, only to learn he knew about it all along.