I'd have to say that the period covering the 70's & 80's, and at least part of the 90's, wasn't all that terrific for getting a great S&W revolver right out of the box. I much preferred the reliability, robust design and durability of the Ruger Security-Six series in the 70's & 80's. I was a bit ambivalent about Colts (when it came to running them hard).
Unfortunately, the Security/Service/Speed-Sixes were so easily found and bought that I let far too many of them slip through my hands when I was attracted by something else shiny & new as a young man. I only have a single Service-Six Heavy Barrel left from that time, albeit it's a nicely tuned and modified example that I intend to keep.
I like the SP101's, and I have a nice early model Redhawk, but both of them required some repair & correction when new, too, so it's not like anything is always perfect.
The GP's have never really interested me, for whatever reason, although I might pick one up someday if I find one for the right price with a 3" barrel without the full length lug. Just depends.
I miss the nice bluing of the older S&W's, but I don't miss their older stainless finish. The new guns aren't what I might call 'stellar' in their finish, but they're easier to work on as an armorer in many respects.
The cost of making a S&W revolver they way it was done in the 'old days' would be cost prohibitive. It used to take 75 machining steps to make an old model revolver frame, with the necessary hand operation, while new frames only require 3 machining steps before heat treat (w/o barrel). Old model hammers required 7 machines (with operators) and new MIM hammers are much quicker (and made to closer tolerances).
Kind of like thinking Colt could make the Python again for an affordable price and sell them for enough money to make them profitable. (Wanna spend more than 2 grand on a new hand-fitted Python? Probably not enough folks would want, or be able, to do so for it to be worthwhile investment in either time, labor or overall cost.)
I kind of wish I'd taken the S&W revolver class back when my friend (former, retired armorer) took it. He said they gave you a stripped frame to which a yoke had been fitted and polished together. Everything else had to be fitted to the frame in order to assemble a new revolver during the course (and you got to buy it at the end of the class, which apparently gave some incentive to the student to do it right).
Folks can always buy a Taurus nowadays, if they don't like S&W's or Ruger's.
I suspect the market on used S&W's & Colt's is going to continue to rise as supply & demand rises.
The other S&W revolver armorer, and I, at my former agency have been seeing an increase in older S&W revolvers either being brought back out of the closets and dusted off for carry, or used ones being bought and brought in for qualification, and some of what we've seen inside them has made the new model guns look downright clean, crisp and nicely fitted.
The grass is always greener. Even weeds can look green amongst the grass, though.
