ArmedBear,
Yes I know Colt is gone too, and it was a lot of fun razzing the Colt revolver crowd about their guns were backwards *grin*
Oh I still do razz, just like I do trap shooters about not standing "out there" [sta 8] and having clays come at them.
Folks,
I have a Old Colt DS, a mentor wanted me to have one as he was dying, and as I razzed him such for getting one way back when.
The gun mfgs are not doing quality guns today.
They are vying for a piece of the pie of the current latest greatest - cloning guns, and cutting corners.
I would rather pay for a OLDer gun made with better metallurgy , attention to detail, craftsmanship and quality control.
S&W is not the only mfg.
Kimber - way back, before they moved and called guns "Series I" had a damn good 1911.
Series I in a simple blue, or stainless, was fine in the early days.
Line extension is killing Kimber.
I do not like the current Rem shotguns, they are not the same gun they used to be.
They had THE best O/U on the market at one time, the 3200.
I'd rather have a SKB with rust on the receiver adn dings in the wood that a brand spanking hi-dollar Remington today.
We have generation gap(s).
-New folks that have no frigging idea what a real gun is about.
-We have those shaped by TV, Movies, Video Games.
-Wannabes that change minds, guns and latest greatest faster than they do underwear.
-Groupies that have to have what a guru instructor, "says".
-Groupies that have to have what whomever or whatever "sez".
-Instructor Groupies...hell this is worse than Elvis Freaks and American Idiot fans.
-Seasoned shooters , some are older, some are younger and raised right.
Some of these recall shooting quals at 50 yards, not feet, yards.
Last time I looked inside a S&W revolver bore:
Where did the lands and grooves go?
So folks wonder why there are some new latest and greatest for sale, both revolvers and semi's and the use guns are hard to come by.
Well I know 5 ladies off the top of my head that got rid of Glocks, 4 were model 26, and they bought a real gun for carry.
OLDer S&W K frames.
These have lands and grooves, sweet butter smooth triggers, no locks, nice gun fit, and one is able to tweak with nice wood stocks, and metallurgy like a gun is supposed to have.
These gals also got rid of goopy over priced, plastic knives with stainless steel blades too.
They have real knives of CV or 1095 Carbon steel .
Take me back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean...