Confederate
Member
I reckon that S&W raises its prices because it can get away with it. The tragedy is that the old 686s, 629s, etc., can no longer be purchased from the company. You get the MIM trigger, lock and rubber grips whether you want them or not.
If S&W offered their stainless guns with the option of chromed hammers/triggers and better-finished guns, I wonder how many people would buy them? What would it cost to plate those parts? Five bucks? Yet they're no longer available at any price.
An old S&W 629 (original issue, top) and an old 686 (original issue, bottom). Neither has been fired, and both represent craftsmanship that no longer is available. The side plates on both guns are stamped, and the barrel is pinned and the chambers counter-bored on the 629. S&W has continued to raise the prices, cutting corners and keeping what they save by so doing.
This is getting "bent" over a chair in my view. The 629 came with a wood presentation box, too.
This 5906 was all stainless steel, but it was a beauty, incredibly reliable and came with two magazines. You can't get these any more, either, because S&W can no longer afford to make them. A gun like this would command a price of over a grand if the company made it today.
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If S&W offered their stainless guns with the option of chromed hammers/triggers and better-finished guns, I wonder how many people would buy them? What would it cost to plate those parts? Five bucks? Yet they're no longer available at any price.
An old S&W 629 (original issue, top) and an old 686 (original issue, bottom). Neither has been fired, and both represent craftsmanship that no longer is available. The side plates on both guns are stamped, and the barrel is pinned and the chambers counter-bored on the 629. S&W has continued to raise the prices, cutting corners and keeping what they save by so doing.
This is getting "bent" over a chair in my view. The 629 came with a wood presentation box, too.
This 5906 was all stainless steel, but it was a beauty, incredibly reliable and came with two magazines. You can't get these any more, either, because S&W can no longer afford to make them. A gun like this would command a price of over a grand if the company made it today.
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