" the same quality as older guns."
I have to ask, how many old run of the mill guns by Iver Johnson or H&R have you owned? They made train loads of them and they were actually pretty well made all things considered compared to a lot of the less expensive competition at the time. The ones that have come down to me haven't held up very well and the resale values stink if you can find anyone who wants them at all. The one exception among the old handguns was my great-uncle Ed's 1884 S&W break top .38. He carried it everyday on the farm (and probably to work at UVA as an electrician) and took care of it, although the nickel was faded some on one side from being carried in his hip pocket.
And as someone else posted in another thread, avoid " RG, EEA Windicators, Charter Arms, any old Spanish copies of S&W's. "
Speaking of hand built, my father's new 1991 Python had to go back because the barrel was screwed in wrong and the sight was crooked. They fixed it.