used to be there were four big in DA revolvers
Colt, S&W, Dan Wesson, and Ruger
(other than the usual assortment of high priced small volume niche 'custom' makers, and the usual bunch of cheap Saturday nite special class players)
H&R and High Standard were pretty much sideline 2nd tier makers. Taurus was pretty much unheard of outside of South America.
Colt isn't Colt anymore
S&W isn't S&W any more
Dan Wesson isn't Dan Wesson anymore
and Bill Ruger doesn't run Ruger anymore
Holding Companies run the big firearms companies, not individuals, and they all have a lot of MBAs and accountants stacked up like cord wood, falling over one another to save on unit costs and get their little gold star next to their name. How it is.
Now only three are "big" in revolvers - S&W, Ruger, and Taurus, and the respective players market to their chosen price points, and they all keep a real close eye on one another. When it's all said and done, all the excuses made, all the peevishness vented, all the political postured, it's really not a huge mystery.
Averaged across the brand lines, you don't always get what you pay for, but very very rarely get what you don't pay for. The price lines are what they are, because of the methods used and the time and attention spent on quality control (or not spent). No mystery as to how the big three shake out on pricing. If you really think you are getting a free ride from anybody on quality, fit, finish, accuracy, trigger, reliability... well buy more of that "Winchester branded" accessory stuff from Wallyworld and be happy.
Somebody above already pointed out what yesteryear prices translate into today, so get over it, $100 or $1000 cash just ain't what it used to be.
No, you won't get 1950 hand fitted quality out-of-the box from S&W.. or Ruger.. or Taurus. There is no Tooth Fairy. But cough up enough cash for custom work, you can get anything. I would suggest you start with a S&W or Ruger to customize, vs. Taurus, but it's your money.
Me, I own S&W, Ruger, Taurus, Rossi, High-Standard, Colt, Beretta, AMT, and INA handguns
(and would own more brands if had more money)
all of 'em made more than a couple of decades ago, except a couple of Ruger autoloaders, MKIII and LCP
The opinion of any one person (me, you, anybody) is extremely subjective, and oft driven by yesteryear loyalties, woobie factor. But my opinion is that I would not hesitate to buy a newly manufactured revolver today, leastways if I had more hands to shoot them with. I would look real close at any make/model, but I have no doubts about 'who' I still expect to offer the most models in better vs worse quality. Those price tags are what they are because all three are making their sales targets by selling them at that, each has a proven profit model that works. That just doesn't work on 'name' alone, never did.
I don't buy that Wallyworld/'Winchester' crap because of what it ain't, irrespective of name; some do I guess. But I also don't do custom guns, so when looking for best investment for my bang, mostly inclined to start at the top (S&W) and only work my way down. Mostly, not exclusively.