Let's steer this away from the lock issue. I have a 617 no-dash 4" six shooter that I paid $550 for a couple of years ago. In a lot of ways it's my favorite gun. I hunted for weeks for a 617 and was getting pretty desperate. Then, one day, I went to a show and a guy had two of them available for sale, including the one that I bought.

So, they're out there. Just keep looking. The very high price that these fine guns command and their relative scarcity is simply a question of supply and demand. As others have pointed out, .22s are extremely popular these days.

As to value, that's in the eye of the beholder. I'll say this: my 617 is as well made as any handgun I've ever had the chance to hold and shoot. It is eerily accurate and has the smoothest action of any of my revolvers. It's also built like a tank. I doubt if it would wear out with 10,000,000 rounds through it. At the rate I'm using it, I might just find out.