I'm giving your post a "like" just for the writing effort alone even if I don't understand most of it. Maybe just a huge mental block on my part. I am, after all, not your typical handgun buyer today. At least I don't think I am.

For the record, I'd still be buying S&W revolvers today if it weren't for the stupid IL and a few other cheapening down measures that turn me off. I'm not a fan of a lot of their newfangled revolver designs and the mega-monster caliber hunting guns, but I can think of at least half a dozen S&W revolvers that I'd love add to the collection this year if it were not for the silly IL (which I find repulsive on multiple levels).

I did understand your points about some of the newly minted all-metal pistols and updated designs... and I think that's a great thing even if not necessarily for me personally.

I can't agree with your last paragraph at all. We all have our own ideas about how we'd like to see S&W re-introduce at least some of the 3rd Gen guns or updated versions thereof. It is discussed here quite regularly. But again, I am not your typical gun buyer today and my collection of used 3rd Gens along with harsh financial realities probably wouldn't make me the most anxious and aggressive buyer of brand new ones anyway with the possible exception of a new version 4506 or 1006.