Metallurgy and machining have technological advances on a continuing basis, it would be foolish to think that Firearms Companies do not take advantage of those advancements.
So in regards to Today's firearms, on the average, they are better manufactured, better designed, more accurate and more reliable. Today we can stuff more power than we ever dreamed into something that drops right into the pocket
The old guns are prettier and most of the defects that they left the factory with have been worked by the time we purchase them on the used market. The have beautiful bluing and wonderful nickel. Not to mention wood, bone or Ivory grips
Fortunately we have some companies that still produce the old guns but with Modern manufacturing techniques and better metallurgy.
While about 15 years old now, the Smith and Wesson Heritage series produced some very fine examples. These have about the best nickel finish I have ever seen on a Smith and Wesson
At least Smith and Wesson tries to keep offering things to us in their "Classic" series. I am not one of those that thinks the tag "Classic" means
without any changes whatsoever from the way they made it the first time.
Smith and Wesson takes what they have learned over the last 150+ years and incorporates it into the designs, profiles and patterns of yesteryear to bring us a reliable modern firearm
The GREAT thing is that no matter what side of this discussion you are sitting on, there are hundreds of thousands of examples for you and your heirs to enjoy for many decades to come