I was in the market for a 4" K-22, and I found a Model 18, that seemed to suit my needs. I was not looking for a collectable, or one in pristine condition. I wanted something that I could "use" as a trail/camp gun. I found a model 18, and it looked to be in "good" shape from the photo's that the buyer supplied me with, and I worked a deal and bought the gun for a very fair price. When the gun came in at my FFL, the sales guy and I opened the package...and our jaws dropped!!! He said "Your NOT going to shoot this gun are you?" I said "I am now having second thoughts about doing just that!" The gun looked like it had just come off the showroom floor! A quick check with the borescope, and it had been fired little if any!!! I sat on that gun for two weeks...just looking at it, not knowing what to do. I came on the forum here and asked about the same question as the first post. The answers I got were unanimimously in favor of using the gun. "Use it...take good care of it...and it will always be worth something." I am a user, not a collector, and I bought the gun for a specific use. Grant it, I take extra special care of this one, but, it has accompanied me to the range, and into the woods on a number of occasions, and will continue to do so.....and, its kind of nice to have a brand new 1972 Model 18 to work with.