I avoided ILS guns just on general principles. I don’t need a safety that disables the gun to keep it safe around other people. I have gun safes for that. Plus, I rarely if ever, invite idiots to my house. Also, the looks of the flag and lock hole just irritated me.

My newest S&W up to this point was a mid 1991 27-5.

Caught the Snubbie bug last year and decided this year that I needed a 3” 629 to go with my K-Frame Snubs, and a shorter barreled K22 to warm up with (mine was a 6”).

The sticker shock on pre-ILS 3” 629s finally convinced me to take a chance, and I bought a Talo 629 3” through Gun Genie. Was a bit apprehensive after hearing all the horror stories about current production guns, and as I wasn’t able to examine it before purchase.

My fears were unfounded. Barrel was straight, no handling marks of any kind, cylinder gap was tight, as was lockup. Cylinder was just a little tight on opening, and still is after tightening the extractor rod. Not a big deal. Trigger pull was heavier than it ought to be, but seems as though most current production guns (from any manufacturer) have gotten heavier the last couple decades. Lawyers at work I imagine.

She shot fine at the range, and I was impressed enough to go to the local Sportsman’s Warehouse and pick up a 617-6 4”. Same results (cylinder opens fine), trigger was too heavy. Shot fine at the range.

New springs and tension screws brought the trigger pulls into line (617’s DA groups shrank by half).

Bought a Talo 686 Plus 3” this month, same as the first two. Shoots fine, needs some new springs.

While I still dislike the ILS on principle, I now don’t see any reason to avoid the new production guns.

TL;DR - The new guns aren’t bad.

The prices on the new guns scares me more than the lock.

It's interesting that if you take the prices we were paying back in the '70's and '80's for Smiths, and punch that number into an online Inflation Calculator, the prices we pay today are very similar to was these guns cost us 30 and 40 years ago.

For example, I was looking at a 6 1/2-inch Model 29 the other day. It was still in it's original box from 1978. The old price tag was still on the box, $310. Punch that into an online inflation calculator and that price in today's money it is about $1,140. Isn't that about what a brand new blue N-frame costs today?

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

I have heard numerous complaints about the ILS guns. I own three now. Never used the lock and never had any problem with any of them. I do not like the looks of the lock but that is my only complaint. In 45 years of S&W ownership, I have never had a problem with a S&W revolver. Never sent one back to the mother ship for any reason. Quality of S&W revolvers has been stellar with me. Just wish my other investments had kept up with inflation as well.

For me, the IL is a cosmetic issue. I find it ugly.

I won't hunt with a gun that embarrasses my dog.

I do not like the idea of nor the hole either.

But, these new guns do benefit from advances in modern design and manufacturing techniques.

Take the side plate off a stock 1960s Smith and one manufactured recently. Night and day difference. All the stoning and "clean up" that was common to help the insides of the earlier Smiths is all but eliminated today. The MiM parts have tolerances much tighter than the old stuff. The overall quality of the product is outstanding and no longer dependent on which worker did the final fitting.

As far as prices, $350 for a new J frame before LEO or Mil discount is cheaper in real dollars than 50 years ago.

Welcome to the dark side voodoo. MIM, ILS, frame mounted firing pins,blasted bead finishes, two piece ECM barrels, it's all good.

Yep. Works for me. I love older Smiths tho.

I have a few J Frame's with the IL and have no issues with them. Also picked up a 315 NG that was my grail gun for years.

The best deal was picking up a newer Model 10 from GB that the previous owner had attached a clip grip deal to. After spending 10 dollars on a cylinder screw and S&W being kind enough to give me some side plate screws I have a like new model 10 with about $350.00 in her.

Not sure what scared people away, the IL or the clip grip, but a great deal for me!

I wish S&W would offer more guns with, and without, the lock other than some of the 640s, and let the market decide. The "Classics" line should not have the lock, period.

After a friend had lockups with his ILS, decided if I got one the ILS would be replaced by a plug. I won't tolerate a design problem, even if it only affects a small percentage of guns. I don't want to win the "gun locked up on me when I needed it" lottery.

Using an online price inflation calculator, my 5" 27-2 was actually more expensive than a newly manufactured present day model 27 Classic with the 4" barrel. New, my 27-2 cost $200 back in 1974 and in today's dollars that equals $979.42. Bud's has the 27 Classic listed for $862.00. Now, my old 27 was nickel and the new 27 Classic is blue, so it's not a direct apples to apples comparison.

And while I think the hole and flag is ugly, I have no problems buying a new manufacture S&W either. I have a 60-15 and a 627-5 Pro under roof now to go with all the other older S&W revolvers I have.

All other discussions on the Lock, pro or con, tolerate or intolerable, etc., aside -- this quoted statement makes perfect sense to me.

(And I think I could find the money for a 586 Classic no-lock. Honestly, S&W, are you listening?).

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S&W Rover

Recently acquired a 25-15 and it's as well finished as any of my older S&Ws on the exposed surfaces. MUCH better finished where it doesn't show! Plus, it shoots as well as any of my older .45 Colt S&W 25-5s. Quite frankly, the lock seems about invisible, esp. compared to a stainless revolver. Would prefer to do without, but it matters not whilst pulling the trigger. (Unlike the '80 Series Colt 1911s....)