I have to side with the majority. I own some newer Smiths, and even a couple with the IL. But if I have a choice between a newer gun and the same model manufactured 35 years ago or more, I'll go with the earlier gun every time. As do many Smith fans, I think the -2 models are probably the best mix of traditional features and sensible engineering changes. (But I tend to prefer the five-screw and non-model-marked four screw guns to the early dash-something releases.)

I would entertain getting a new production Smith if it happened to be a model that either had no classic predecessors or whose predecessors are too expensive to consider because of the demand. An example would be the new PC "Bloodwork" .357 Magnum. I'm thinking pretty seriously about one of those.

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David Wilson