The Pacific Northwest has seen a constant decline in the availability of "Golden Age" (1960-1980) S&W's for ten years, and the availability is getting progressively worse.
Fear of new gun controls, an obviously faltering economy, much heavier competition from both casual buyers and collectors, necessary manufacturing production shortcuts many believe creates inferior new revolver products, a need to seek new hedges against huge inflationary pressures are just some of the issues contributing to declining availability of the older revolvers.
Just check the signs outside most Pawn shops.... "We buy gold, silver and guns..." Those items have the best potential for profit for them and they too are having a more difficult time finding and buying all three.
Sure....nice guns are being bought and sold every day for sometimes ridiculously high or low prices, but many of those deals are more commonly being made by the unaware of uninformed.. I believe those who still believe there won't be strong upward price pressure for premium S&W revolvers are going to be in for a very big surprise....
JMHO