I don't know about other parts of the country, but here in N. Calif. It is almost impossible to find a new S&W in a gun store. A friend of mine's wife was carrying a 28-2 4 in. And it was just to much gun for her to carry, so he started looking around for her a new gun, there was nothing in any gun shop within 75 miles, he looked and checked for months. Then a gun shop in Sacramento got in 2 Mod 60s. He got one and i bet the other one didn't last 24 hours. Is it that way everywhere.

Seems guns and ammo are disappearing like tomorrow will never come.

Many guns in California are hard to find and cost too much because of their stupid gun laws. I prefer the older S&W's. There aren't as any as there used to be but around here I can still find them at decent prices.

Older S&W revolvers are not on the roster so no mail order, auction, whatever. No privaye transfers from out of state, either. You can do a single action only exemption but you need an FFL willing to help out. For practical purposes the only way we can get an older revolver is if it's already in the state & owned by a CA resident.

About the only way we can get an off roster revolver is through a PPT or consignment sale.

This also drives up costs & demand for the newer models. Unless one is willing to put in a lot of footwork that's pretty much the only option.

Airweights (in the .38+p) can be found sparsely...but Solid steel models are GONE, full sized models ARE hard to find/GONE, other company's revolvers (except Charter arms for some reason?) are even GONE! Everything is also backorder till the Tuesday after the apocalypse.

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Still just a kid at heart

S&W revolvers very scarce here in SW MO. FWIW, my local reloading supplier can't get "any" powder these days. Scary!

Sometimes you get pleasantly surprised. I have been thinking for awhile about getting a 642 as a lighter alternative to my 640 for concealed carry, and I probably would have considered a 442 or a 638 or a 438 instead if I could find one. In several places where I look at guns I could find nothing other than some Taurus imitations, and when I asked about ordering from the factory or distribution center they all said "good luck". Earlier this week I went to a small LGS not far from me that I had never before heard of or visited to try to find a gunsmith for a gun repair and I asked the owner if he could order a particular S&W for me (but I really expected the same answer that I usually receive to this question). He asked me which model I was interested in and he would try to find it for me. I told him a 642, no lock, and he reached into the gun case and pulled one out! I didn't even try to bargain on the price and just pulled out my credit card as fast as I could and bought the gun. So don't give up hope, you might be pleasantly surprised one day.

The guys I shoot trap with report the same thing, no powder. There is plenty of shotgun ammo available but no powder.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

At the LGS where I work p/t, there's me and TWO other older guys that make it sorta difficult for a good ol' S&W to make it to a shelf.

One of the few perks of being there.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

You bet your sweet ars they are, and it's not getting any easier either.

L, ya hear that. Leave something for the rest of us, will ya

Not much available around here. However, I was in Cabela's last week and they had a few, including a new model 66. I'm hoping to find a model 69 or 986 to check out, but I'm not holding my breath.

It's pretty sad. I only see the J-frames and the X-frames, it seems. Since LE doesn't use them anymore, you hardly ever see K-frames.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

I think this must be generally true nationally. Even on Bud's, K, L and N frames have been pretty rare the last two or three years. Every now and then a 64 or 67, but that's about it.