When people ask $500 bucks for a S&W M19 then they're over valuing things. I paid less then that for a 686+ a few years ago. I'd love to pick up a good K-Frame but I'd not pay over $300 for any of em' and I'd not go over $350-$375 for an L-Frame. I can get a CPO Sig 2340 for $325 and have 12 rounds of 40cal with Sig quality so why pay much more for a 6 shot revolver.
Fair enough, but with that thinking you will not be 'picking up' many (any?) 'good' K, or L frames... Sigs are nice guns, so looks like you're in luck being able to find them cheap.
Pricing is always relative. No matter how much you want it to be, or need it to be, you just can't expect prices to be the way they were xx years ago. Just doesn't work that way. Our whole economy, and it's health, is based on "growth."
What does everyone think "growth" means? Growth means increasing revenue & profits, and the related pricing to get there. Hear it all the time, my cable bill used to be $xx, a car used to cost $xx, my rent used to be $xx, used to be able to buy a nice S&W for $xx, etc...
People hate change, especially when it costs more money!! The real problem is when industry (corporations) drive pricing up more than the relative increase in wages. Of course over the past several years wages have been way down, non-existent for many, but prices are increasing. Corporations are seeing record profits, and regular people are just trying to hang on, not pretty... The rules of the game have shifted heavily toward corporations.
As for our beloved guns, you can always find some kind of a great deal from someone that does not know what they have (sadly, especially a widow), or are desperate for cash. But other than those rare circumstances, quality guns will go up in value; some faster than others.
