I love my old S&W Model 19, mid 1980's vintage. It's still available in their "Classic" line. It's a bit smaller than their current "L" framed guns (it's the smaller "K" frame), and will not take a steady diet of .357 mag loads, but all I really shoot in it are .38 Specials anyway. It's wonderfully accurate, has a great trigger, and is very well balanced. Here it is with a 1911 for comparison:
