Smith & Wesson revolvers. Sure, I miss the pretty bluing, but the consistency of the newer guns is better than anything made in my lifetime.
What kind of a sampling size are we talking and how far are you going back? I hope when you say "old days" you are talking the pre war stuff, and the post war 5 and 4 screw stuff. I own a lot of that, and while my new guns are fine, its hard to say they are better, as a customer. They are better manufactured in a sense that they probably cost less to make today, in comparison, and they are made faster. But for me, are today's really better? Well I'm not qualified to really say I guess, because I have observed too small a sampling of new guns.
You have to think that at one time, with gun makers, building a great gun was more important than the bottom dollar, because it was understood that as a gun maker, you would make money anyways. The economy was great before the depression, and after WWII, in the 1950s, into the 70s, people had money and had jobs. In addition, guns were overall more popular back then, it was less taboo, and shooting as a hobby was it, because there wasn't iphone, facebook, or xbox. Since the 70s and 80s, IMO its been a question of "how can we reduce costs all the way?" or "how can we increase the profit margin even more?" To put it plain and simple, its a different world. I have to doubt the experience level posters here have with older guns, such as older S&Ws, and older doesn't mean 1975, IMO, it means more like 1935. With each company, they had peaks and valleys at different times. I have many older S&Ws, and I have not been disappointed at all, ever. Could that be because the guy who bought a lemon 1935 addressed back then? Maybe, but then again, S&W started outselling Colt by large margins before WWII and esp after, and sold more and more and more; they truly flourished. Its hard for me to think that they flourished, unless they did most everything right.
As for myself, I think its a toss up in many ways. For example, today there is newer technology, more precise manufacturing, great materials coupled with a much worse economy, and a stronger desire to cut costs. In the old days, there was hand fitting due to less precise part manufacturing, but a higher personal attention to each gun, resulting in IMO a better quality control, along with a better economy, which meant the companies were less about the bottom dollar (IMO). Companies back then could afford to over engineer items. Today, I don't think companies care about making something that will last decades. I don't think the desire to be the best is as important today as the all-mighty dollar.
In closing, some guns are better today, and some are not. It would take a ton of personal experience with both to say anything that is definitive.
Just my opinion...