I went into the gunshop with my heart set on a 357 Blackhawk with the 4 5/8" bbl. , this was 1971 and the movie Dirty Harry had hit the theaters ... "The 44 Magnum is the most powerful handgun on earth and will blow your "...you know the rest .
In the case was a 6 1/2 bbl 357 Blackhawk , in the box marked used ... on sale .
The owner had bought it new, two weeks ago , saw Dirty Harry , returned and traded it in on a S&W 44 magnum ... the dealer said I can hardly give away old fashioned single action in 357 mag. right now but could sell every 44 Magnum I could get my hands on .
I asked how much for the used 357 Ruger , I pulled $85.00 cash money out my jeans and he said ...good enough . It wasn't the 4 5/8" bbl I wanted but it must have been ok ...I still have it and still shoot it a lot . Never did get a 4 5/8 like I had my heart set on ... C'est La Vie (Such is Life)
Gary