The 357's should be back soon, in SS only though. There are more than enough older ones around to keep me happy. I have a blue Model 15 4" and a 6" 715 I got in almost mint condition for less than $300, with 3 grips, two pistol rugs, a few spare parts, and in the original box.

A friend of mine doesn't like them at all for some reason, but he paid $500 for an S&W 686 that needed some work before it could be shot (broken spring). He had to take it somewhere to get it fixed. I can take one of my DW's down to a box of parts and put it together, without any tools other than the wrench that came with it, within a few minutes. I think the problems some of them had later on made people think "They're all junk". I put thousands of rounds through the first model 15 I had, without a single problem. It recently turned up in an action online. A pawn shop had it for sale. I called them and asked, "Is the Model 15 you have for sale, serial number XXXXXXX?" The guy laughed and said "Yeah!" I lost the auction by a buck. I recognized it by the grip I had made for it in 1981, and the huge gouge in the frame right above the grip on the right side caused by a whacking it into the corner of the steel desk inside the security office where I worked. I really wanted it back, but it all worked out ok as I got the SS 715 a week later.

Another friend of mine, not very knowlegable about guns thinks the changeable barrel idea is crazy. It's worked fine for what, almost 40 years, and he thinks it's crazy? He's been listening to his one bud too much, the one where any auto but a 1911 is "junk", and any revolver that doesn't say "Python" on it isn't fit to shoot.

I love my "older" 714-2. ("Dan Wesson Arms,Monson Mass", circa 1980s) It was my first ever gun at age 55. When I first got it, it had a sometimes problem with FTF. I had a gunsmith check it. He relaced a spring, and it has never failed since.
It is always with me when I leave the house.
I hope that they become available again. I have only the 2 1/2 in bbl. When when they become available, I'll get the 4 and 6 inch ones. (CZ had some, but I missed the boat)
Inform your sceptical friend that the D.W.s were the preferred brand for long-range silhoutte shooting because the design of the front locking cylinder, and front barrel lock-up, made them more accurate than the other brands that were popular at the time.

He knows all that, as he and I went and checked out some silhoutte shooting at a local gun club, and even took a couple of shots with another guy's 715 with one of the hugely long barrels.

When I read your post saying that CZ was out of barrels, I was shocked, but I checked and it appears to be true! Very odd, since the new .357's are due to appear soon. I hope the prices aren't as insane as I hear they are supposed to be. Maybe they are stockpiling barrels for the new production.

You can get all the barrels you would ever need online, formerly on Ebay, but I would imagine that gunbroker.com or auctionarms.com will be picking up that traffic.

do you find gun broker to be high on everything? I could not believe what a lot of them want for guns and stuff. I deleted the link I had for them.

You have to spend your time there looking, and not get carried away bidding something up to a price where it's not a decent deal anymore.

I have done better in general on Auctionarms, but I have gotten some great deals on Gunbroker. All you have to do is control yourself. I recently got an unfired Astra A-100, in great shape (A few tiny nicks and scratches from handling), for $265, including 3 17 round mags. Those mags are hard to get, and expensive too. Most A-100's go for around $300 with one mag, and with two extra, that's a great deal. It shoots great.

I have snatched up other nice guns on there too. I just don't get carried away, and anything with an insanely high reserve, I just pass on them.