When the 19 was made, the mold was broke. It was, and still is, an industry standard. You can get a couple of trigger and hammer options for it, and there are numerous grips, both S&W and other brands. You can tailor the gun to fit your hand. My nickle 4" 19 is a honey to shoot and I like the "big boom" of 158 gr. loads. I've installed the "target" wide hammer spur and trigger and the large "combat" grips on mine. I'm about to order a set of lightweight Wolff springs for it.
You can't go wrong with a 19. Price? Anywhere from $450-$650 depending. As many have already said, you can shoot 1000's of rounds through it, and, with proper cleaning and maintenance, it'll still look almost new.
