Smith Wesson 686 plus or regular. The timing on the cylinder is about the best factory you can get. The triggers are typically fine even for the stock guns. You can smith your own fairly easy with a wolf spring kit and get the trigger smoother, lighter, or smoother double action pull without much effort.
I've owned Rugers, but they aren't my kettle of fish. The timing usually seems to lag on them for me and it's hard to find one that the double action trigger pull isn't either jerky, rough or feels like i'm pulling my finger through gritty mud. I am not a big fan of a getting guns where the purchase advice is get the gun and a trigger job all in one breath.
Taurus's can be nice, especially if you stick with the older models that have been around for awhile. You need to look them over good though. They tend to develop timing problems or end shake. The newer models seem to have more then their fair share of issues, but you get that lifetime warranty.
No one mentioned colts, but the Python is nice. Owned one that I traded for a rifle (another bad life path decision) in college. Probably nicest factory gun I ever owned, but way to nice to lug around all the time. The timing on it was finicky as well and I had it back to colt once to fix and probably was headed again right before I traded it.
I've owned one or more specimens from each company, plus regrettably a few Llamas. I think the smiths are generally better guns, although they did have a few craptastic quality control years in the 80s early 90s. I've put a thousands of rounds through them and treated more then one very poorly and they never did me wrong. The after market support is excellent for both upgrade parts and accessories. Someone mentioned the locks, I've got one with a lock and none on the rest. Smith and Wesson makes them either way depending on the model and rumor has it they are ditching them all together. If you fear the lock, look for used ones. I see more 686s then you can shake a stick at at the local fun shows. Most are in good shape and can be had at a good price for little negotiation.
I have no regrets with parting with any of them other then the smiths, in particular a early 686 stainless that I cut down to 3" myself when I was in college. Sold it to a friend in a moment of high powered rifle shooting fever. Tried to buy it back from him a couple years back only to find out that after having kids he let his wife take all his guns to a buy back thing in NM. Poor thing probably was turned into staples or a hammer.
malladus