I attended a gun show this weekend, and after a couple of hours wandering the aisles and not seeing anything I couldn’t live without, I stumbled across something I’d been wanting for some time: a “shooter grade” S&W M1917 at a semi-reasonable price. It has been refinished (fairly well to my amateur eye; all markings remain legible), and the side plate has been replaced (it bears a large S&W logo). Nevertheless, the bore is excellent, and it locks up tight, with zero end shake. I had some free time this morning, so I took it out back to ring some steel. The 103-year-old girl quite literally shoots like a brand new revolver. A militaria collector probably wouldn’t give it a second look, but I’m very pleased indeed.