You did real well at $500 for what sounds like a very nice gun. And remember, just about anything you pay for a nice, non-MIM, no-lock S&W today will seem like a deal in a year or two. I've seen a lot of the ones I bought even a couple of years ago appreciate significantly.

There is one other advantage to having the "M" update performed. The only handguns I use for hunting are my 629s so my Model 66s and 686s are used for target shooting with light loads (and I don't shoot two of the four I have). But I had the "M" update done on my no-dash 6" gun because the S&W target triggers and hammers I prefer are not available with the older, longer firing pin - only the newer, shorter one that is what the guns are converted to during the update.

Granted, that advantage won't appeal to everyone but take it for what it's worth...

Ed