Bought my first M-17 when I was in college in Grand Forks ND in about 1970. Cost me $67.50, I think. It was a B-grade, but the stock had been replaced clumsily. Such was the state of my starry-eyed teenage gun appraising skill that it became apparent only after I got it home someone must have run over it with the Farmall or something at some time in its life. That was probably the reason for that stock replacement, but it also had a kink in the barrel, and somebody had shot some steel ball bearings through it, leaving tracks and a bit of a squared out choke end! It was subtle, but you could feel it from the outside. Someone did a hell of a job straightening it out, as I tested it and it not only shot to point of aim, but it patterned well. Despite all that, it was definitely not an outwardly ugly gun. So I restocked it myself. Shot it a bunch at sharptails and huns, not to mention ducks and geese. I traded it off in about 1999 -- was going to get out of pumps entirely and concentrate on SxS's. Even sold most of my Model 12's, but couldn't bear to part with a couple for "heirloom" reasons. Always swore maybe I shouldn't have sold the M-17....But I found another one on Dec 27th 2006, and it is really nice. It also shoots straight even though the barrel is perfect! It is a standard grade, with a solid rib. Paid $350. Both my previous one and this one have 30 inch FC barrels. Found it in the same shop in which I had divested myself of the previous one about 8 years earlier. The current one was made in 1929 I think.
Tony Lowe
