I have three 97s and an 83...and never spent $2K on any of them. Buy USED it is the only way to go. Almost all you will find will be at minimum excellent...most will still have the box.
As to the guns, if you want a 97 in .45 Colt make sure your favorite bullet will fit the length of the cylinder. They are much shorter than a Ruger or a Colt. The perfect round for the 97 is the .44 Special. Being a little shorter than the Colt or .41 Magnum all cast and jacketed bullets will fit the chambers.
Average selling price on GunBroker for a used 97 is in the $1650-2000 range depending on the caliber and configuration. I recently picked up a brand new custom length 6" .327 for $1900 delivered. The .22 5.5" was $1650, excellent but no box and the 4.25" .41 Magnum that Travis shot was $1850 but it came with over $500 worth of reloading supplies and a holster....so I figure I have $1350 into the gun. Right now there are several used 97s on GunBroker. One is a 7.5" .44 Special with octagon barrel, 3# action, trigger stop and custom walnut grips. It has a BuyNow of $1900...if you go over to the FA website and add it all up if you ordered the gun today it would be $2975. If it was a .41 I would have already hit the BuyNow. If you know exactly what you want and have a little patience you can find a bargain that when you sell it you won't loose anything.
As to shooting...I've had Colt SAAs, USFAs, and Rugers...all have shot well. The big difference for me with heavy loads is the Model 83 grip rolls much better for me than the Super Blackhawk or Bisley. The Bisley recoils right back into my hand and I can feel it in my wrist and elbow. I've also owned 83 in .454/.45 Colt and .475..both recoiled way too much for me.
For what I do with a Single Action, as in hunting and long range target shooting, if I only had one it would be my 6" 83 in .41 Magnum.
Bob
