Not really what you're asking, but...

If that's the same Mel I dealt with about 5 years ago, I'd take his word. He's good people. I was trying to find an out-of-production part (a rear sight that was the old length, but with the new rounded front for a 625-5 Classic) and was told they were out of stock, sorry, no dice. About a week later Mel called me up and had one for me that he had scrounged from one of the repair guys' stuff boxes. That's customer service right there.