When I bought my Model 14-4 about 5-6 years ago I was looking for a good shooter and planned on it being used. At that time shooter grade guns were selling from 250-300. I paid a $50 premium for my new no box specimen and was rationalizing the the $350 purchase as paying extra so that every nick, ding and scratch on it would be mine and it would not just be someone else's old gun.
I see what the sell for now and I am literally shocked $400-500 for a shooter grade gun around these parts... Finally I made a half decent investment.