I paid $1,000 shipped to my ffl in a pretty decent hard sided rifle case.
It was still more than I wanted to spend honestly on a rifle.... As I already have a .44mag marlin, a .45-70 marlin, and many shotguns that all will kill ohio deer without issue.... . But three things influenced my decision.
#1 I had an offer for another rifle that was way over what I had paid for it. So I sold that one to a guy that wanted it and came out ahead several hundred dollars on that deal.
#2 I don't think I'll lose money on it. I intend to keep it, and I expect prices will only continue to rise. Should I ever decide to sell it or need to sell I should be able to at least break even I would think.
#3 I just wanted it and was willing to pay for it. It's one of those things that is rare enough, that if you want it you're going to have to pay. So few ever come up for sale in the first place, I knew that if I found a decent looking one in a certain price range that I would jump on the deal.
As for if it's worth that much.... or if I got a good deal or a bad deal... I really can't say. I saw prices anywhere from around a thousand to up near three thousand for these rifles. This rifle looks pretty decent and shoots good... So I feel ok with what I spent. But it still felt like allot of money to me for something as trivial as just having an ohio legal model 99..... I don't regret the purchase though. I wanted one of these since Ohio changed it's rifle laws, and now I have it!
-Jake