I don't think you are being taken for that price range. The lower the better but that's a great carbine. It might be the lighting but the hand guard does look like it's darker than the stock but that's not a problem.

Good carbines like this really are solidly selling for $1,200 to $1,500 as far as I've seen.

A good bore does make it worth more.

Remember about price with firearms- you never pay too much- you might just be buying it a couple years too early!

In a few years, these nice carbines will be fetching $2,000.