powdr: My first M77 was a 30/06...second was a 270. They cost me about $125-130 bucks. So your pricing is about right. People did buy them like hot cakes....they reminded some of a pre 64 M70,and smelled gunny when you opened the box.
I owned a bunch. The Roberts came later.
The early one's were nice. Later the stocks became fat and they used Wilson barrels. I stopped buying them.
