I wanna play devils advocate here for a sec.... what if by some chance the ffl dealer (recipient) scratched the stock up himself and wont admit to it? I mean after all....didn't he tear the crap out of the box and ffl paperwork and all? What if mark has been telling the truth the whole time but in reality it is the 3rd person who is to blame. the "other" excuses... I cant answer. just wanted to throw that out there...
Like you, I can't speak to the rest of it either, but I had that exact experience years ago. Might even have been in this forum. Bought a beautiful LSA Deluxe (think Weatherby Mark V Deluxe). Pics looked great. When I picked it up, the top of the comb was gouged. I was pissed. The seller was from Texas and took immediate umbrage when I politely asked him about it. It either happened during packaging, or at the dealer. To be honest, I believed the seller and didn't press it. He could have been lying, but my gut told me not. I had weird issues of another nature with that dealer and the shop closed in short order. PA does not have a lot of Internet-friendly dealers, though I have a great guy now.
Anyway, regardless of the rest of this Charlie Francis of a transaction, I am surprised that neither the seller or buyer considered this.
"Honey, when I die, sell my guns for what they're worth and not what I told you I paid for them."
