I think some members are confusing "hand select" with "mint unissued". Paying that extra fee simply guarantees that you're not getting the next carbine at the top of the dealer's pile.
You are paying to have one of the employees look over several carbines, then in his own opinion, choosing the one that appears the best. If all the carbines in his lot are of the same general condition (ie: all refurbished, stamped matching, blued finish, etc), you would likely receive one that would have no arsenal repairs to the stock, no damage to the finish, maybe all birch, or all laminate.
Of course, this hand selection starts with whoever has their order at the top of the list, until it reaches the end. If you are near the end, the possible options for "select" may be quite limited. It's the luck of the draw.
The selection process is subjective and limited. They certainly won't be going through hundreds of carbines if they have hundreds of back orders and a lot of impatient customers bothering them. Patience, folks.