because the t-97 isn't a milsurp. they are specifically manufactured for export sale and the NSR and eventually NRR are specifically manufactured for civilian use in Canada. These aren't rifles cobbled together by the millions during wartime, these are built from machines that had to be retooled and adjusted from their original design to specifically meet our requirements, people staffed to assemble the different parts our version required. There is no way these will cost anything less than 800. These in my honest opinion should cost no less than any other low end AR. Lets face it this is a low end rifle derived from a military service weapon, and the price reflects perfectly what a low end modern service rifle should cost. the Fit and finish is to be expected to be garbage. Not only were they intended to be low end the originals were intended to serve in the military, they don't need to be nice and they don't need to be perfect, they just need to serve their purpose, and from what i've seen of them this gouge does not change that.