Wrong! They are a bargain, even at $400.
Not wrong. Bargain is in the eyes (and wallet) of the beholder. It may be cheaper than other guns you can compare it to, but if you don't have the $400 to spend on it, its not a bargain.
It might be a bargain to you, but to me, not so much. Neither of us is wrong.
“...Too heavy to carry...”
too heavy to carry..compared to what???
Heavier then needed for hunting? Absolutely. But it wasn't designed to be a hunting rifle. It was designed to be a combat rifle. And a combat rifle in an era when the rifle was expected to be both useful and survive combat, BOTH kinds of combat, ranged, AND hand to hand!
If you have to block an enemy's bayonet thrust, and deliver a riposte of your own, capable of putting the other guy out of the fight, AND having your rifle still in working order afterwards, that extra weight is IMPORTANT.
Foolish to buy a pickup truck, then complain because it is bigger and heavier than a motorcycle...