True story, hand to God...
In Feb, 1997, I got a new credit card with a fairly high limit.
I went by my area's local gun store & saw a sweet deal; a new in box(NIB) Beretta 96D .40S&W "Police Special". The .40 semi auto pistol had 3 new magazines, 3 dot Trijicon night sights & rubber grips.
This unfired 96D was meant for a state LE agency(the PA Fish Commission).
It was treated with Robar's custom NP3,
www.robarguns.com , plus the pistol mags also had NP3.
The retail sale price? Only $580.00 USD!
I was also drawn to a NIB Heckler & Koch USP in .45acp with a DA only format(pre-LEM). The LE agency background & Robar NP3 swayed me more towards the 96D pistol.
I checked into it & to buy the Beretta 96D new then adding all the extras would make the pistol run around $800-900.00 in 1997's economy. Many of my friends & co-workers also stated $580.00 was a great deal.
I only had the 96D for a brief period but I highly doubt I'll ever get a better offer.
Clyde
ps: The PA state agency wanted to re-buy the surplus .40S&W pistols from FFL license holders who bought the firearms but they were too late to get mine.