Mine is a 140 AE and I got it new, I bought it today in fact. I am in Canada so the price I got it for cannot be compared directly to what you are looking at. There are at least two smaller retailers up here that are both selling the Merkels at $8,500 Canadian dollars new. Other stores are asking up to $10,000 or more.

I have not looked at or shouldered a Merkel for about 10 years, but from what I remember of them I would be foolish not to have one sent out to me for the current asking price!

Also one thing about the Sabatti. You may not be able to see the grind marks in the muzzles. It is not only on the crown they are ground. They also remove/thin down some of the rifling back in the bore a little ways. It is very hard to see in a clean bore, but can be seen in a bore with a bit of fouling.