"Am I off, or has the price of all but the most 'commom' DRs gotten very high recently?"

YES, and they will keep going higher and higher as there are only a limited number around. Everyone said they were "expensive" 5, 6, 7 years ago, they have at a minimum doubled in price if not quadrupled in price since then.

And, where have they all gone to?
My storage facility !!!
The sensible people are sitting on them.

The Army and Navy 500 Nitro listed on this forum last week
- a link to a rtailers web site. $50,000 ! I nearly had a heart attack. I sold one of mine 8 months ago, Jesus, I should have kept it and refinsihed it.

You mention Restocked. Americans have to get over this restock thing they have. If you break your DR's stock, you'd get it restocked ? YES. Therefore it is not an issue.
If the gun doesn't fit you, you get it restocked or sell it and get one that does fit.

Unless a gun is 100% mint, if a HIGH END (Purdey, H&H etc) gun came from the UK it would most likely have been "touched up", had a service or been lightly refinished in it's life - that is what occurs all the time.

IMHO, Keep buying now while the going is good.