But I'm worried about buying anything that is advertised full color in any magazine.

But I want one.

But I can't trust advertisements. WHAT DO I DO?

$400 for a collectors grade WWII serial matched mauser seems very reasonable to me. I'd shoot the crap out of that gun making it a shooters grade mauser in a matter of just a couple years but hey thats what I do.

Everyone has them and its a matter of whether you want them to run through the lot to find something interesting or not. Sarco et al can pull out something special if you call them. I have one from JG in the mail already just to shoot the **** out of. Its quite a bit cheaper than the 299 Michell wants. Sarco is a bit cheaper still.
I'll let you know about the bore, etc. when I get it.

it was top notch, I don't know much about them, but I know he has ben very happy with them and would probably recommend them