Not to be an elitist, coz I aint, but $400 is about the minimum that I would expect to pay for a new shotgun. Actually I am drooling over a SKB 385 SxS for about $1900. I could probably afford it after saving up for about 2 years and no other firearms purchases
I get the feeling that you are more dismayed by the willingness to drop a few C notes on a luxury item than the price itself. At the club I went to in Buffalo, NY there were guys who owned $10,000+ shotguns and talked about 'trading up' all the time. To them (older gentlemen) shooting was a way of life. On Monday they shot at Club A, Tuesday Club B, Wednsday at Club C... Some of those guys would shoot about 500 shells a week. They spent more in a week of shooting than I made in month! The gents you speak of may be cut of the same cloth, but less extravagent.
Have some fun windowshopping, check out
www.griffinhowe.com
www.hallowellco.com
www.capeoutfitters.com
www.jcdevine.com
www.krieghoff.com
Have fun, don't let the 'snobs' get your goat. Chances are, they may well have donated more to the NRA than you or I make in a year.