I just talked to the salesman at the store I was in yesterday and passed on the information provided here. He told me that they bought the gun back from him!!  I don't think he had any interest in finding anything to shoot in it. Rather, he just wanted whatever part of what he paid back for the rifle. It was a nice enough piece but like you said KJ, I would not buy it without a sure source of something to shoot in it!! Anyway, the old guy continually stressed the fact that 'it is a Winchester...and not an inexpensive piece of junk....."  Right.