Update...I returned the rifle. Winchester was completely "Stand-up" and took care of it by offering a refund. While I realize that this was a fluke, they wasted no time in taking care of the problem. I'm going to use the funds to purchase a Browning and keep it under the same umbrella company. In business things go wrong from time to time. It's how you handle these issues that make the difference. In my opinion the folks at Browning/Winchester are the ones to keep.