I also read something about the trigger assembly not coming off... which would make cleaning much easierI suspect. Is this correct?

Here in no where's land where I live we never get to see rifles like that on a store shelf. Well we do, but they are few and far between. Most of the Thompson Center rifles sold around here are all the Encores, top of the line Omega's with Stainless Barrels, Black Diamond XR's and Hawkins with an occasional Renegade on the rack. And their price tags are never reduced like others on this board see from time to time...