I wouldn't blame the "salesman" based on someone else's experience, you are getting second hand info..In addition, we have all contributed to this...The small mom and pop gunshops that we use to deal with have mostly fallen by the way side...We refused to pay the higher prices they needed to make to stay in business...Now we are left with the big box stores with their lower margins...They simply can't afford to hire knowledgeable people to work there, those folks won't work for minimum wages...We are left with idiots, many of who wouldn't know a rimfire from a centerfire...

It is what it is...