First Cabelas I ever visited was in Kansas City and it was awesome. Also went to the little one in Mitchell, SD and even it had a lot of great stuff on the shelves. I was really psyched to get one in the Atlanta area a few years ago but it has been a letdown.

The gun library is mostly crap and every used gun there is at least $200 overpriced.

I still like their house brand stuff and at least it isn't like Bass Pro where 1/2 the store is crappy Redhead apparel. Their ammo selection is usually well-stocked and well-priced.

when it comes to retail, the only thing that huge gets you is huge failure

Dundee's Gun Library is a mere shadow of itself. But in fairness it has been in this state for longer than the Bass Pro takeover period. Inventory is almost all current production with a smattering of older guns. They had a S&W revolver that appeared to have been recovered from the bottom of a lake. Maybe it was a gun from the "I lost my guns in a tragic boating accident" camp.

I inquired on the availability of a Browning Hi-Power, blued in 9mm last year before I retired, a kind of a last hurrah purchase as priorities change when SS comes on the scene. "Yep, had one a few months ago" was the only answer. No offer to check inventories at other stores or to take my name and number and call me if and when one comes in. I was an easy sell at the time, an hour or so away, semi retired so I can go at the drop of a hat and CPL holder so no NICS check, just fill out the 4473 and hand them my CC.

Something else that last sentence brings to mind. Last summer on my last visit I bought a Anderson lower. Filled the 4473, off the guy goes into the back with my DL, the 4473 and my CPL. Waiting and waiting, well over a half hour. The salesman comes from the back with another person, that person asks me if I was born in "City" Tennessee. (?) WTF? So I said, "No, Michigan like the 4473 says."To which he mumbles something and walks away. I'm just about ready to say "Give me my licenses back" to the next guy to come through the door and the salesman walks up, hands me my licenses and walks me to the cash register. No reason, no sorry, no nothing.

Probably going Sunday as it's an NRA day, renew and they give you a gift card for 25 bucks. Pick up some .22 and come back home, in and out.

Back in Arizona, I loved to go to the Glendale one (opened 2006). The gun counter containing the handguns must have been 30 feet long. I found several actual good deals, a couple of them in the Gun Library, even. The one that recently opened in Bristol, VA doesn't have nearly this selection, and in the Gun Library they were asking retail price for a S&W M&P (not a collectible) that looked like it had been drug behind a truck. They do have a good selection and decent if not bargain prices on ammo.

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:
cabela's is now owned by bass pro. so, therein lies the problem i would think.

Here’s your winner!

My BIL works for them. Per him SHTF when BP took over.

Cabelas/BPS is just another themed big box store.

I agree and used to feel the same way Gustofer. It was like getting the Sears catalog as a kid, I would order, and I swear the had a squadron of C-130's that would airdrop the stuff within two days, how times have changed!

I may be confusing Cabela's with Gander Mountain.
Which one was down the street from Larry's?

It is a shame, when Cabela's opened in Dundee, MI, it was spectacular. We would stop every year on our way home from a MI vacation.

Even my wife, who is not a big outdoor person, could not wait to stop. We would spend hours there.

It really was a treat.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmanic:

quote:

Originally posted by FN in MT:
There was an announcement on the local news the other day that our local Big Bear store was closing in Gt Falls. They are a Chain, we have them in most larger cities...unsure if they are only in MT or not.

Apparently no longer viable to keep the doors open. But the good news the building will be occupied by North 40 a Ranch store, that DOES also sell firearms, ammo, reloading gear, fishing gear, etc. And at generally better prices than Big Bear.

I was pissed at Big Bear during the Obama years and the powder, .22 ammo, shortage era. As they gouged pretty good. $35 a pound powder, $60 a brick .22's etc. Maybe THAT caught up with them?

Thankfully we have Selway Armory in Missoula and another one in Bozeman. GREAT prices and a Master SIG Dealer.

That doesn't surprise me. I imagine the Billings store will suffer a similar fate, especially after the shooting last fall.

http://billingsgazette.com/bus...d3-91b7071c82f0.html

The Great Falls store price gouged pretty badly a few years back. I refused to pay $30+ for the same powder that was $24 a few days earlier. Same for primers and especially certain ammo. Their prices were ridiculous.

Stopped in the other day and they had .17 HMR for $14 a box....got home and Selway in Missoula sent me a flyer....same ammo... $8 a box.

I feel for the employees out of a job, but not for BB overall.

Retail in general is suffering with on line sales and a different marketplace than 25 years ago. But add in being something of a niche market and things will be tough. Before moving west we had a fairly good size cabelas open not to far from where I worked, and for the first couple years was very busy. Before I moved it had become a ghost town. I saw this with gander mountain dicks sporting goods, bass pro and field and stream( a dicks subsidiary)
Having limited stock ( what is to draw me to the store when the local wal Mart stocks the same stuff?) uneducated employees, high prices / overhead among other things.
I guess it depends on your mindset. My personal mindset is I prefer to go buy gun stuff at a gun shop. While it varies of course I have found service after the sale tech questions etc much better answered by such an enterprise. Back East when the cabelas opened about 3 miles from the biggest oldest gun shop in town, I figured that would close the independent shop but it seemed to stay just as busy

Always wanted to visit a Cabelas and got my chance 3-4 years ago, when I attended a wedding near the Dundee store. I told someone afterwards, that if I had gone in blindfolded, I would have thought I was in a Bass Pro Shop. Not long after, they built the Virginia store near me. It's been here now over two years and I think I have been there twice. Big disappointment. Prices are better almost everywhere else and I have seen nothing in the gun library, that wasn't either overpriced or in so-so condition.

I noticed the same trend and asked the staff. They said with the acquisition underway, they were no longer allowed to buy interesting stuff and could only put easily monetized stuff on the shelves, like hunting rifles and shotguns or commodity guns. I noticed a slew of K31's for $629 last time there a week or two ago. Most of their surplus stuff was over market by at least 25%, some of it double.

I think I'll stop making a monthly stop in, though I have scored some terrific deals over the last year

quote:

Originally posted by Snake207:
I may be confusing Cabela's with Gander Mountain.
Which one was down the street from Larry's?

That was Gander Mountain. They always sucked!!!

Cabelas was the new one that opened late 2016 just off I-565 / Research Park Blvd. / Old Madison Pike interchange, across from Bridge Street Towne Center.

Were you one of the guys that priced used guns in the library higher then new ones out on the floor? but in all seriousness the first time I set foot in a Cabelas was probably 7 years ago and the prices were shit then and still are now. Cabelas has just about the worst prices on guns I have seen now that Gander is gone. They have obviously learned nothing from that cautionary tale. If they went under tomorrow I wouldn’t be disappointed.

Nope... that weren’t me! Heck, even as an employee I couldn’t get what I considered good prices from the Gun Library! The closest I ever got was when someone obviously way underpriced a West German P228 that was near mint in box with all original paperwork including test target and 3 magazines, 1 of which was still sealed in the factory packaging! I got it out the door for $500.00, so I was more than happy with that one!!!

Other than that, I’ve never seen a decent price in the place, just seriously overpriced guns like everyone else.

Remember when Cabela's owned the bank (World's Foremost, to go with their "World's Foremost Oufitter") that issued their Visa card? It has been taken over by Capital One.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: egregore,

I've been to Cabela's many many times, and they're not local. I can only recall buying 3 or 4 times. Most of those purchases have been "oh well, I drove so far to get here, I might as well buy something" I bet a lot of people do the same. That's not a good business model


I was in their parking lot yesterday,didn't go in, I stopped to clean my windshield. lol
Now you've got me curious to see if it changed, I may have to go in tomorrow.

I've tried really really hard to buy a gun there but it's never worked out. Try as I might I never found any used guns I couldn't live wirhout. New guns I wanted that they listed on sale in their fliers, they never actually had.

quote:

Originally posted by NK402:
Always wanted to visit a Cabelas and got my chance 3-4 years ago, when I attended a wedding near the Dundee store. I told someone afterwards, that if I had gone in blindfolded, I would have thought I was in a Bass Pro Shop. Not long after, they built the Virginia store near me. It's been here now over two years and I think I have been there twice. Big disappointment. Prices are better almost everywhere else and I have seen nothing in the gun library, that wasn't either overpriced or in so-so condition.

Gainsville? I drive by that one all the time. I have considered stopping in, but just figured it was the Best Buy of outdoors sports. Never set foot in one. Went to a Gander Mountain grand opening near Potomac Mills. That was a giant disappointment.

In addition.....
Went by the local Cabela's today and picked up a box of ammo. Cabela's no longer gives Military 5% discounts on Guns, ammo, components, safes, etc. Asked the salesman----Bass Pro decision.

Discount still applies to everything else.....for now.