Buying guns from Bass Pro/Cabela's -- the good and the bad in my experience.

Garciamarquez1918 · Nov 2, 2026

I've bought several guns from Bass Pro over the last couple of years. There's sooo much that's great about it.

1) Great selection of used guns.
2) Prices generally on the high end of fair, occasionally a bargain.
3) Seamless shipping nationwide with no shipping charges and no FFL fees.
4) Seamless FFL, no jockeying around to get everybody to send their FFL etc.
5) Accountability of a large company -- when I ordered my Rigby PH it disappeared from Fed Ex for over a week. They offered to send me a second rifle and they would deal with Fed Ex! Amazing. As it turned out my rifle reappeared the same day.

However, there's also a strict no returns policy. I bought a little CZ 22LR this weekend just to plink around with. An hour later I'm at the range and it doesn't work. It cocks, it clicks when you pull the trigger and then...nothing. Probably a broken firing pin.

Lucky for me CZUSA is based in my home town. But it really bites that you can find out something is defective within an hour and you're SOL. This is the downside of working with a large company versus a smaller dealer.

analog_peninsula · Nov 2, 2026

I bought a number of firearms from the local Cabelas before the buyout, and some of them were excellent deals, but my store has gone down hill dramatically in recent years. That said, I just bought a rifle out of a store in Nebraska, so we’ll see what we see.

JRanum · Nov 2, 2026

I occasionally find a deal with them as well, have it shipped to my closest store where I can inspect and have the right of refusal. Usually a smooth transaction but for their overwhelming store paperwork

Garciamarquez1918 · Nov 2, 2026

JRanum said:
I occasionally find a deal with them as well, have it shipped to my closest store where I can inspect and have the right of refusal. Usually a smooth transaction but for their overwhelming store paperwork

Well and to your point the right of refusal is really nice. Unfortunately in my case you can't actually fire the gun so if it turns out that it literally doesn't work you're out of luck.

Sabre · Nov 2, 2026

Garciamarquez1918 said:
Well and to your point the right of refusal is really nice. Unfortunately in my case you can't actually fire the gun so if it turns out that it literally doesn't work you're out of luck.

I have bought a lot of new guns from them, 90% back when they were Cabelas. They have always had some issues. However, once BP bought them out, they got so much worse. I now do my best to avoid them.

If they are the only ones with stock, or they have some incredible deal I will cave. However, each time it reminds you why you have been avoiding them.

skydiver386 · Nov 2, 2026

Cabela's was forced into it's merger with Bass Pro, and things have gone downhill since.

For new firearms, I'd prefer my local dealer.

Where Bass Pro/Cabela's shine is the Gun Library for rare, old and discontinued firearms.

analog_peninsula · Nov 2, 2026

This last purchase was specifically out of the Gun Library for the exact reasons you mentioned.

uplander01 · Nov 2, 2026

As soon as a chain retail operation gets that big, and powerful within this small marketplace called the hunting & fishing industry, it's almost a guaranteed spiral downward in quality and customer service. But when there is a guy with billions of dollars behind it, they aren't going anywhere, so there is some solace in that. There are so many other good options out there with independent retailers or smaller chain stores like Scheels All Sport, a guy doesn't really have to pay any mind to the BP or Cabela's of the world.

MTA · Nov 2, 2026

I have only ever bought used guns from there. They take forever to get you out the door. 3 different people need to check the 4473. This is even with an LTC. I wouldn't dare buy something buying on a drivers license. You'd be there all day

wesheltonj · Nov 2, 2026

LEO discount is nice too.

Sabre · Nov 2, 2026

MTA said:
I have only ever bought used guns from there. They take forever to get you out the door. 3 different people need to check the 4473. This is even with an LTC. I wouldn't dare buy something buying on a drivers license. You'd be there all day

They also make you sign more paperwork than when you buy a car. And they use very shitty trigger locks that ham fisted employees put on and off, sometimes scratching the finish of the gun when handling both the firearms and the locks.

Their gun counter people are some of the goofiest, least capable, people I have met at any gun shop. And some people even trust those same employees to mount their scopes.

Every once in a while there is someone there who actually is capable, but they are few and far between.

Noah Hutchens · Nov 2, 2026

I have a buddy who works at my local Cabelas behind the gun counter and he said they threw him back there on his own after 2 days of training. If you come in to sell something(which I would never do at a chain store) they offer 30-40% of what they think the value is. I love my friend to death but he knows nothing about firearms so that tells me how much Cabelas cares lol.

analog_peninsula · Nov 2, 2026

Some of the old Cabela's guys weren't bad for a chain store, but the current Bass Pro management doesn't really seem to value or be willing to pay for firearms expertise. It is what it is.

Sabre · Nov 2, 2026

Noah Hutchens said:
I have a buddy who works at my local Cabelas behind the gun counter and he said they threw him back there on his own after 2 days of training. If you come in to sell something(which I would never do at a chain store) they offer 30-40% of what they think the value is. I love my friend to death but he knows nothing about firearms so that tells me how much Cabelas cares lol.

analog_peninsula said:
Some of the old Cabela's guys weren't bad for a chain store, but the current Bass Pro management doesn't really seem to value or be willing to pay for firearms expertise. It is what it is.

Cabela's wasn't paying for it either. It has gotten worse since BP, but most the guys working there with Cabela's were also inexperienced Fudds.

When it was still Cabela's, I once went in and looked at a nice wood stocked rifle in the gun library. While looking at it I noticed there was a chip in the checkering. When I handed it back the employee must have noticed it too. Because he took a black bic pen from behind his ear and "colored in" the chip in the checkering. Very proud of himself he smiled at me and said "good as new".

KEC · Nov 2, 2026

Sabre said:
They also make you sign more paperwork than when you buy a car. And they use very shitty trigger locks that ham fisted employees put on and off, sometimes scratching the finish of the gun when handling both the firearms and the locks.

Their gun counter people are some of the goofiest, least capable, people I have met at any gun shop. And some people even trust those same employees to mount their scopes.

Every once in a while there is someone there who actually is capable, but they are few and far between.

You hit the nail on the head; I 100% agree!!!

mdwest · Nov 2, 2026

wesheltonj said:
LEO discount is nice too.

Yep… I get the 5% discount on firearms and 10% on everything else in the store for veterans status… and then stack that with the 10% they give on their Cabelas club VIP mondays… then look for sale items I’m interested in…

Otherwise I shop at Scheels these days or academy.. or online…

10 years ago I shopped at cabelas almost exclusively… not anymore.. they are just Bass Pro with a different logo these days…

Hunt27 · Nov 2, 2026

I used to work part time at Bass pro about 5 years ago. A few of these tricks might of changed, used guns you can order it to your store, if the conditions don't live up to the pics or for whatever reason you reject it it just stays at that store. On transfer you have done from other companies are free if you have the credit card, they have no way checking if you are a credit card member or not.
If you bought the gun from they would handle the shipping to manufacturer. Still might haven't bought from them in a while. That was a separate form you signed, my speech at the end was like if you have any problems with the firearm contact the manufacturer, if they want the firearm in for work, you can bring the firearm to us and we will handle the shipping to and from.

Mountaineer · Nov 2, 2026

I often thought working in the gun library would be enjoyable. Does anyone know a typical salary for those positions?

Sabre · Nov 2, 2026

mdwest said:
Yep… I get the 5% discount on firearms and 10% on everything else in the store for veterans status… and then stack that with the 10% they give on their Cabelas club VIP mondays… then look for sale items I’m interested in…

Otherwise I shop at Scheels these days or academy.. or online…

10 years ago I shopped at cabelas almost exclusively… not anymore.. they are just Bass Pro with a different logo these days…

Scheels has some sort of military discount as well, although it's not as advertised as Cabela's/Bass Pro.

Mtn_Infantry · Nov 2, 2026

Garciamarquez1918 said:
However, there's also a strict no returns policy. I bought a little CZ 22LR this weekend just to plink around with. An hour later I'm at the range and it doesn't work. It cocks, it clicks when you pull the trigger and then...nothing. Probably a broken firing pin.

Might be me, but I don’t know of a single Gun Shop or dealer who offers a return policy on New Firearms. It’s a serialized item, once a 4473 is done on it, it’s a used firearm and the manufacturers warranty takes place. Many used firearms (even online) have a 3 Day Non Firing Inspection Period. I know of a couple dealers who offer a lifetime warranty though, but that’s typically their gunsmith doing the work.

Cabela’s should be pretty good about helping you work through the warranty claim with CZ. At least in my past experience (pre Bass Pro) with a Marlin and a Mossberg they helped both times.

Buying guns from Bass Pro/Cabela's -- the good and the bad in my experience.

Garciamarquez1918

analog_peninsula

JRanum

Garciamarquez1918

Sabre

skydiver386

analog_peninsula

uplander01

MTA

wesheltonj

Sabre

Noah Hutchens

analog_peninsula

Sabre

KEC

mdwest

Hunt27

Mountaineer

Sabre

Mtn_Infantry

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