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

Mtn_Infantry said:

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.

Click to expand...

Fair. But I think in the case of a reputable, small dealer if you called up and said bro I've had this rifle in hand for an hour and it literally doesn't shoot they might offer to take it back. It kind of comes down to the good and bad of working with any large organization versus a small mom & pop or "boutique" organization.

Garciamarquez1918 said:

Fair. But I think in the case of a reputable, small dealer if you called up and said bro I've had this rifle in hand for an hour and it literally doesn't shoot they might offer to take it back. It kind of comes down to the good and bad of working with any large organization versus a small mom & pop or "boutique" organization.

Click to expand...

I don’t know any who’d do that because they’re on the hook for a significant loss with it now being “used” because it walked out the door. Kinda like a car, once you drive off the lot there’s not “returns”.

Most gun manufacturer’s warranties are “Repair or Replace”, with the later only happening after an exhaustive repair process that doesn’t fix the issue so the odds of them getting a new one back are slim.

What I’ve seen and heard of happening more is they handle the same way as Cabela’s handled my issues and that they take care of and handle the entire warranty process, all communication, and shipping. But you’re 100% right it’ll come down to each individual mom and pop shop and your relationship with them.

Mtn_Infantry said:

I don’t know any who’d do that because they’re on the hook for a significant loss with it now being “used” because it walked out the door. Kinda like a car, once you drive off the lot there’s not “returns”.

Most gun manufacturer’s warranties are “Repair or Replace”, with the later only happening after an exhaustive repair process that doesn’t fix the issue so the odds of them getting a new one back are slim.

What I’ve seen and heard of happening more is they handle the same way as Cabela’s handled my issues and that they take care of and handle the entire warranty process, all communication, and shipping. But you’re 100% right it’ll come down to each individual mom and pop shop and your relationship with them.

Click to expand...

Sorry for the confusion but I'm talking about used guns. I've worked with several high-end small dealers over the years who would be personally mortified if they sold me a rifle that didn't function and would 1000% take it back.

Again to my point -- high end and small has advantages and disadvantages. Lower end and big has advantages and disadvantages.

Your experience matches what a lot of us have seen. Bass Pro/Cabela’s is excellent for selection, logistics, and corporate-level problem-solving, but the ironclad no-returns policy on firearms is the real trade-off.

Garciamarquez1918 said:

Sorry for the confusion but I'm talking about used guns. I've worked with several high-end small dealers over the years who would be personally mortified if they sold me a rifle that didn't function and would 1000% take it back.

Again to my point -- high end and small has advantages and disadvantages. Lower end and big has advantages and disadvantages.

Click to expand...

Yes used gun I know many dealers who’d tell you to come back, try it out themselves and take it back. They’d then figure it on their own.

I thought you were speaking about a new gun. My apologies for the confusion.

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.

Click to expand...

100% agree on all points

Mtn_Infantry said:

Yes used gun I know many dealers who’d tell you to come back, try it out themselves and take it back. They’d then figure it on their own.

I thought you were speaking about a new gun. My apologies for the confusion.

Click to expand...

Confusion 100% on me. We're both correct -- we were just talking about different situations.

Ok I gotta hand it to Bass Pro/Cabela's. I just received a direct email from a customer service representative, the meat of which is as follows:

Our procedure with any issue dealing with a used firearm would be for you to take it to a local gunsmith to get an estimate on repairs. We refer people to Simmons in Olathe. When you get the estimate, we will make a determination on how to proceed, either repair it or have you return it. If it is repaired, we will reimburse you for the cost of repairs and for mileage.

Mountaineer said:

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

Click to expand...

I never worked in a store that had quality stuff the gun library used to have but selling guns is a fun job, bass pro has there own system for the 4473 it's supper easy for the employee.
I made 12.50 at bass pro,and I made 14 I believe working the gun counter at Runnings, Runnings is very similar to a rural king.
The only thing is most of the customers are hand gun and ar15 buyers. While I have nothing against that my interest and knowledge is in hunting rifles, optics, cartridges, mid to long range shooting. It was rare that I would get a very knowledgeable customer that I could learn stuff from or talk detailed options on things.
I also live in Ohio so farther west you go the rifle buying might close the gap on the handgun sales

Cabela's/Bass Pro has turned into a credit card company that sells guns and outdoor gear. The company puts such a large emphasis on credit applications and accounts that the customer feels like they are hounded in every department while visiting the stores. The Bass Pro merger did not do Cabela's any justice.

That, and they aggressively peddle cheap Chinese made house brand "goods" with an 80% margin.

Sabre said:

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".

Click to expand...

The TX branch two of them had seven Rigby BGR PH models NIB. I bought one in 404 after I negotiated $1,000 off and they shipped it free to my GA store. Great experience

Levergunsite said:

Your experience matches what a lot of us have seen. Bass Pro/Cabela’s is excellent for selection, logistics, and corporate-level problem-solving, but the ironclad no-returns policy on firearms is the real trade-off.

Click to expand...

Not trying to be disagreeable but excellent is not a word I associate with Bass Pro in any way shape or form. I still have and use most of my hunting gear I purchased at the old Cabela’s. I have been in Bass Pro and the newly branded Cabela’s but have not made a single purchase.

Good luck getting someone on the phone.

In spite of my general distaste for the current state of the chain, my call with the Nebraska gun library was handled competently and professionally. Of course, I haven’t taken delivery yet, so my evaluation is provisional.

I have not bought a gun form them in years. And I know they have changed. ( before the buy out)
But the first year I wanted to black powder hunt.
I had the rifle but wanted a cap and ball.
I ordered one from cabelas a copey of the colt 1860 the lock screw was striped and I could not get the wedge out. Called them Tryed everything they said do.
They said send it back and then they would ship a new gun I changed over to the 1858 Remington type.
I told them there was no way if I sent it bake then them ship the new gun would I get it before season. ( the next sat)
They put a manager on. Told him why I want d the c&b ( you could not have a normal handgun with you)
And that our season was only 3 days.
He over night the Remington and had a shipping envelope.
He sent it and told me to to put the colt in the shipping envelope and give it to the ups driver.
Btw all that at no charge and he sent a Bp cleaning kit for the inconvenience of the colt not working.

They were very good to me

Flbt said:

I have not bought a gun form them in years. And I know they have changed. ( before the buy out)
But the first year I wanted to black powder hunt.
I had the rifle but wanted a cap and ball.
I ordered one from cabelas a copey of the colt 1860 the lock screw was striped and I could not get the wedge out. Called them Tryed everything they said do.
They said send it back and then they would ship a new gun I changed over to the 1858 Remington type.
I told them there was no way if I sent it bake then them ship the new gun would I get it before season. ( the next sat)
They put a manager on. Told him why I want d the c&b ( you could not have a normal handgun with you)
And that our season was only 3 days.
He over night the Remington and had a shipping envelope.
He sent it and told me to to put the colt in the shipping envelope and give it to the ups driver.
Btw all that at no charge and he sent a Bp cleaning kit for the inconvenience of the colt not working.

They were very good to me

Click to expand...

I think that's what made the old Cabela's such a winner. They had an exceptional customer service department. They had very long times for returns. And they had lifetime warranty for their in-house brand.

Dick & Mary Cabela have to be rolling over in their graves. Cabelas' started going downhill after Dick died, but after Mary died the kids took the money from Bass Pro and ran like scalded cats.

I quit dealing with Cabelas after an issue I had with a hunt I booked through them at one of the SCI shows. When I informed them of the issues, they lawyered up quick. Long story / Lessons learned.

The two Cabelas stores I used to frequent have now turned into a glorified "Walmart" version of an outdoors store under Bass Pro. Pitiful to say the best about them.

I do still deal with one Bass Pro down in Florida as it's only about 3 blocks from the condo we spend the winter at. Mostly buying hooks and such for surf fishing.

Longfeather1 said:

Dick & Mary Cabela have to be rolling over in their graves. Cabelas' started going downhill after Dick died, but after Mary died the kids took the money from Bass Pro and ran like scalded cats.

Click to expand...

It wasn't the kids that caused the buyout.

It's really easy to dogpile on Bass Pro, but Cabela's is not clean in any way, shape or form. Just as much on them, too.

People tend to forget that Dick's brother Jim was a co-founder and chairman of the board all the way up to and through the acquisition by Bass Pro. Dick and Mary were the face of the company.

Cabela's went public in 2004, WELL BEFORE Dick Cabela passed away. Cabela's kept only 25% of the stock. You don't do that if you want to keep control of your company. Then, when you let a hedge fund buy 5% of the company stock with an option to go up to 10%-11% that's a lot of clout in the financial world. Cabela's wanted to expand its retail foot print with brick & mortar stores - going public was the solution they came up with.

If the Jim and the rest of the Cabela's family wanted to sell, take the money and run - why not? How many other companies out there have done the same thing? Or even the original founders selling out? Who knows - maybe the Cabela's family was hoping there would eventually be a buyout - it just so happened that Bass Pro who had the money to do it.

Say what you want about Johnny Morris - he's done the one thing that will allow you to maintain control and that's keep your business(es) 100% privately owned.

All that said, I've not stepped foot in Bass Pro or Cabela's in 10 years - for some of the same reasons mentioned above. Luckily, I have a Scheel's close by to get my hunting gear.