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

cash_tx · Thursday at 6:49 PM

Flipper Dude said:
Bought an FN Mauser 270 from an out of state Cabela’s store a few weeks back. Found by our friend @cash_tx and evaluated by @rookhawk.

They (website) requested the store to ship to, and provided me with a receipt showing the credit card they billed to, along with an amount.

When I hadn’t heard anything in two weeks, I called the local store. No rifle there.

“Is it possible that it was shipped to the wrong store?” THEY ASKED ME. WTF?

I had given them the order number, so he finally looked it up and told me that order had been canceled, and the rifle had sold to someone else. Sorry sir. Made no difference that I had an email showing it charged to my credit card ( It wasn’t)

Case of the red ass, had I.

Holy cow, that is ridiculous and I am so sorry. I've not had an experience like that myself, but I can certainly see their potential to do that. I suspect that is the work of the gun library manager, but of course no way to prove it.

That really sucks, because that was a great rifle.

coyote wacker · Friday at 11:21 AM

I have bought a few guns over many years at Cabelas. One was a Sabatti double rifle it turned into a ordeal. At that time Cabelas was 80 miles away. Problem with the rifle the chamber was way over size, it shot ok but the brass was one shot and it was no good it expanded so much. Call and talked to the Gun Manager he asked me what I want to do. Told him a refund, he said no problem, got a refund check my cost was 2 trips to Cabelas. Don't know if they would do the same thing today ?

Today Cabelas is 8 miles away I stop in there to get my hunting-fishing license, take a look in the Gun Library but that about all they really never have anything that interests me.

analog_peninsula · Friday at 11:27 AM

In all fairness, they occasionally get in something interesting. The recent purchase, for example, a full custom .550 Express on a 1917 action:

550 Express

KEC · Friday at 11:58 AM

I have been a firearms collector since I started earning money as a kid 50 years ago and have worked in the firearms business part time while working my career and also after retirement. Now every morning I have my coffee and look through the pages of "New Today" ads on Guns international. The proof that the current employees don't have a clue regarding what they are selling is in these ads. "None" for caliber, make and model is used quite often, prices are way out of line both high and low and cut and paste descriptions, yet we are supposed so believe that these are the "experts". When my collection is liquidated my wife has strict orders for it not to go to Cabela's.

analog_peninsula · Friday at 12:01 PM

Liquidating your collection at Cabela’s is perfectly fine if you don’t mind selling for 30 cents on the dollar. I’m reasonably confident that whoever sold the 550 got maybe 25% of the build price.

C.W. Richter · Friday at 12:14 PM

'Used to do a lot of traveling for work and hunting, so I'd always make it a point to visit the local Cabela's gun library in all corners of the US and in-between (some stores didn't have one). 'Purchased a handful of super quality semi- and fully customs, all of which were just perfect, with the exception of one super-custom M70 757 (wood to Die for!!)...Didn't dry fire at the store, took it home and discovered the safety wouldn't work. (Prior owner attempted to lighten the factory trigger pull by filing the trigger or sear-NOT both as-is required to maintain proper functionality.) Bought a Timney replacement trigger, dropped it in and problem solved (and 2.5 lb it is!) Gun looks and now shoots phenomenally!!! *As I bought nearly all on GI, the inspection period did apply (and I could've returned it, but found the fix was quite cheap-and I got a gun for 1/3 the price. They likely knew this and factored it in! (I was, however, shocked that they'd sell a gun in this condition-some skin in the game for an inoperable safety I'm sure! And yes, i believe Cabela's has been watered down over the years as a result of the corporate takeover(s). Where's the bargain caves, etc.? (That gun should've been in the bargain cave.) LOL

wyosteve · Friday at 12:28 PM

Coincidental this thread was brought up again. I've been more or less looking to buy a Rem. SP-10 which is only chambered in 10 ga. This morning I saw the Cabelas in Thornton, CO. has one. BUT, they have it described as a SP-10, 12 gauge! They repeated that twice in the ad! Sad state of affairs!

Flbt · Friday at 1:06 PM

analog_peninsula said:
Liquidating your collection at Cabela’s is perfectly fine if you don’t mind selling for 30 cents on the dollar. I’m reasonably confident that whoever sold the 550 got maybe 25% of the build price.

I am not arguing for the company.
But where do you get any where near the build price on a custom or just having custom work done?
I have seen a few custom and custom work done . They were cheep. About 10-12 years ago local guy had a custom worked cz the 458 wm was changed to 458 lot short barrel and gost ring sights with a scout rail
The asking price was 300$. That’s the gun that had me thinking of a 458 for deer.

I know my carry gun had a bit of work cuting the barrel down. Cut through the manufacture name.
My gun smith told me if you have that done you will be hard pressed to get anything out of it if you sell it.
I told him it was ok that it would be who ever inherited it problem. ( before factory snubby 44 was really a thing) I just wanted a pocket 44

analog_peninsula · Friday at 1:09 PM

No doubt that 90% of customers are poor investments. The only real justification is "that's what I want, and I can afford it." That said, I sincerely hope that when I die, my guns aren't sold for what I told my wife they cost.

KEC · Friday at 1:17 PM

analog_peninsula said:
No doubt that 90% of customers are poor investments. The only real justification is "that's what I want, and I can afford it." That said, I sincerely hope that when I die, my guns aren't sold for what I told my wife they cost.

Yikes! That's a scarry thought...
Mine have been instructed to go to Rock Island Auction Co., the buyers will set market value and not a know nothing buffoon.

coyote wacker · 2026-11-14T09:46:34-0600

Found a double rifle at a Cabelas store payed for it and had it shipped to a Local store 80 miles away. they called when it came in and I could pick it up. Went there and was shocked of the condition it was in. It was nothing even close to the pictures, it looked like acid had been poured on it and rust. Add pictures looked like at least 95% great finish condition. They gave me a 100% refund, just couldn't understand why they didn't tell me when they called on the condition. They told me they thought I knew of the condition. I wondered what was done with the rifle, I looked for years to see if it turned up for sale by someone.

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

cash_tx

coyote wacker

analog_peninsula

KEC

analog_peninsula

C.W. Richter

wyosteve

Flbt

analog_peninsula

KEC

coyote wacker

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