My problems with Cabelas

Cabelas is a mere shadow of its former self, since the Bass Pro merger.

Blackbeard 44 said:

WA has all background checks go throught the state patrol, it changed when a host of other laws became law a few years ago, I believe it was I-1639, ever since than I get delayed every single time and the LGS that I buy from doesnt get a response in 3 days and I pick the gun up, never was like that before but now its the new norm for me.

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Sorry, but no. When the WSP gets its system up and running, all background checks will go through the new (not even set up yet) agency. Currently, for semiauto rifles and handguns, BCs go through your home LE agency (city PD or sheriff's office if outside city limit). Long guns (bolt/lever, etc.) still go through NICS, for now. 1639 did require that within 12 months of the effective date, the state DOL and WSP were supposed to create a bureau for BCs and also annually check all owners' eligibility to continue to own semi-auto rifles and handguns.
https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.41.090
Washington state law says the dealers have to retain the firearm for 10 business days or until we hear back from the FBI saying that person is good to go to. Some dealers interpret the law as the 10 day count starts on the day the local PD initiates the BGC. There's a lot of differing interpretations of the law(s) and when people can pick up their new firearms.

All that said, don't know why Cabela's couldn't refund the money ... maybe a WA FFL could chime in and tell us if there's actually a mechanism for cancelling a NICS request.

Finally, these types of complaints should go in the sub-forum rating business transactions. Every single Wal-Mart, Bass Pro Shop, Cabela's thread simply turns into people posting for no other reason except to air their own complaints about their (alleged) experiences.

Weird experience. Sorry you have had so much grief. Like every business, none are perfect. I have my complaints too, but overall Cabela's has been OK with me. I recently tracked down a Savage "Lady Hunter" .243 for my petite sis-n-law. It was sent from a Gun Library in another state to my state to my local FFL. There were numerous obstacles all made worse or created by the virus hysteria, but Cabela's staff worked with me to pull it off. I'll certainly continue to use the Gun Library. But will be reluctant to buy ammo and reloading components that can be had elsewhere for much cheaper prices.

giggitygiggity said:

I wish Cabela’s and other large businesses would just treat customers decently and make things right without customers having to jump through hoops every time there is an issue.

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I have a phrase for that: "Too big to care"

Seems to happen with almost all big companies.

There are other places to shop.

Can somebody highlight what Cabela’s did wrong?

I have a distinctive name and never get delayed.

HB said:

Can somebody highlight what Cabela’s did wrong?

I have a distinctive name and never get delayed.

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Yes, they sat on a customer's money for three weeks. They ran (according to them) the NICS check. OK, it was apparently delayed as happened previously to the same customer. The way it works is if the seller does not hear anything for 3 days they may proceed with the sale. Now that is at seller discretion. The Cabela's policy is to not proceed with the sale. Sale or no sale after three full business days following the NICS either the customer has his gun or his money back. Meanwhile the customer does not have his money to shop elsewhere. The customer had no gun and no money back which took over 3 weeks to resolve. I would be hard pressed to even buy off on a week but 3 weeks to my thinking is totally unacceptable.

Ron

The Cabelas I have bought many guns from does not require payment until I've been approved. Unless the policy has changed, it has been a few months since my last purchase there.

valvestem said:

The Cabelas I have bought many guns from does not require payment until I've been approved. Unless the policy has changed, it has been a few months since my last purchase there.

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Thinking back a little same here, now that I think about it. Bought a few from the Gun Library. We agreed on price and I would walk down to an area and do the 4473 on computer. Normally within a few min I was approved, then I would pay for the gun. They would hand me the gun and walk me out of the store. Been years but yeah, never exchanged money (credit card) till the NICS was complete with a proceed. No clue how they do it today.

Ron

Yeah the whole situation sounds fishy...I've bought a number of guns from Cabelas over the years and never had to pay until the background check cleared.

But many are right...Cabelas 15 years ago was a fabulous place of great buys and occasional really nice coupons, like $150 off a $500 gun which was already at a competitive price. Then the coupons droped to $75/$500 and a few years after that they were bought by Bass Pro and went to heck....prices up, gun counter that used to be packed with customers now vacant most of the time. I stop there about once a year now, used to stop every month.

I went to the nearest Cabela's a couple of months ago after I hadn't been in one for years.

I found their powder and reloading components section laughable, the prices ridiculous, and 95% of the store being attractive to yuppies and Karens. I won't be back.

Of all of my firearms purchases at many businesses over the years, the last transaction is always the payment - all other necessary and obligatory paperwork/ clearances are completed prior to the payment - the last stop is the cash register. I have never been asked to pay for a firearm until I was deemed legal for the retail purchase - strange stuff!

Uh oh. I think we just had our first usage of the word "Karen" or "Karens" here.

I was rather hoping we had an unspoken agreement not to use any of these trendy, pejorative "woke" references (coincidentally, most commonly used by folks in the anti-gun spectrum) in this forum. (Lest we go the way of MSNBC, CNN, WaPost et al)

Old Dog said:

Uh oh. I think we just had our first usage of the word "Karen" or "Karens" here.

I was rather hoping we had an unspoken agreement not to use any of these trendy, pejorative "woke" references (coincidentally, most commonly used by folks in the anti-gun spectrum) in this forum. (Lest we go the way of MSNBC, CNN, WaPost et al)

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You just used the term, "woke"... Shame on you!

Reloadron said:

Yes, they sat on a customer's money for three weeks. They ran (according to them) the NICS check. OK, it was apparently delayed as happened previously to the same customer. The way it works is if the seller does not hear anything for 3 days they may proceed with the sale. Now that is at seller discretion. The Cabela's policy is to not proceed with the sale. Sale or no sale after three full business days following the NICS either the customer has his gun or his money back. Meanwhile the customer does not have his money to shop elsewhere. The customer had no gun and no money back which took over 3 weeks to resolve. I would be hard pressed to even buy off on a week but 3 weeks to my thinking is totally unacceptable.

Ron

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This makes sense but I would agree with some of the other posters. Typically they have you fill out the NCIC check at one counter then proceed to a cashier/manager. They confirm serial one last time and take payment/walks you out of store.

It is possible they do it differently in different stores.

Has Cabela's call the background check line to see if there is a problem there. By problem I mean them and not you or I should say is the problem on their end.

I buy a lot of guns from Scheels. The people in the gun department most people there call my by my first name.

John#2 said:

Not quite correct. It was not delayed. They specifically told me it was not delayed. Delayed is a response. It's a status communicated. There was no response. It was not in delay status. Nor denied. Nor accepted. No response back whatsoever for three weeks.

I was given the chance to pay or not pay. I specifically elected to pay so as to make absolutely certain I had the gun tied up since I knew the entire country had virtually no other model available for sale.

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Thanks for the clarification, my bad. Your first was a delay and the second no response. OK you had the option to pay and now I see your logic.

Thanks
Ron

Trey Veston said:

You just used the term, "woke"... Shame on you!

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Yeah, but it was in quotation marks.

Glad the OP got his money back finally. As an aside, in Washington state, I've never paid a retail outlet for a gun until the background check comes back. Clearly, paying for gun beforehand doesn't ensure absolute certainty that the buyer has the "gun tied up."

Just got a package from Bass Pro Shops since they were one of the few that had Berry's 9mm bullets in stock at a decent price. The package arrived beat to heck with no filler to protect the contents which was a box of Hornady FTX bullets and the plastic box of Berry's bullets. The Berry's box was broke open and there were holes in the box, so pretty sure I only got about 3/4 of my bullets.

Idiots can't even mail bullets properly...

GAF said:

Has Cabela's call the background check line to see if there is a problem there. By problem I mean them and not you or I should say is the problem on their end.

I buy a lot of guns from Scheels. The people in the gun department most people there call my by my first name.

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Yeah, no response is odd. I'm no expert, but I've never heard of a NICS check not coming back. Makes me wonder if their system doesn't have a glitch somewhere.