"This product is currently not available online." Did Cabela's/Bass Pro change their policy?

Kid,

I don't know. Since Pietta now owns EMF (their main US retailer) it could be a crapshoot. I think it might be a good idea to find out what the current and possible future factory situation is, if that is even possible. I really don't think they know what their future outlook is (long and/or short term) because the Italian government is controlling the lockdowns, and it seems to change on a very frequent basis.

In "normal" times that might be a good business plan.

Very tenuous these days, IMO.

Regards,

Jim

TheOutlawKid said:

Thank you all for the positive feedback. Of course availability would be another thing...but as far as working the guns i would be able to churn them out pretty quick. New Piettas would be done very quick as they are of great quality and the newer models dont need much work...its the older guns that take a bit more TLC and more time....but new piettas i could easily churn out 2 or 3 a day if i worked them as a regular 9-5 job. Im going to look into this endeavour deeper and see if its possible...id have to contact pietta and ask how i could become a retailer of their products etc. Wonder if its hard to establish business with them?

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I for one would be proud to have a gun tuned by the kid. If our country doesnt fall worse into **** with its identity politics Then theres a oppertunity for good honest men like "the kid" to go places. If you keep morality, honesty, integrity, perseverance and the Lord as your guiding principles in life you"ll do just fine in your tuned sixshooter endeavor.

TheOutlawKid said:

Wonder if its hard to establish business with them?

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1. Start a website.
2. Get a business license with a sales tax number, start an LLC or whatever is the cheapest legal way start a business in your state.
3. Establish an account with Pietta or one of the other major importers like EMF, Traditions or some other large gun wholesalers that offer dealer discounts.
i.e. - Old South Firearms & Deer Creek Products are Traditions dealers.
Some large wholesalers are like 2nd tier Traditions dealers. They buy in volume and only sell to "dealers", i.e. - businesses with licenses.
EMF has a dealer network too.
4. Sell ammo, caps and related accessories that you can get from the wholesalers.
5. Perhaps you can sell and install conversion cylinders over time and obtain them at discounts.
6. Sell on Gunbroker and advertise your business in your "auctions".
7. Expand your C&B revolver repair business as you become more established as a retailer.
8. Eventually set up an account with a shipper to obtain a discount because it's technically against postal regulations to ship C&B revolvers through the U.S. Mail.
Antique handguns are not exempt from the USPS regulations that define them as a firearm/pistol. That means that the USPS will not insure them against loss or theft even if you buy the insurance.
9. Offer your custom gunsmithing services as an extra, and not for free.
The services can be offered at a discount if they buy a gun from you.
And you can offer different tiers of upgrades, such as package 1 for $25, package 2 for $50 or package 3 for $75.
A Remington may not need the same upgrades as a Colt.

BullRunBear said:

I agree about Bass Pro messing up Cabelas. Not long after that happened, two of my favorite salesmen at the local Cabelas quit. A shame. They were knowledgeable and friendly and it was a pleasure to buy from them. But Bass Pro strict procedures took the fun out of the Cabelas staff.

When it comes to not shipping BP guns, I assumed it was because they didn't have any in their central warehouse. So what was in the stores was all they had. Just a guess.

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Perhaps Cabela's had become too large of a Pietta retailer that they became a monopoly that other companies couldn't compete with.
They became so large that Pietta wasn't paying enough attention to their own quality control.
It seemed like Pietta was throwing too many defective guns into boxes and letting Cabela's sell them.
There was no way that Cabela's could check their quality other than by accepting so many returns from unhappy customers.
They're almost forced to accept mail order returns, especially if they're defective.
Blame it on the credit card companies who will initiate a charge back against Cabela's if they ship a product unfit for the purpose through the mail.

I'm not saying that they no longer accept returns or make exchanges.
But they do sell much less volume, so now there's not as many returns.
And by buying in person, people actually know what they're buying rather than just looking at a photo and deciding to buy it, only to return it later.

Kid,

Don't sell yourself short, you would be adding value to the gun. A small premium, say 10%, would be reasonable. The value of knowing a gun purchased from you was going to work correctly, the first time and every time, would be worth it.

My $.02 worth,
Dave

99.8% chance they stopped online sales due to Galliher v. Cabela’s in Wayne Co. Ohio. It was about to go to trial, but it’s on hold now that there’s going to be a re-trial for the shooting.

Edit:
You can read the filed documents for both sides online on the county website (case # 2018 CVC-H 000309). Easier to search name and “Cabela.”

Cabela’s lawyers were trying to argue that Nebraska law, not Ohio law, should take priority in this case. Judge didn’t think so, and to me Cabela’s argument screams “oh ****.” NAL

In Boise Idaho. May 21st, 2020, I ordered an 1860 Army Old Silver .44 from cabelas, In store pickup only (no longer ship to residents) it took like a month or so but it did ship and I was able to pick it up. I don't know if something has changed since. They do have them in stock in store last time was there about a week ago?

BOISE BADWOLF said:

In Boise Idaho. May 21st, 2020, I ordered an 1860 Army Old Silver .44 from cabelas, In store pickup only (no longer ship to residents) it took like a month or so but it did ship and I was able to pick it up. I don't know if something has changed since. They do have them in stock in store last time was there about a week ago?

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With 82 stores, Cabela's may simply not have enough of every model to stock both the stores and the warehouse for individual shipment.
They probably want some guns in each store so that their percussion display case doesn't look bare.
Especially since they're a shopping destination for customers who travel from miles away just to visit the store.

It seems like the no online ordering policy is a result of the covid crises afecting the supply chain.

I guess I must be getting old. I can remember as a kid when Cabelas was a LGS the size of a mobile home in Kimball Nebraska.
I had forgotten all about them.
I was truly surprised when they opened that huge store in Sidney that began their rise to a national enterprise and sorry to see them absorbed by BP.
Sorry for the thread creep. Back to our regular scheduled thread.

1KPerDay said:

as an aside, how have you liked the Old Silver finish? Have you shot it? I'm curious about it.

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I actually love it, and yes have fired it. It became my favorite BP pistol to shoot very rapidly. Its my most accurate BP pistol and the easiest to clean. I originally got it because I wanted to swap out some parts and have a couple half chrome and black. I ended up liking it so much that I just kept it the way it was. I installed a "Magna Tusk" Ivory grips from Arizona Custom Grips, omg shes even more sexy now. I also installed Slixshot nipples. Only thing I would say (and its not really the guns fault)is the 1st time shooting it the brass site fell off never to be found. But I was able to buy a replacement from a web site for like 5 bucks. Pounded it in and just like new and accurate as all hell. Now my wife want one just like it, even she thinks its sexy.

Any trouble with the old silver finish trying to rust?

cowboydave said:

Any trouble with the old silver finish trying to rust?

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Not at all! In fact it seems to be anti rust. Not proud of this but during a camping trip in Yellowstone this last summer, I shot it for a couple days then it sat uncleaned for about 5 days...it still was easier to clean then the blued guns and no signs of corrosion whatsoever. I have been more than impressed with it. As soon as I'm able I'll likely by another and let my wife think its hers shhhhhh

Sorry to go off-topic, but I rotated and cropped the photo of your Pietta Old Silver to compare with stock photos of a Pietta Old Silver as well as the Pietta Ultra Ivory on the EMF site (owned by Pietta). These stock photos are from previous years, not 2020. What amazes me is the grip profile of your revolver compared to the other two. It really reminds me of the Pietta "tail" gripframe style on their 1851 Navy .36 revolvers prior to 2015.









Back to our regularly scheduled program.

Regards,

Jim

expat_alaska said:

Sorry to go off-topic, but I rotated and cropped the photo of your Pietta Old Silver to compare with stock photos of a Pietta Old Silver as well as the Pietta Ultra Ivory on the EMF site (owned by Pietta). These stock photos are from previous years, not 2020. What amazes me is the grip profile of your revolver compared to the other two. It really reminds me of the Pietta "tail" gripframe style on their 1851 Navy .36 revolvers prior to 2015.

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Back to our regularly scheduled program.

Regards,

Jim

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I wonder if it could be an illusion? This one is a 2019 (even though ordered middle of this year) I'm able to swap that grip with my other Pietta 1860 Army also a 2019. In fact that ivory grip was originally on my 1873 Tradition (by Pietta) .44 magnun. I do see what you do to. Maybe it's the angle of the butt of the grip that makes it look different? I dont know why it doubled up pix

That’s a definite tail... nice looking stocks. I’ve been spending time in the 1860 New Model Army book and the difference between the majority of the originals and the replicas are glaring. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with the efforts of the Italian gun makers but it’s fairly obvious that they didn’t want to get tooo close to the originals form.

Jim

Here's my two Model 1860s, the first one being a Colt Gen.3 from around the mid 1990s and the second one a Pietta from 2014/2015. looking at the two of them I feel the Pietta has a slightly longer and more pronounced flair in the grip than the Colt does.

It must have just been the angle of the photo or the wide angle of the lens, I dunno. It just struck me as different.

Apologies for my poor old eyes.

Regards,

Jim

bannockburn said:

Jim

Here's my two Model 1860s, the first one being a Colt Gen.3 from around the mid 1990s and the second one a Pietta from 2014/2015. looking at the two of them I feel the Pietta has a slightly longer and more pronounced flair in the grip than the Colt does.
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Good lookn pistols.

BOISE BADWOLF

Thanks! Of all the black powder revolvers ever made I think the Model 1860 is the most stylish and best looking!

The old silver is my favorite model. I have a new 1851 model and it was the best built i ever had stock. It seems they pay extra attention to detail on these models...they are also "pickled"...as in given some chemical treatment ro harden the outer layer of the steel. I love mine and is quite possibly my favorite.

I too put slixshot nipples on mine...but did my usual customization..the "texas tune" i provide to customers and then i had the chambers reamed to .003 over groove diameter (stock chambers measured .367-.368, now measure exactly at .375) and it is one dead on accurate gun. Did great without the reaming of the chambers but the chamber reaming made it the best possible.

bannockburn said:

BOISE BADWOLF

Thanks! Of all the black powder revolvers ever made I think the Model 1860 is the most stylish and best looking!

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I agree completely

TheOutlawKid said:

The old silver is my favorite model. I have a new 1851 model and it was the best built i ever had stock. It seems they pay extra attention to detail on these models...they are also "pickled"...as in given some chemical treatment ro harden the outer layer of the steel. I love mine and is quite possibly my favorite.

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I too think they give a little more attention to detail on the Old Silver, even the original wood grip is what nicer then usual. Better grain in the wood and a little darker stain too.

I would definitely look to you for a customized 1858 New Army BP.
Just Let US Know.

TheOutlawKid said:

Ya know a long time ago i once considered becoming a retailer of these guns. Like a small shop retailer..but all the guns i would sell would be "Texas tuned" by me...given the full tuning....and sell them for the same price as retail...cuz im sure retailers are making atleast 80 bux profit per gun...and thats fair enough for me. But for that endeavor i need money to buy a bunch of guns wholesale...whatever their minimum order is as a start. Would you all think thats a good deal? Basically i would be just like any other retailer only guarantee you wont get a lemon and the gun would be tuned with my custom setup as an option for free. It would be the only way to compete with the larger retailers and allow me to move inventory fast or atleast at a steady pace. Everyone wins...i make a sale for a small profit and the customer gets a custom gun.

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