Cabelas/Bass Pro head scratch moment

357smallbore

357smallbore

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Feb 14, 2015
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Location
Leavenworth KS
I go to the old Cabelas which is now BPS about 3 times a year. Why I really don't know. I have plenty of guns and gun accessories, plenty of ammo and reloading supplies. I dont fish, and I dont buy their clothes. So as I walk around looking the used guns they have for sale. I asked myself, who in the world pays these ridiculous prices. I don't care for the new stuff being put out, so I look at the used guns.
A select few caught my eye. They had several beat S&W 59's with one mag for $769. A pretty rough S&W 66 and 19 for $1200. Used GP100 newer model for $850.
Looking a the rifles they had a decent Winchester 94 in 357 for $1600. Who in the world pays this amount for them. The clerk said best they do is go 8% off if the gun has sat for a certain time period. WOW!!! A whole 8%.
Loaded ammo. Cant imagine having to buy ammo today. Their selling Winchester 44 mag defensive ammo for $39 a box (that a box of 20) If ya bought a handgun, couple hundred rounds of ammo and a few accessories, you spend close to a $1000+.
I'm blessed to have what I have. Friday was it. No need to go back.
 
I think some of that has to do with the local honcho at the store, and what they think a reasonable value is on used firearms. They certainly didn't pay that much for them...

The Cabelas near me seems to have decent prices on some used firearms, not so much on others. I also wonder if... they give a seller a higher price, and then mark it up accordingly, and hope the seller... with a hot pocket full of cash... will run out and spend it in the store. Stranger things have happened. But, in the end, it's true the used market is completely catty-wonkers at the moment, for whatever reason.
 
I have found some screaming deals on used guns at Cabela's, like excellent condition pre-war .38/44's well under $1K, a 95% 581 and SEAL .22 Ruger MK II contract overrun for right at $400 each, and just last month an essentially NIB 70's Taurus 84 tagged at $107. I also got my FR-8 and H&R .45 Colt "Cowboy" carbine at stupidly low prices there.
 
In the 20 years it's been here. I got 3 smoking deals buying used guns
2019 Savage/Steven's 110 in 243 and came scoped. The rifle and scope were pristine, didn't even looked used. Paid $250 It dates to 1987 manf
2017 Winchester 94 in 30-30. Just like the Savage, as new as new could be.
Paid $300.00 It dates to 1986 manf
2017 S&W 686 no dash 4in bbl new. Paid $650 It dates to 1984 manf
 
East Peoria Bass Pro just plain sucks. Used Henry single shot 357, $599! At the time, lgs price was $459. Their explanation was long winded and pure b.s.
Reloading components, 50-75% over suggested retail. The are off my preferred supplier listm
 
I have come across good deals over the years at Bass Pro/Cabelas but for the most part I have the same head scratching moments as you 357smallbore. The latest would be a lightly used 6” GP100 in the gun library for the same price as a new in box 6” GP100 at their main gun counter.
 
Used gun prices have been sky high for decades.

I remember looking at some used rifles and shotguns on local gun stores in the early 90s and thinking "if I'm going to pay that much, I might as well buy the same thing brand new".

In general, retail prices for used guns are always gonna be high.
 
I refuse to shop at either store because of some of their corporate policies.
My Brother in law who is not a gun guy, mistakenly answered a question wrong on the 4473. Not only did he get banned for life from purchasing from both stores, but they wouldn't sell me another gun that I was filling out paperwork for because we were together.
I buy ALOT of guns, and NEVER will go there again.
After we left there, we went to a LGS, and he bought the same gun 10% cheaper.
 
Once nice thing about BPS and Cabelas is that I travel alot and have rewards for Amtrak, Hotel, and car rentals. I will cash in point for gift cards and Cabelas is top on the list.

SO i bought a Ruger Mark4 threadbarrel in 22 and only paid 30.00 for it after the gift cards. I also recently picked up a RCBS Powder thrower and in cash only cost me 22.00. And my last personal carry Walther compact PDP 4inch cost me 100.00 cash out of pocket. So I am all for those places and I shop their prices both new and used.
 
I was going to stop in at the Cabela's today in Hamburg Pa. The traffic going in was crazy. I didn't feel like dealing with people. I buy brass from them often. I usually buy it from the web site.
 
The prices at LGS's around here range from tolerable to totally insane. When Gander Mountain was open, they had some wildly crazy high prices for both used and new guns. The last time I went with a friend we just laughed when we saw used guns that were available new, about 20 feet away, for almost the exact same price. They had a couple of trade in ex-PD guns that were at least somewhat close to reality, but we said after we left, that they wouldn't be around much longer. We were correct. The non chain stores are vanishing, owner's aging/dying, getting into FFL troubles, etc, and just not able to compete anymore. One place was always the cheapest out the door when I compared them to the other places in the area, but they got into some sort of (supposedly, I have no way to verify it) straw sales trouble. I bought a couple of guns through them, and transferred a couple. Sad to see them go. But in general, I just use a place to transfer guns ($25 and if I do two, he usually only charges me for one), and buy online. Trying to find anything non-polymer in really good shape for a decent price locally is difficult, as any bargains are snatched up instantly, and most guns are not even close to a bargain. In general though, prices are closer to reality than they were 10 years ago.
 
Welcome to the new normal. Those prices don't seem too far out of line, right at the upper limits of a fair price. I've found a few deals at the Cabelas closest to me. About 40 miles away and I'm driving right by there at least once/month so I tend to take a look when I'm close.

They don't just randomly set those prices. At least not at the store I've dealt with. I talked to them about selling them a rifle about 10-12 years ago. I had already done my research and knew $700 was a fair price on an uncommon version of a Winchester 70. The guy I talked to spent the better part of an hour online researching that particular rifle. It took a while because it's not common.

He told me that according to his research they could sell it for $700, exactly what I already knew. But their policy was to offer 65% and make 35% profit. 65% of $700 is $455. I declined the offer and later sold the gun for $650 but I felt the whole situation was very professionally done and everything was open and honest. Had he tried to tell me the gun was worth $500 and they were offering me $455 I'd have known they were trying to cheat me. Offering 65% was just their policy, I could sell it or not. I chose not to, but neither of us went home mad.

That rifle would sell for $1500 or more today. $1600 for a Winchester 94 in 357 mag is probably a deal. $2/round is the going price for quality defensive ammo. Some of the modern high tech turkey loads are selling for as much as $20/round. That's $100 for a box of 5 shells. And people are buying them in droves.
 
I use bass pro as a showroom to look at stuff and maybe put my hands on it. If I like what I see, I generally shop for it online or somewhere else. I only go to them when I am in the area where they are located- the one in Destin and the one in Spanish Fort are about the same distance from me time-wise. As far as in person shopping for hunting and related stuff, I mostly use super wally world (15 minutes from home) or Academy )30 minutes from home).
 
None of the Bass Pros in Florida sell used guns. That's a Cabela's thing. There aren't and never have been any Cabela's in Florida to begin with either. My understanding is the takeover of Cabela's by Bass Pro is that the former Cabela's stores still on paper operate as they did prior to the takeover. They'll sell used guns. But Bass Pros themselves, that was never a thing and will never be a thing.
 
Miami_JBT said:
None of the Bass Pros in Florida sell used guns. That's a Cabela's thing. There aren't and never have been any Cabela's in Florida to begin with either. My understanding is the takeover of Cabela's by Bass Pro is that the former Cabela's stores still on paper operate as they did prior to the takeover. They'll sell used guns. But Bass Pros themselves, that was never a thing and will never be a thing.
Click to expand...
BassPro in CB Iowa has an enormous selection of used firearms…..

….so it’s not just a Cabela’s thing….
 
We had a GM here for a while. I bought a gun there. Even at their sale price, it was higher than I could have gotten one for in the regional high volume gun dealer, but he is 70 miles away. I figured I was a little ahead to pay GM and save the time and gas it would have taken to get a lower selling price.
 
Miami_JBT said:
Strange, every Bass Pro I've been to never sold used guns.
Click to expand...

When the BP opened in Denver (long before the merger), it had a "Fine Gun Room". I remember fondling a honestly used Westley Richards bolt gun in .318 Rimless Nitro Express. Unfortunately, my "very much want" attitude didn't match my "two young kids at home" budget at the time.
 
Be it Cabela's, Bass Pro or similar there have been guns I bought as a great deal and guns I saw and thought they were joking. Then too, they never twisted my arm top buy a gun from them. As to gun prices? The other day I herd a fellow talking about good hunting rifles for use in Ohio. I haven't hunted deer in Ohio in decades but with changes you can now use a rifle in Ohio. I have been parting out some of my old hunting rifles, mostly guns the kids/grandkids have no interest in. I have a Marlin Model 444P I think I bought in '99 for about $350, and I am seeing them in the $1500 range, unbelievable. Heck, a box of 20 rounds of Remington 240 grain 444 Marlin run $60 these days. Anyway, point being any gun on any given day is worth what a buyer is willing to pay, no more and no less.

Ron
 
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