Cabela's: Good or bad?

[MosinT53Hunter]

Do people expect Cabela's to give them the amount that they can turn around and sell it for? A business cannot buy something for $500 and turn around and sell it for $500.

I do agree they need to make a profit, I understand that. But from my point of view, to offer $100 apiece for my makarov and chilean mauser, that's pretty low ball. Just my opinion.

 

[stchman]

I do agree they need to make a profit, I understand that. But from my point of view, to offer $100 apiece for my makarov and chilean mauser, that's pretty low ball. Just my opinion.

It's been my experience that in the gun community that people seem to take it personally when someone doesn't offer them what they feel their gun is worth. They then get all butt hurt.

Just simply say no and sell them elsewhere. Armslist, Gunbroker.... I would never expect to go to a LGS or Cabela's and expect fair market value.

 

[George P]

There's an old saw that goes "I buy junk and sell antiques". I bet if those whining about low prices were sitting on the other side of the counter (or gun show table), the attitude would be different.

Mosin, then sell yourself for going retail and keep the difference. The market determines the prices, not the seller; always has.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Low balling will always occur if selling to a store. They need to make a profit.

 

[TomJ]

Unless someone is lying to me or otherwise acting unethically, I don't take low offers personally. About a year ago I brought a P227 into a LGS to trade in. They told me upfront that they were flush with used guns and weren't necessaarily looking for more, but they'd take a look. They offered me $200. I understood that's what it was worth to them, left and sold it for $700 on Armslist.

 

[MosinT53Hunter]

I like happy endings. Have had a few hard lessons learned going to gun shows and the like. Learn it, and apply it.

 

[TTv2]

I haven't sold a gun I've bought yet, but I plan to only do it on gunbroker and cut out the middleman. At best you could use the gun you want to sell as part of a deal for another gun you see that you want to buy, then prepare to haggle.

I'm no haggle. I don't want to go into every gun purchase like it's a car purchase at a dealership.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

...selling a firearm...

Selling a firearm? What is this "selling a firearm" of which you speak?

 

[D.B. Cooper]

I do agree they need to make a profit, I understand that. But from my point of view, to offer $100 apiece for my makarov and chilean mauser, that's pretty low ball. Just my opinion.

Here you go: Makraov pistols for $250 a piece. These guns aren't exactly collector items...or even rare. At $100, given the amount of time spent doing the paperwork to buy, then sell the gun, and what if it sits on the shelf for a year? Then pay taxes on the inventory. They likely won't sell it for much more than $200.

http://www.jgsales.com/bulgarian-ma...,-9x18,-black-grips,-good,-used.-p-99046.html

 

[Steve S.]

Cabelas is not good or bad, it is a business. Business is cold-blooded cashflow with a facade of a smile. If business showed it’s boardroom face to it’s customers, it would never move a single dollar. Everything a business does is to serve the bottom line, even the smile is profit oriented. Look at it from the business side, sales without profit are meaningless.

 

[Nimrod2]

A relative passed away and left me stacks and stacks of all kinds of firearms. My gun safe was already full and I had no use for about 90% of the guns he had collected.
Cabelas told me right up front that they would only give me 50% of the book value. I unloaded several guns just to make breathing room.
A few weeks later I saw them in the gun library listed for exactly what they said they would list them.
A lot of gun collectors are getting old and their families are not interested in guns. They would be doing their kids a huge favor by unloading those guns before their kids are forced to deal with them. I am trying to pare down my own collection before my daughter has to deal with items she is unfamiliar with.

 

[22250Rem]

Nearest Cabelas from here is outside of Buffalo NY ; about an hour drive one way and one of my buddies has purchased at least two rifles there in the past couple years. Went there with him yesterday as he was trading in one rifle on another. He likes doing business with them as they have stuff you'd never, or rarely find in any other gun shop. I had a blast browsing around the Gun Library and they also had a great supply of reloading stuff and powder at good prices. The ammunition dept. was also superb and I wound up buying a 250 round case of Herters Select Field 16 ga. shotshells, #6 shot for a great price and had a choice from several other kinds of 16 ga. shells. Haven't seen so much 16 ga. stuff in many years along with lots of other unusual rifle, pistol, and shotgun ammo that's considered hard to find. I'd be in there more often if it was closer to me. Talked to the manager of the gun dept. and a couple other employees and they all seemed quite knowledgeable and are regular, down to earth, gun guys. I was highly impressed.

 

[George P]

A lot of gun collectors are getting old and their families are not interested in guns. They would be doing their kids a huge favor by unloading those guns before their kids are forced to deal with them. I am trying to pare down my own collection before my daughter has to deal with items she is unfamiliar with

And you'll either some extra cash for something you want to do, or extra to leave kids/grandkids.
I hear about guys who watch the obits where I live (thousands of retirees) and they swoop in like vultures looking for guns and giving pennies on the dollar; taking advantage of an old widow who doesn't know the value of all her husband's WWII nazi artifacts he brought home

 

[George Dickel]

I usually sell my guns privately when I do sell any. I look at what they are selling for on gun broker and then price mine a bit lower as to move the gun quickly. I've only traded one gun at my LGS and I got what most posters say a store will give you for one. I get better money selling privately.

 

[huntsman]

Yes, my LGS offer was low, but not nearly as bad as Cabelas was. They usually treat me well, so I went with them after having time to think it over with myself.

Do you believe what you were offering had a universal sppeal or demand?

Niche stuff is something I learned the hard way on.

 

[Tirod]

When unfounded fantasy meets up with reality, why is it always considered "harsh?"

Not that I haven't been schooled in how it works.

For all the technics and tactics of gun ownership, the #1 factor most simply won't recognize is their emotional relationship and it's effects.

One is that we value what we have an emotional connection to because it provides us a sense of happiness which may be far more than it's actual worth on the open market. When you mix sentiment with business then the results are often disappointing.

 

[MosinT53Hunter]

Do you believe what you were offering had a universal sppeal or demand?

Niche stuff is something I learned the hard way on.

I had hoped for more then $100 for my mak from Cabelas, I made a better deal else where, its gone, and I have moved on.

 

[Sniper66]

I have bought and sold guns at my Cabela's in KC. Have consulted with them numerous times about guns i'm selling on my own. I've never had a bad experience. The guys are always helpful. The guns I sold to Cabela's were hard to sell on my own. I tried consignment sales at 2 LGS and had no luck at all.....plus having to go thru a background check to retrieve your gun is an insult. Cabela's is a business, not a charity. and I support them in that endeavor.

 

[NorthBorder]

On thing to look for and ask about is how long the gun has been on the shelf. The store in Kalispell, Mt will discount the used gun 10% after 45 days. My friend just bought a SR40c for $315 at Cabela's. It was marked $349.95 and had passed the 45 day shelf life. So they discounted it and sold it to him. It came with the case and an extra mag. I've done a lot of business with Cabela's buying and selling guns. Some clerks will even throw in the 5% veterans discount.