Cabelas / Bass Pro Gun Counter Rant / PSA

[Luked]

I bought one a few years ago from Cabelas.
I hadn't changed my address on my drivers license and completely forgot about it not being right before i bought the gun.
I just walked over to the customer service counter, bought a fishing license had them put what address I wanted on it and walked back over to the gun counter and walked out with the gun I wanted.

 

[wyosteve]

Had a similar experience trying to buy a Glock at our local Sportsman's Warehouse. My zip code didn't match what their computer said for my physical address. Saved me $450 at least. SW is on my 'ignore' list along with Bass Pro.

 

[TxLite]

The only reason we go is to show the kids the fish and the cool mounts. Free entertainment

 

[The Harbor Master]

The only reason I ever bought a firearm from those stores is because Tikka forced me to. Only way I could get a superlite.

 

[nodakian]

Another shining example of what happens when the business school types get their claws in things and go for growth over service, quality, etc. I used to shop Cabelas in Kalispell, Billings, and Boise, but no more since BP acquired it.

Kifaru may be starting to suffer the same fate, but I hope not. It happened to the last company I worked for, too.

 

[3forks]

I haven’t set foot in Cabelas or Bass Pro in years.

I was actually surprised to hear that BP is building a new store within a few minutes of a thriving Scheels location here in Colorado.

I cannot imagine who who choose to shop at a Cabelas or BP over a Scheels.

 

[jprice]

There are still a lot of small family owned gun shops that have better service and more firearm knowledge than Bass Pro/Cabelas.

It's hard for me to buy from anywhere else other than my 3 or 4 usual shops. More often than not the local shop is cheaper too!

 

[Fatcamp]

Swore them off for firearms awhile ago, but when down south we went to BP to shop for fishing stuff for my nephews and my sister decided to buy a pistol. The transaction went well but before we left the store I had to re-educate her on several points the gun counter "experts" shared with her. Among them, "Pull it out to show them you mean business", and "Shoot them in the leg cuz ya don't want to kill anyone". Unreal.

I stop at our local Cabelas that's on our way west now and then. A couple summers ago I stopped for a couple stringers. Stringers. "We can order them for you".

 

[tony]

You are eyeing the wrong problem.

Think about “why” they are doing that.

I’ll leave it @ that…


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I'm dumb I guess, why are they doing it?

Bought a rifle at sportsman's WH. Was about as easy as it goes. Plus, WV is about as pro-gun as it comes.
Valid CHL, covers the background check, and no state sales tax on guns and ammo

 

[flathead#2]

I live about 20 min. from one.
Constant issues with the number of cashiers.
Normal to have 2 of the 8 registers open, and 20 people waiting
in each of those 2 lines.
Absolutely infuriating.
And they (CS) get an attitude if you say something.
A last resort kind of place for me.

 

[waspocrew]

I don’t care for Cabelas or Bass Pro. Purchased a pistol online and then shipped to store. Transfer process was 90 min or more (I was the only one at the counter). Scheels is way faster with firearms purchases.

 

[CorbLand]

I'm dumb I guess, why are they doing it?

Bought a rifle at sportsman's WH. Was about as easy as it goes. Plus, WV is about as pro-gun as it comes.
Valid CHL, covers the background check, and no state sales tax on guns and ammo

I can say that when I worked at a large store, many of the situations like this came down to “we aren’t willing to risk a fine or losing our license from the ATF to sell one gun to a customer.”

But I can’t say that we ever had issues with abbreviations on a DL.

 

[grfox92]

Short version. Beware of buying guns from big box clowns.

So I live about 120 miles from a Bass Pro. I shop there now and then. Usually pop in when I find myself passing by on the way to something else. Last time was in May 2024. While I was there, they had a sale price on a handgun I had been eyeing, I had some points built up on my membership credit card, bought the gun and walked out with no problems.

Flash forward to December, and I am looking for a magnum research 22lr switchbolt for a new steel challenge boomer. A bit hard to come by and sportsman’s warehouse and bass pro are the closest options without doing an internet sale and paying at least 15% in shipping and transfer fees. Their prices are the same but I have some more points to spend so I buy it on bass pro and opt for ship to store delivery.

I go to pick it up and they tell me they can’t sell me a gun because my state issued drivers license lists my address with the abbreviation. “SR” and doesn’t spell out “State Route” like their computer wants it to. I show them 3 other forms of ID with “SR”. They look up and admit their own retail order system uses “SR”. They say, “sorry, come back with something that says “State Route””. I say “WTF, the deed to my house abbreviates the address SR. There is nothing I have that spells it out. You sold me a gun 7 months ago in this store.” After 45 minutes of listening to them tell me I should have Pennsylvania reissue my license and come back, I left. I spent another 45 mins on the phone with their customer service only to finally get to the store manager who is like “come back. We can try again later in the week”. To which I responded, “this is a 5 hour round trip. My license matches the address on my order form. I have never had any trouble buying dozens of guns elsewhere and I am not driving down here again to give it another try”. He even admitted that they have this issue more than once a week.

Flipping crazy that their response is have the state just change your license. Never gonna buy a gun from these ass clowns again. I hope their beef jerky and root beer candy sales are going well, because they suck at everything else.

Was this Bridgeport or Harrisburg?

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[Desk Jockey]

Was this Bridgeport or Harrisburg?

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Harrisburg.

 

[grfox92]

Harrisburg.

Sent you a PM.

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[shader112]

I was at a cabelas this past weekend having the misses trying on a few rifles to see what she likes. Gun counter guy tells me they have tikka lite and superlite and a t3. I ask aren't they all T3X, he says no only the one is a T3. The others are model lite and superlite. Get them in hand, the tag says T3X on all of them, as assumed. Point this out, he says they are definitely not T3X as he is very knowledgeable on rifles...Holy F

 

[Szwampdonkey]

I remember the days many years ago now where the Cabela’s 45 minutes from me was a destination. Used to love going there with my old man and my son, have lunch there, buy something cool for hunting, fishing, camping, etc. Show my boy the mounts and the big fish tank.

Then Bass Pro bought Cabela’s out. It’s gone downhill ever since to the point i no longer go there. Last time i went a couple years ago it reminded me more of an LL Bean store than a hunting store. Just a lot of Under Armor, Patagonia, and North Face clothes. Hunting stuff was in the back with a MUCH smaller footprint. And the store was dead for a Saturday afternoon. More employees than people shopping. I figure only a matter of time before they close the doors tbh.