Went into Cabela's in Billings this evening.

[Paul in Nevada]

There is also a Scheels in Billings. Still corporate but at least it's employee owned. Don't expect better prices on things like primers, though. The wholesale prices go up but the margins stay the same. They pay more, you pay more. That's just how it goes.

 

[sigp220.45]

I like my Cabelas. The used guns are hit and miss, mostly miss. But I’ve done OK so I hope folks continue to stay away.

I recently found a US marked Model 10, priced like a regular Model 10. My unconverted Ruger Flattop is a Cabelas alumni, as is one of my Pocket Hammerlesses and a super clean Regulation Police with the box. I didn’t even dicker on that one.

Not pictured are a .38/40 New Service, a Winchester 1907 .351 WSL, and my nickle Model 19 snub.

 

[Green Frog]

Oddly enough I had some pretty good experiences with Bass Pro back in the day, and about 15 years ago enjoyed a visit to the big Cabela’s in Ambler, (?) PA. My best transactions with Gander Mtn go back to their mail order days. Nobody’s mentioned Midway, but remember when all of their shipping was free?
All of these companies seem to have gotten “too big for their britches” these days, coupled with a sketchy supply chain for virtually everything, so we have plenty to grouse about!
Froggie

 

[Nevada Ed]

Last year I bought a pistol "Safe" for one of my DnL's new pistol, since there are little ones running around in the home.

That was the last item that I bought at Cabela's , even with their discounts
and specials that they have, to try and sell stuff.

At one time, it was a fun store to go to and buy lots of things, plus their food, which is no longer offered.

 

[Narragansett]

Last year I bought a pistol "Safe" for one of my DnL's new pistol, since there are little ones running around in the home.

That was the last item that I bought at Cabela's , even with their discounts
and specials that they have, to try and sell stuff.

At one time, it was a fun store to go to and buy lots of things, plus their food, which is no longer offered.

They do not do meals anymore? Bummer

 

[Skeet 028]

There is also a Scheels in Billings. Still corporate but at least it's employee owned. Don't expect better prices on things like primers, though. The wholesale prices go up but the margins stay the same. They pay more, you pay more. That's just how it goes.

Unhappily though the wholesale on primers is 40-55 bucks. The big boxes are still paying those prices but jacking 'em up to a 100. Not the normal profit "margin" for sure. They still call it gouging I think

 

[glenwolde]

They do not do meals anymore? Bummer

Covid closed the restaurants and they never reopened them. I don't think Basspro liked the restaurants anyway.

 

[glenwolde]

Unhappily though the wholesale on primers is 40-55 bucks. The big boxes are still paying those prices but jacking 'em up to a 100. Not the normal profit "margin" for sure. They still call it gouging I think

Those kinds of margins are not all that uncommon in retail.

 

[waffles]

There are two cabelas nearish to me off the highway, and I stop in from time to time. Every once in a long while I still find a deal on a used gun, but that's very rare now. Sometimes they'll be the only one to stock a certain fishing item, and thats convenient, but theyre a shadow of their former selves. I miss better prices, more interesting stuff, and especially their lifetime warranty store brand items. I have a winter hat and heavy winter gloves that have to be at least a decade old that have survived incredible abuse and keep ticking, and had their wool socks last for ages. Current BPS era store brand gear is absolute trash.

 

[Claymore33]

I am cattle rancher. As a member of 3 Cattle Assocs. I was eligible for OUTFITTERS Discount Card at CABELAS. Gave me a 15% discount on all items including ammo. As soon as BASS PRO bought them they discontinued the OUTFITTER program. So I discontinued Cabelas.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

The local Cabela's has one of the best Ammo inventories in town.
Prices usually competitive especially if you buy House Brand which I sometimes do, 9mm and 380.
Have noticed their clothes now lower quality, especially their non hunting casual clothes.
Boots - Shoes still seem good quality.
Use Club Membership and Military Discount, that helps a little.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

If your in/near Richmond Va try Green Hat. They are a local sporting goods outfit that moved into Cabelas old store. Last month I passed through and they were very well stocked with firearms, ammo and reloading components. I wouldn’t know about now but I’m planning to swing by there next year on my yearly Baltimore trip. I did find a Winchester Model 1912 20 ga at cabelas at the west Richmond store this year. Neat old sg.

 

[scattershot]

I actually used to go to the downtown store in Sydney, back in the day. Seems like when they started expanding nationwide is when their quality went down. Then when Bass Pro bought them they really went downhill fast. Too bad. Used to be a great store.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The same downhill trend happened to the Cabela's in KC, also. Bass Pro never was very good with guns and ammo. They are mostly fishing stuff. When they took over Cabela's, it quickly became obvious our worst fears were confirmed.

They immediately shut down the Gun Libraries. The KC stores had one of the highest sales volumes in the country. That stream of revenue came to a screeching halt. They replaced all of the knowledgeable gun staff with clueless idiots and killed even more sales. The Cabela's owners bailed at the right time. Smart move for them. Bass Pro and Cabela's seems to be going the way of the former Sears Roebuck and Co.

 

[SMSgt]

Bring back Herter's!

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Herter’s?
That’s Cabela’s House Brand.
It’s usually the lowest price Ammo there and the one they put on Sale.
A while back there was a recall of Winchester 9mm.
That included a bunch of the Herter’s which is apparently made by Win.

 

[SmithNut]

All of these big box stores fail at some point. They reach a certain size, get bought by another giant retailer to limit the competition, and eventually fail.

A friend of mine worked for Cabela's. He told me a few months before that they were being purchased by BP. To him it looked like things were going south being an employee. He left and went to work for Sportsman's Warehouse. He has a lot of retail knowledge and heads up their firearms sales staff locally.

I guess I haven't been into our local Cabela's in about 5 years.

Guess who owns Sportsman's Warehouse now.....?

Answer - Cabelas.....

 

[VAPA]

Guess who owns Sportsman's Warehouse now.....?

Answer - Cabelas.....

The potential merger collapsed in December 2021.

 

[lrrifleman]

Guess it's time to jump in. I have two Cabela's that are in semi-reasonable driving distance: Delaware (an hour one-way) and Hamburg, PA (4 hours one-way). After BPS took over, the reloading departments shrunk severely. Then in 2020, Cabela's (BPS) reneged on their sponsorship of my club's Mid Atlantic Regional Long Range Championship, without the courtesy of notifying us. That was the nail in the coffin. I am considering buying a Ruger Mk IV 22/45 TARGET for NRA Precision Pistol matches, and remembered that Cabela's had a layaway program. Silly me, I reached out to the Atlantic City BPS asking about their firearms layaway program, and found out that it no longer exists.

Honestly, Cabela's/BPS really doesn't want my money, so I won't waste my gas heading there.

 

[Paul in Nevada]

At one time, it was a fun store to go to and buy lots of things, plus their food, which is no longer offered.

I heard they took out the cafe and put in a bike shop (?). What's the world coming to.

Unhappily though the wholesale on primers is 40-55 bucks. The big boxes are still paying those prices but jacking 'em up to a 100. Not the normal profit "margin" for sure. They still call it gouging I think

I think the wholesale cost is quite a bit higher than that. I don't have those numbers at my fingertips but I could find out if you are interested.