Stopped by my local Cabela's today ...

[lrrifleman]

My local Cabela's is in Christiana Delaware. The last time I was there was maybe in May, and aside from the firearms displays, they had maybe 1200 square feet for shooting accessories and about 3000 square feet dedicated to ammunition and reloading supplies.

Things have changed. Today when I went in, everything was changed. Everything related to shooting was consolidated into the 1200 square foot area. Floor inventory was decimated. All of the primers were placed on an endcap, and all of the primers could fit on a 3 foot shelf. Powder was on a 12 foot aisle island and held maybe 60 bottles of powder. No black powder or black powder substitute could be found. The handgun dies were relegated to a single 3' rack, and held maybe 20 sets between 9mm, 38, 380, 41, 44, and 45. A similar rack held perhaps 60 sets of rifle dies.

Honestly, the ammo, reloading, and accessory area was a disgrace. When asked if the store was preparing for closure, employees stated the floor plan was being changed to reflect Bass Pro's marketing emphasis on fishing.

Hopefully, this will not become the norm for Cabela's!

I forgot to mention, the Gun Library also seemed to have fewer guns than I have ever seen there. There were also some very glaring errors. A 6" K frame 22 MRF was marked as a Model 18 (K22 Combat Masterpiece), and a 5.5" barreled Registered Magnum with gold inlayed engraving, box and paperwork was listed for just shy of $1400. If I had that money, it would have been working it's way home!

 

[gman51]

I was wondering what changes would happen after Bass Pro took over. I thought the buyout would have been the other way around. I always thought BP was sort of over priced while Cabela's seemed fairly priced with often having good sales going on.

 

[dan323]

The few times I was at BP they were definatly priced higher the Cabela's. So far the area designated to firearms is still the same at the Cabela's I shop at. If there are negative changes I will just buy more online then at the store.

 

[JM4151]

I live within 20 miles of the Delaware Store but I prefer the store in Hamburg, Pa, which is about 60 miles away. I can't purchase a gun in Delaware because I am a Pennsylvania resident. The Pa store is much larger, but I haven't been to either store in the past month. Most of my money goes to our local shops.

 

[Old&Retired]

I live within 20 miles of the Delaware Store but I prefer the store in Hamburg, Pa, which is about 60 miles away. I can't purchase a gun in Delaware because I am a Pennsylvania resident. The Pa store is much larger, but I haven't been to either store in the past month. Most of my money goes to our local shops.

Just curious, but is there something in PA law prohibiting you from buying a firearm out of state? I live in MD with crazy, stupid gun laws and have bought several firearms in Delaware. Long arms are cash and carry, handguns have to go through the MD process (transfer to FFL in MD then the state police checks).

 

[Collo Rosso]

Cabela's built a nice store about 4 miles from me maybe 4 years ago. I've been in it twice, both not long after it opened. Haven't been back since.

 

[OMCHamlin]

My local Cabela's is in Christiana Delaware. The last time I was there was maybe in May, and aside from the firearms displays, they had maybe 1200 square feet for shooting accessories and about 3000 square feet dedicated to ammunition and reloading supplies.

Things have changed. Today when I went in, everything was changed. Everything related to shooting was consolidated into the 1200 square foot area. Floor inventory was decimated. All of the primers were placed on an endcap, and all of the primers could fit on a 3 foot shelf. Powder was on a 12 foot aisle island and held maybe 60 bottles of powder. No black powder or black powder substitute could be found. The handgun dies were relegated to a single 3' rack, and held maybe 20 sets between 9mm, 38, 380, 41, 44, and 45. A similar rack held perhaps 60 sets of rifle dies.

Honestly, the ammo, reloading, and accessory area was a disgrace. When asked if the store was preparing for closure, employees stated the floor plan was being changed to reflect Bass Pro's marketing emphasis on fishing.

Hopefully, this will not become the norm for Cabela's!

I forgot to mention, the Gun Library also seemed to have fewer guns than I have ever seen there. There were also some very glaring errors. A 6" K frame 22 MRF was marked as a Model 18 (K22 Combat Masterpiece), and a 5.5" barreled Registered Magnum with gold inlayed engraving, box and paperwork was listed for just shy of $1400. If I had that money, it would have been working it's way home!

Yeah, I was in the same store in mid July, I felt the same way, smaller, less used guns (by a LOT), the "Gun Room" was a darn JOKE. Heck, it had common, current production guns in it... It sure was nicer before they merged. Merge is apparently a word they use for old timey train wrecks...

 

[Ozark Marine]

Went to the Cabelas store in a suburb of Chicago a few times when they first opened there. Wasn't impressed with prices of guns & ammo.

Now I live about 1.5 miles from the Bass Pro flagship store in Springfield MO and never stopped in.
Because of the stores no CCW rule.

They sell firearms but don't want us peon's armed while walking from their parking lot and while shopping looking at the overpriced items.

My $$$ goes to the ma & pa local gun shops.

 

[woodsltc]

I've felt that Cabela's quality of merchandise was better than Bass Pro......now I see that much of the Bass Pro (ie..Red Head brand) stuff is showing up on the Cabela's website and catalogs. It's a shame as I see it as a "step down" in quality.

Don

 

[brjr51]

In the early to mid 70's, my Dad would always stop at the old Cabelas near downtown Sidney on our family vacations out west. I was a young teen, but use to admire all the beautiful guns they had. What a shame it's been sold out to corporate America.

Both Cabelas and Bass Pro are really nothing more than a destination shopping experience and firearms just don't fit into the PC culture they hope to appeal to. The family with a couple small kids come to look at the aquariums and animals and maybe buy a couple of items of clothing. They want nothing to do with firearms and hope the kids don't see them, so they shove them into a corner. I don't know anyone who's actually purchased a new firearm from either with their ridiculous prices, how long till they end up phasing them out entirely due to poor sales and lack of profit.

 

[jcelect]

Cabela's

In the past, Cabela's would ship a gun from Mich to Ohio(at not cost to the customer) so an Ohio resident could buy it there with no extra cost! I have noticed the Gun Library in ALL the Cabela's is a thing of the past! No collectors pieces in any of them, only new ARs the last time! If Calbela's prices for reloading supplies increase to the BP level they will not be selling anything! Just another store for hunters and gun people going down the tubes!
jcelect

 

[Shark Bait]

The Bass Pro changes haven't been good here. They restricted veteran's discounts and are doing away with out Bargain Cave. I hope they keep the gun library with the used stuff.

 

[CH4]

If BP and Cabelas wanted to be PC, seems they’d start by removing all the dead critters, but ironically that’s what largely draws folks through the doors.

 

[JcMack]

I live within 10 mins. of a Cabelas that's right close to the Indiana/Illinois state line, and right on the Interstate. Great location, been there 10 yrs.. The sales in guns has dramatically decreased over the last 12-18 months. I figure there's at least 4 employees in that department at all times. Cabelas is not known for "overpaying" their employees. Given what I believe is markup on new guns they have to sell a new gun an hour to break even on payroll. Used, out of production guns are all I and my friends are after. The prices on those at Cabelas are way out there. Now they won't let you take the trigger lock off a new or used gun to make sure it's in working order. The couple of LGS around here expanded about 10 yrs ago and the fall off in gun sales, with the burden of expansion costs are killing them. Used guns in these stores are really high. What's a girl to do??

 

[Protocall_Design]

Find a guy who already has a bunch of the guns you like? Go to the LGS and use your womanly charms to get them down to a reasonable price?

 

[sigp220.45]

I’ve noticed a similar change in my local Cabelas. It was never great, but usually worth a stop since they have a good ammo selection. I’ve even found the occasional good gun deal. Since the “you can’t check to see if it works and you can’t return it if it doesn’t” rule took effect I’m surprised they sell any used guns.

Last time I was there the “gun DMV” was empty.

 

[OMCHamlin]

If BP and Cabelas wanted to be PC, seems they’d start by removing all the dead critters, but ironically that’s what largely draws folks through the doors.

You find the mounts and trophy’s on the walls to be objectionable?

 

[walkinghorse]

Today I went to a competitor to Cabelas/BP in Rapid City for some fishing terminal tackle. Found their prices to be 1/2 of Cabelas, and actually had what I was looking for! There were helpful salesmen who appeared to be concerned if I found what I was looking for. All the men were dressed in a white shirt and tie! Several of the checkout clerks had lot of of tattoos, piercings, green hair, etc., but they were nice and helpful!
Prior to that my wife and I were in downtown Rapid City, had a nice lunch, nice Mexican lunch but other choices of food around, and two places selling guns, ammo, reloading supplies, and helpful people there. A professional flyfishing shop, with the name fly-fishing gear, a large selection of flies, a lot with substantial reduction in marked prices. And the table with seven men sitting at their flytying gear telling tales, stories, etc. Ended up with a Simms 50spf shirt at 50% off.
A big pawnshop, gun store had the 38 special WC target load I was looking for, as well as a large selection of LH bolt rifles to check out.
All within a 2 block area, quiet streets ( along train did go thru several blocks away, with the usual horn warnings!). And a few panhandlers and several inebriated people were seen, but they were all polite, and a simple no sufficed.
Nice day all in all, and downtown shopping appears to be back, at least in Rapid City!

 

[soFlaNative]

You find the mounts and trophy’s on the walls to be objectionable?

Thinking he was carrying on the thought in post #10.
If a corp. want's to reinvent the wheel, may as well start from scratch.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I don't buy a lot from Cabela's/Bass Pro, but I do look. The Cabela's near me has a a healthy shooting area as of a few days ago, just nothing that I really want.