Trying to buy a gun from Cabella's

[m-1911]

Recently on the way to a gun auction I stopped in the Hamburg, PA store to look at the used guns. In the case was a ANIB, old style Model 40 priced at $495. Because of the long waiting line to get waited on I could not stand in line long enough to get waited on or I would have missed the gun auction. A few days later I was in the area again and stopped in. This time there was no wait, and the gun was still there. I asked the sales guy to see it and told him I would take it and that I have an FFL which I gave to him along with my PA sales tax number. He seemed a bit confused by an FFL (strange???) but he asked me to wait and took it along with the gun to the manager in the gun library. He came back and told me they could not accept the FFL. My business in incorporated and the gun manager, a young girl in her twenties told the salesman that since my name did not appear on the license, she would not accept it. So now I tell the guy I want to speak with her in person, so we go to the gun library to see her. I show her my driver's license that has the same address as the FFL. She then tells me that someone else, my wife for example, could be the FFL holder. So, trying to keep calm in the face of adversity, I said, how about shipping the gun?? She agreed to that for an additional $35, so I handed her the FFL and the cash to pay for the gun. She then proceeded to tell me that I had to go home and FAX them the FFL. Now for the best part, I could not pay in cash, it had to be a business credit card or a business check. Then she began to lecture me on ATF rules and regulations. I cut that off really fast when I told her that I have had an FFL since before she was born. At this point, I was getting really annoyed and I told her what I thought of their policy and that she could keep the damn gun. I finally had a friend stop in that has an FFL in his name and he got the gun for me, after having to jump through hoops.
I think that Cabella's is so large that they think of themselves as their own entity and can make their own laws. For example, they do not abide by the pre 1899 rule. If a gun takes a cartridge, they consider it a modern gun and they make a buyer go through all of the NICS checks etc. Also if you see a gun on their website, they will not give you the serial number.

I'd like to hear if anyone else has had trouble with them.

 

[m-1911]

Recently on the way to a gun auction I stopped in the Hamburg, PA store to look at the used guns. In the case was a ANIB, old style Model 40 priced at $495. Because of the long waiting line to get waited on I could not stand in line long enough to get waited on or I would have missed the gun auction. A few days later I was in the area again and stopped in. This time there was no wait, and the gun was still there. I asked the sales guy to see it and told him I would take it and that I have an FFL which I gave to him along with my PA sales tax number. He seemed a bit confused by an FFL (strange???) but he asked me to wait and took it along with the gun to the manager in the gun library. He came back and told me they could not accept the FFL. My business in incorporated and the gun manager, a young girl in her twenties told the salesman that since my name did not appear on the license, she would not accept it. So now I tell the guy I want to speak with her in person, so we go to the gun library to see her. I show her my driver's license that has the same address as the FFL. She then tells me that someone else, my wife for example, could be the FFL holder. So, trying to keep calm in the face of adversity, I said, how about shipping the gun?? She agreed to that for an additional $35, so I handed her the FFL and the cash to pay for the gun. She then proceeded to tell me that I had to go home and FAX them the FFL. Now for the best part, I could not pay in cash, it had to be a business credit card or a business check. Then she began to lecture me on ATF rules and regulations. I cut that off really fast when I told her that I have had an FFL since before she was born. At this point, I was getting really annoyed and I told her what I thought of their policy and that she could keep the damn gun. I finally had a friend stop in that has an FFL in his name and he got the gun for me, after having to jump through hoops.
I think that Cabella's is so large that they think of themselves as their own entity and can make their own laws. For example, they do not abide by the pre 1899 rule. If a gun takes a cartridge, they consider it a modern gun and they make a buyer go through all of the NICS checks etc. Also if you see a gun on their website, they will not give you the serial number.

I'd like to hear if anyone else has had trouble with them.

 

[ohiobuckeye]

I've purchased from their web site(s) with no problems whatsoever. All transactions were prompt, courteous, and nobody ever refused to give me a serial number or any other information relevant to the gun being purchased.
Cabela's is a large organization with many outlets and, as with any large organization, you will eventually encounter an occasional employee who is not among the "best and the brightest". Cabela's overprices many of their guns, but I've located some hard to find guns in their inventories and have found many of the stores will negotiate to more reasonable numbers. My contact with the Cabela's folks has all been positive.

 

[Guest]

Gary; From what I have seen of the Cabella's is that they are big enough to hire some really stupid people and then have the guts to call them Managers. I think I would have asked for the Store Manager before I left without the gun or, at least, a receipt for my money and an agreement to ship it from the Store Manager. We have one that isn't too local and I've only been in the store once and wasn't impressed. I have ordered a pretty fair number of things from them and have been generally satisfied with the results.

I'm buying less and less from them since there catalog prices went up by 10% because they opened a store in my State and now I have to pay Sales Tax. They are certainly NOT Dealer friendly but then they think we're "competition" for them. I hope the local store goes belly up so their prices will go back down - they won't recognize my State Tax License.

 

[2152hq]

I've posted this before I think but..
A few years back I saw a very nice 16ga side lock ejector shotgun on-line @ Cabella's.
I called the store that had the gun, waited for the salesperson to go and retrieve it so I could ask some questions of it over the phone. I started down my mental list of questions about the shotgun and though I was getting answers, I thought the salesman was less than attentive. Maybe he was actually supposed to be on his hard earned break or something.
At a point into the conversation he cut me short and said 'This gun isn't available anymore,,'
Without a quick response from me he added that he really liked it and was going to buy it for himself.
"Anything else I can help you with?? Bye...."

A call back to the store manager got no where as he backed up the employees decision to by it.
I couldn't have been bothered to go any further with it as I wouldn't have spent a dime with that enterprize after that.
>
We don't have a Cabellas store around here, but do have a Gander Mtn.
I tried to buy a gun in there last year. Gave them a copy of my FFL, State Lic and Tax Lic.
"Can't sell it to you on this license"...
"There's no business name on the license." I told them I use my name as my business name, that's why it appears as such on the license(s) and has been since 1972.
"ATF don't allow that anymore" was the answer from the overweight 22 y/o Ninja SWAT Ranger Wannabe behind the counter. The manager was pressed into service to look at my licenses and then turned and looked at Camo-Boy and asked "What ,,Is this OK?".
I took my paperwork and left. The Walther PP wasn't worth the agravation

 

[MKT]

I bought a gun on my C&R from Cabela's in Glendale, AZ. Didn't present the FFL until after I had worked the price down, then when I handed the "expert" my FFL he just looked at me stupid and handed me a 4773. After explaining to him what was significant about the piece of paper I signed in front of him, he had to go talk to the manager. Before he went he insisted that I had to fill out the 4773.

Me being in a decent mood that day decided to not cause a scene and began s-l-o-w-l-y filling it out. He returned about 15 minutes later, claimed that they "had to check the CA C&R list to ensure it was C&R in CA" (BS) and handed me back my license. I politely informed him that the original signed copy I just handed him was for their store records and they need to keep it, and he just looked at me stupidly. My purchase was successful but it took way longer than it should have for a cash & carry purchase.

 

[Steave]

Almost any type of large chain like this will have dolts that have no idea what an FFL is. I have only purchased a gun from a sore like this, it happened to be a couple of Beretta shotguns, from a Cabela's once in the past twenty years, I didn't even mention my FFL, I just filled out the 4473 and went on my way.

 

[pcrbenchrest1]

Even when you do not have an FFL and are there to buy a gun it takes at least 5x what it does at my local gun store.
Even if the price is good I rarely buy a gun from them because of the long wait time. you need to be able to kill an hour.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Did you tell her that you'd really like to buy the gun but since HER name didn't appear on Cabela's FFL then it would be an illegal transaction??
Gun stores DO have employees, ya know. What an idiot she is.

 

[imashooter2]

So why didn't you just buy it as an individual?

 

[m-1911]

Originally posted by imashooter2:
So why didn't you just buy it as an individual?

Because it saved me the $20 PICS fee and $30 sales tax

Another point I forgot to mention is that after my friend got the gun, they "escorted" him to the front door and made him leave the store immediately and not carry the gun in the bag while he continued to shop. However, if you have a carry permit, you are free to walk around the store with a loaded gun. IDIOTS!!!

 

[MKT]

Originally posted by m-1911:
Another point I forgot to mention is that after my friend got the gun, they "escorted" him to the front door and made him leave the store immediately and not carry the gun in the bag while he continued to shop. However, if you have a carry permit, you are free to walk around the store with a loaded gun. IDIOTS!!!

They also did that with me at the Cabela's in Glendale. Escorted me from the library to the gun counter register, then again directly to the front door after paying. As if they thought I was going to go on a rampage with a 5 shot, break top .32 caliber Smith.

 

[Kuglespritz]

I bought a Springfield 1873 Trapdoor a few years ago from Cabela's Gun Library. I had to fill out the the 4473 and they ran the NICS check. When the salesman came back and said I passed the background, I asked why they did it for an antique and they said "because it shoots modern ammunition". Wrong, but whatever. They also had the Trapdoor marked as a 1878 Trapdoor, which doesn't exist.

 

[Gun-runner]

Gander Mountain is just as bad so I refuse to go there.

 

[pred]

Was it the one there was 895 the other week.
Peter.

 

[H Richard]

We always stop in Cabela's in KC, KS on our way to CO. Only one out of a doz times have I even been able to get a clerk to speak to me. The prices on their collectible stuff is way high.

A few months ago a friend was in Cabela's in St. Louis and saw something he thought I would be interested in, and called me. I called them (120 miles away) and asked if they could email me a picture, he said sure, but the guy that knows how to do that wouldn't be there until the next day. Well, three days later I called back and the guy I originally spoke to was out so asked again and was told they don't do that, If I wanted to see the gun I would have to come in. Well, guess what I've never been in there, and won't go out of my way to go there either.

 

[ParadiseRoad]

I finally had a friend stop in that has an FFL in his name and he got the gun for me, after having to jump through hoops.

...a straw man purchase involving two FFLs...interesting

...



.

 

[rge1066]

I recall looking at that exact piece at that Cabela's about three weeks ago and considered purchasing it. It could have been a sweet addition to the collection. Alas, I chose to save the funds for a couple of other upcoming firearm purchases...

I've never actually purchased a gun there before since the prices usually seem to run on the high side. I can imagine an outfit of their size has so many employees working at different times and in different departments that it's the luck of the draw when it comes to the competence of who waits on you when your "deli counter number" is called.