Cabelas-SMH

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https://www.nexusshooting.com/rentals
Nexus is one high tech range/gun store. They have a paper side and a proprietary holographic side where you can shoot at moving holographic targets with your firearm. Their rental rules are specifically written to prevent rental suicides.
https://shoot-straight.com/faq/gun-rental-policy/
Shoot Straight is a chain of gun shops with at least 8 locations in Fla.
Not sure if this is just a Florida trend, but seeing some of the news media reports of the absurd nuttiness that goes on in this state from time to time.

Well "A Florida man...." is one of my favorite news anchor intros, something interesting is sure to follow.

I don't doubt that ranges are putting these types of regulations in place in other states as well and really can't blame them. I believe one of the incidents took place in Ohio, so I'm sure it's only a matter of time. Of course, it won't effect me and I don't want another incident but it does create an obstacle for a new shooter trying to get into hobby.

Several store/ranges around here offer a free 5 shots if the gun you are thinking of purchasing is in their rental case... I wonder if the same rules would apply. Just thinking out loud...
 
On a different note, my buddy and I are kind of knife nuts and the Cabelas up by his folks in Maine has given their knife display a good kick in the ass, I havent seen it personally but my friend said they now have a pretty big selection. I wish more gun shops would incorporate higher end knives into their business model.... Also I didnt realize Buck used S30 steel now. My old buck was good ol 420 SS, horrible edge retention.

Places that carry high end knives in stock are fewwwww and far between. And honestly, I'd love to support them in general, and don't mind paying a mark up from online retailers but the gap between your normal knife websites (BladeHQ, Knifecenter, etc) and brick and mortar stores I've seen can be as much as double...
 
Places that carry high end knives in stock are fewwwww and far between. And honestly, I'd love to support them in general, and don't mind paying a mark up from online retailers but the gap between your normal knife websites (BladeHQ, Knifecenter, etc) and brick and mortar stores I've seen can be as much as double...
All you gotta do is catch a dumb pawnshop (yes, there are some!) who don't do their research. I've gotten a few scores that way.
 
Places that carry high end knives in stock are fewwwww and far between. And honestly, I'd love to support them in general, and don't mind paying a mark up from online retailers but the gap between your normal knife websites (BladeHQ, Knifecenter, etc) and brick and mortar stores I've seen can be as much as double...
I would also be more than happy to pay a mark up from a local retailer, well worth avoiding the wait and USPS, I scored a vintage spyderco police for a good deal at a gun shop a few years back. That was kind of the knife that started it all for me.

Nice avatar too, My father was in the 23rd engineers batallion.
 
Few years ago, I bought a Colt 1911 45 acp. I wasn't very happy with the pistol (special order took 2.5 months to get it) I had to returning since mags have to hit to table to get in (BP people neither were able to load normally).
Long story, story short after guess 3 years I can get nothing from them their prices are sometimes over MSRP.
I do check their listing on line every week.
However, Browning / Remington have some mail in rebate offers very tempting.
Sadly, nowadays rifles comes with no iron sights.
So, nothing for this soul.
 
Our local Cabela's has descended into the crapper, in my opinion. There are so many things you can't get there, and the used guns are priced ... oddly. They still have a pretty good selection of used guns, as long as you're careful to check the prices to be sure you're actually saving something. As for "tee shirts are the high profit items," and "big retailers are wizards of finance," if they were so smart, I'd still be buying my tools at Sears.

The gun locks irritate me too. It seems of a parcel with walking the purchase to the door--apparently because the doors only let people out, not in. While I appreciate that insurance companies can be blamed for some stupid policies, that doesn't make the policies smart, and it seems a clear instance of "The Politician's Fallacy."
 
I would also be more than happy to pay a mark up from a local retailer, well worth avoiding the wait and USPS, I scored a vintage spyderco police for a good deal at a gun shop a few years back. That was kind of the knife that started it all for me.

Nice avatar too, My father was in the 23rd engineers batallion.

Spydercos are great knives. You can get a lot more expensive, but for my money the Paramilitary 2 is a must own. Of all the knives that have come and gone, the PM2 is the constant.
 
The “home base” Cabelas in Prairie du Chien Wi has a gun dept that appears to be thriving. I lucked into a very nice deal on a S&W M&P 5 screw snub recently , $349. When I asked the friendly clerk if I could try the trigger I was offered use of a back room bullet trap. Given today’s environment, I thought that to be reasonable.
 
The same thing happened to REI, which used to have great in-store selections of climbing and serious backpacking gear. When REI was a smaller company, targeting people who actually climbed and hiked, that was fine, but now they are bigger. Outdoor-style clothing sells better, and for the same reason AWD or front-wheel-drive 'compact' SUVs are more popular than actual traditional body-on-frame 4x4 vehicles (I think the Jeep Wrangler and the Toyota 4Runner are the only ones left). More people want to LOOK outdoorsy than actually want to GO outdoors where bugs, sweat, steep heights, and dirt are.

But I will also say that gun-buyers are a tough lot. They will drive across town to save $4.50 on a $450 J-frame revolver on principle. Cabelas just can't really be bothered to make sure they are always the lowest price,when they can make the same profit on an expensive Gore-Tex shell and not have to deal with someone who demands they price-match some store halfway across the state for every purchase. Having said that, I do price-shop pretty hard, just not quite that hard.
 
(I think the Jeep Wrangler and the Toyota 4Runner are the only ones left). More people want to LOOK outdoorsy than actually want to GO outdoors where bugs, sweat, steep heights, and dirt are.
:rofl:

Ha! My wife likes driving her Jeep Wrangler (with its air conditioning, cruise control, power windows and door locks, satellite radio, and blue tooth) to Sportsman’s Warehouse in Pocatello to shop for outdoor clothes. She prefers shopping for outdoor clothes at Cabela’s/Bass Pro, but that’s clear up in Idaho Falls – about 80 miles.:p

Just kidding around. Though my wife really does have a Jeep Wrangler with all of that fancy stuff – it was her retirement gift to herself. And over the years, she and I really have bought a bunch of clothes at Cabela's - along with a few knives, some fishing equipment, some camping equipment, flashlights and even one table lamp for our house. But we've also bought more than a fair share of firearms, ammo, handloading equipment and components, holsters, scopes, targets, and other shooting related equipment at 4 (that I can remember) different Cabela's stores.

Never again though. We were in Cabela’s/Bass Pro in Idaho Falls last week. I was looking to buy myself a new Smith Model 638. But when the salesperson wouldn’t remove the trigger lock so I could test the trigger, we left.:mad:

I don’t give a crap about insurance, store policy, how much money they make or don’t make on gun sales compared to clothing and furniture sales, or why it’s now Cabela’s/Bass Pro instead of just Cabela’s. When that salesperson told me he wasn’t allowed to remove the trigger lock, we left and drove a quarter of a mile to the Idaho Falls Sportsman’s Warehouse – where they DID let me try the trigger on the new Smith Model 638 I bought from them.:cool:
 
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Few years ago, I bought a Colt 1911 45 acp. I wasn't very happy with the pistol (special order took 2.5 months to get it) I had to returning since mags have to hit to table to get in (BP people neither were able to load normally).
Long story, story short after guess 3 years I can get nothing from them their prices are sometimes over MSRP.
I do check their listing on line every week.
However, Browning / Remington have some mail in rebate offers very tempting.
Sadly, nowadays rifles comes with no iron sights.
So, nothing for this soul.

What?
 
So how many think cabelas will be closing locations due to poor sales now that they slashed anything gun related?
I think Cabela's used to be good but went south after merger with Bass Pro happened.

I bought my Shimano TLD 20 reel from Cabela's due to low price few years ago but when I bought two deep ocean fish finders and new boat seats for 18'/21' boats last year, Cabela's prices weren't even close so I went elsewhere. Nowdays, Amazon prices and even brick and mortar Marine shops beat Cabela's prices regularly so I buy from them.

I used to buy quite a bit of stuff from Cabela's but lately, their sales have been "Meh". Recently, many gun related vendors, particularly Brownells have been running some good sales ($$ off and free shipping) and been buying most of my gun related stuff from them. Last purchase from Brownells was Fusion Firearms 1911 9mm conversion slide for $344 with free shipping, lowest price I have seen and I clicked the "Order" button. No, I did not even bother checking with Cabela's because I anticipated even if they had it, it would be much higher in price.
 
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BigBL87
100 % correct, even BP people tried both mags (salesman and manager.)
 
Correction was not .45 ACP was the 1911 9mm with the FO and blue grips.
 
The Cabela's in KC is well stocked with guns, ammo, and assorted products....reloading is only fair. Since the BP takeover, they offer fewer camo options and lots more clothing, especially for women. The prices in the ammo section are much higher and I rarely see any sales...at least on the ammo I want. For example, CCI 17HMR TNT hollow points are $16.99 per 50. With tax that is almost $19. I bought 2 bricks from SWFA for less than $8.00 shipping included. The only advantage is they at least have it in stock if you need it.
The biggest difference I see lately is the sales staff seem morose and depressed. In the past they seemed upbeat. No wonder, the place is usually very slow in terms of customer volume. I fear they may close.
 
Of course we all know that Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops use to be separate entities, completely different business models with different product bases. Bass Pro Shops originated as a Fishing Outfitter and catered mostly to the Bass Tournament crowd. Then in order to grow they also moved into camping and hiking and lastly into firearms because there was money to be made selling guns and ammunition. They were Never a Firearms/Hunting outfitter. Their reloading selection was limited. You couldn't go to a BPS and buy a box of 1k primers.

Since the buy-out the Cabela's store an hour away now looks just like the Bass Pro Shop store that is only 45min. away. The Reloading Dept. of the Cabela's store took up a pretty good amount of floor space. There use to be a whole isle with just bullets, A whole shelf filled with all major brands of primers. Now the reloading dept. has been relocated right next to the small archery dept. and has half the floor space it use to have. Heck this Cabela's store hasn't had primers in stock since the buyout.

I quit going to this store a year ago and haven't been to their website in months. I use to buy all my primers, powders and most bullets there because it was convenient and I could pick up 1k primers of a pound of powder as I needed it. Though last month we took a vacation trip north which allowed me to visit a very nice store, Recobs Targets, and because of their prices and the rebate on Winchester Primers I bought what will most likely last me 2 years worth of primers and a few pounds of powders.

So unless Cabela's/Bass Pro Shops comes along with a huge sale of either Berry's or Xtreme plated Pistol bullets I most likely will not be making a purchase there any time soon.
 
Back in 1968, in the back of my Dad's Outdoor Life magazine was an advertisement for a small mail order company called Cabelas that sold hunting gear. If you wrote to them and sent them a self addressed/stamped envelope, they sent you a catalog. It was just a few sheets of black and white newsprint type paper and the selection was limited, altho it was quality stuff. At 14, I had been working as a dishwasher in a local restaurant all summer and even tho it was pricey for me at the time, I ordered a new Shakespeare "Super Necedah" bow and two dozen Bear cedar arrows. One dozen has target tips, the other dozen were a new fangled broadhead called Bear "Razor Heads". Took my first buck with a bow that fall. Cabelas has changed a lot since then as has most everything.
 
https://www.nexusshooting.com/rentals
Nexus is one high tech range/gun store. They have a paper side and a proprietary holographic side where you can shoot at moving holographic targets with your firearm. Their rental rules are specifically written to prevent rental suicides.
https://shoot-straight.com/faq/gun-rental-policy/
Shoot Straight is a chain of gun shops with at least 8 locations in Fla.
Not sure if this is just a Florida trend, but seeing some of the news media reports of the absurd nuttiness that goes on in this state from time to time.

If you saw some of the total wacko's renting guns at my local ranges, you would also be armed, have a vest and have as many rules on the rental policy as you could get. Total trash comes in and rent all the time. Most could not buy a gun legally. That is why they rent them. As far as big box stores, I really do not believe there is much money to be made on firearms. The price points are so low. Not true with Clothing, sunglasses etc. They probably make three times the profit on a pair of sunglasses.
 
Retail sales and other markets "
Standard Retail Clothing Markups
Apparel markups are somewhat above the standard retail markup of two times cost, which is known as keystone in the retail industry. Typical markup on designer fashions ranges from 55 to 62 percent. If the wholesale price of a silk dress is $50, the retail price might range from around $110 to $130. Premium denim jeans often wholesale for around $150 and may sell at retail for up to $375 or more.

I was not in retail sales, but in Mgt with a Corporation. Most products would be bought at a average of a 50 price point. On projects we would use a standard formula for the cost of equipment, labor etc. The final selling price of the equipment would be about 60 percent mark up. I know what the Retail price points are on many items as my wife is VP of sales for another corporation. Just saw a video of what the markups are on guns. If true, not very much at all. Small percentage. Maybe Bass Pro etc. makes this up in volume sales, I could not tell you. I was at a military exchange a few weeks back and saw a Sig 365 for Sale at the same price as most civilian vendors. Of course they do not have to pay tax on the gun. But I get the impression, gun sales in Big Box stores are more to bring in customers to sell other products.

I would imagine big box stores pay a hefty insurance premium. Many Insurance companies would require stiff regulations.A misshap at a Big Box store would cause major repercussions that could cost millions. It always comes down to the money.
 
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Our local Cabela's has descended into the crapper, in my opinion. There are so many things you can't get there, and the used guns are priced ... oddly. They still have a pretty good selection of used guns, as long as you're careful to check the prices to be sure you're actually saving something. As for "tee shirts are the high profit items," and "big retailers are wizards of finance," if they were so smart, I'd still be buying my tools at Sears.

While not necessarily wizards of finance, they do understand the double edged sword of carrying low profit/slow moving items. If they decide to do so, it's mostly from a viewpoint of being customer oriented, or at least customer friendly. The idea that having X will bring customers in to purchase Y and Z. This greatly affects cash flow. Rolling the money. Every square foot of both floor and shelf space has to produce for the store each and every month. Producing either profit or attracting customers who will buy other things that will produce the higher profit.
What's bringing down many brick and mortar retailers is a complicated mix of reasons, but many lie in the hands of consumers. Ages ago things were produced and consumed on a local basis. As an item's longevity was a major factor. People would spend more for the best quality that was affordable to them to purchase items that would last. With the advent of mass produced items available from all over the country, pressure was put on the local craftsman. As trade became international, pressure was put on the national manufacturers to compete. Now were are a disposable society. Few things are repaired, just chucked out and replaced by some other cheap item.
At no point in this process did a significant group of consumers consider that, at first, they were hitting their neighbors in the wallet, and following the internationalization, the pursuit of getting something that cost less either bankrupted manufacturers or forced them to make a cut quality product to be able to match the cheaper import. Many companies and their brands were sold and the products often suffered.
Now with internet buying, the SHIBES are back in full force. Instead of buying locally, they are shopping locally, handling the guns and making their purchasing decision in their LGS and then ordering online. Eventually the LGS is going away or thinned to the point of almost non-existance. People forget the customer service rendered in a good local store will be far better than and easier to deal with than with some far away internet dealer. Many of the dealers online don't stock the items they're advertising that they are selling. I've done many ffl transfers for items bought online that came direct from distributors and were never in the selling dealer's possession. When the biggest deciding factor in someone's purchase is strictly price it's hard for a brick and mortar store to compete with an online retailer who, in many cases, has no physical store or warehouse or in some cases employees.
As things stand right now you can't buy an American made (Made in USA) television, Blu-ray player or almost any other piece of electronic hardware. Much of the tech in those items was discovered, developed or refined here and than handed over to other countries to produce to make a cheaper retail price point.
If this wasn't true, you'd still be buying your tools at Sears.


The gun locks irritate me too. It seems of a parcel with walking the purchase to the door--apparently because the doors only let people out, not in. While I appreciate that insurance companies can be blamed for some stupid policies, that doesn't make the policies smart, and it seems a clear instance of "The Politician's Fallacy."
I'm still trying to work out your first sentence, but it doesn't matter whether the policy is smart or not. Not following the policy and losing your insurance because of it certainly isn't smart.
I'm not sure exactly how that's the same as a politician's fallacy, insurance companies do everything they can to limit possible indemnity, something I'm painfully aware of living in Fla where we get the occasional hurricane and yet housing insurance is hard to get and expensive. Most big insurance companies have actually pulled out of the state. This isn't doing something just to do something for the sake of doing it.
I'm still trying to figure out how the presence of a trigger lock on a display pistol affects the evaluation of said pistol.
 
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