Bass Pro Shops...disappointing

[MaterDei]

I went to my first Bass Pro Shops yesterday in Tulsa. What a cool, big building! I was hoping with all of those square feet that they would be a gun nut's dream. I was wrong.

They didn't have any reloading equipment, just a few overpriced powders and some lead shot. Their pistol selection was pitiful. They had 2 or 3 1911s, one SA and two SWs, if I recall. The remainder of their pistols were very predictable and very thin. They didn't have any ARs and very few used guns.

On the plus side, the staff was friendly and willing to help and they had a shooting arcade game that the kids and I really enjoyed. The big tank with the fish was cool too.

In short, I see myself visiting like I would a tourist attraction but I don't think I would ever buy anything there.

Anybody disagree?

 

[zamboxl]

bass pro shop is very expensive you'll find the suff there is a healthy mark up from most other stores.

 

[Glenn Kelley]

That sums up the Toronto store as well.It may depend on where the store is.I think the Toronto store has a very good fishing department as it is on the main road to the northern lakes and fishing is more popular than hunting in Ontario.

+1 on the pricing.

 

['Card]

They're hit-or-miss on rifles and shotguns. Sometimes you can catch a good deal there, but they're not significantly cheaper than other shops on a regular basis.

I stop by the Outdoor World in Concord, NC every time I go through there, but the main reason is just to check out the clearance racks on clothing and gear. Pretty much everything that isn't on clearance in the store is selling for exactly the same price as the Bass Pro website.

 

[ArcherandShooter]

Good experience at our Bass Pro

When it was time to buy Springmom a gift for our 25th anniversary this fall, I had jewelry in mind, but she wanted a shotgun (what a woman!! ).

One of the places we checked out was the Bass Pro in Katy, west of Houston, where we had a very good experience. She'd been looking at a 28 guage over-and-under Silver Pigeon ("silver" anniversary, of course), but the guy behind the counter took lots of time to ask her about her intended uses for the gun, about her shooting style, and other things. He ended up recommending a Beretta semi-auto in 20 guage, pointing out that the action there actually gave her less recoil than the O/U, and faster follow-up shots, too.

Not only that, it came in more than $1,000 LESS than the O/U. Any store that's willing to give up that much money to ensure the customer gets exactly the right gun certainly has my respect, and will always be on the list of places I shop.

 

[sm]

ArcherandShooter,
Lean forward...a bit more ...right there is fine : - springmom still needs a 28 gauge. Can't fight it, just a matter of time, and just blame me when you get her one.

Bass Pro, Missouri - I go to eat at Hemingway's. Then I go peruse , look, handle what guns they have and ammunition. Umm, last time I was in , I had two MEC Reloaders in 28 gauge, 28 gauge shells and other stuff carried out for me.
Other stuff like the Food to Go from Hemingway's.

They had/have a Lobster Bisque and Shrimp Bisque soup that is to do die for. I got 2 gallons of each. Seafood, Steaks, a little of this, a lot of that...

For fun - try driving back for Hours with Hemingway's Food wafting about the vehicle...

Oh, they had some pretty good buys on reloading components as well when I was last up...

 

[cedjunior]

I enjoy the BPS in Grapevine near me. Their prices are high, and while I'd never buy a knife or a gun from them, I used their range all the time and do buy little things here and there. I'd guess their prices are high to cover all that overhead, like the in store trout ponds And yes they don't carry anything like Mini's and AR's, but the place near me does have a substantial selection of pistols, including a DE .50AE displaying proudly for around $1100 last time I looked.

 

[Huddog]

We must remember that Bass Pro is not so much a gun shop as it is a hunting store. At that they are excellent, although a bit pricey on somethings. I do occassionally find bulk ammo fairly inexpensive at the one near me. For a while all their handguns were of the hunting type, they apparently got tired of never selling any and now they have brought in a mixture of hunting and self defense handguns.

 

[Monkeybear]

Bass Pro is Katy is a nice place. Terrible reloading section but a better gun selection than most stores not dedicated to shooting. Nice people too.

 

[IDriveB5]

I shop at the Bass Pro in MD, also been to the Concord, NC store. I have bought 2 firearms and a bow from Bass Pro.
Always very friendly people there. Rather annoyed that they arent carrying reloading supplies in the store anymore...
Not at all suprised that they dont carry ARs, they are an outdoor supply/ hunting store primarily.

 

[Fly320s]

Bass Pro has a weak firearms section? Who'd a thunk it?

How's the fishing section at Bass Pro?

I think you are looking for BRass Pro.

 

[lamazza]

There is a nice Bass Pro in gurnee IL. Prices are actually better in most cases than the local Gander Mt. It IS dissappointing that they have no reloading stuff, but I find the powder prices are pretty good for this area.

 

[hankdatank1362]

The Bass Pro here in Myrtle Beach is actually the most reasonably priced gun store in the immediate area. Which is a shame, because all their guns are MSRP. Every other store is just that much higher.

No ARs. All the sheeple from the north who come down to Myrtle Beach to vacation (probably because they're too lazy to drive the other 8 hours to Florida) would probably shake a turd out of their pants if they saw an EBR in an innocent outdoor sporting good store.

BTW, Bass Pro has had this really uber-sweet SIG GSR in stainless since they opened... and my credit cart finger is really starting to itch. I'm thinking of getting it and giving it to my wife (who doesn't shoot) for Christmas. Kinda like giving her a bowling ball with my name engraved on it, or a men's golf club set.

 

[BozemanMT]

I bought my wife a stainless SIG GSR for our first anniversary.
It was her first gun.
COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY HOOKED.
Buy it

Anyway, forget the regular guns, go for the Fine Gun Room adn go drool
hmmmmmm, beautaous.

just to make SM happy I handled a Rizzini 28ga.
Beautiful, tiny, perfect pointer, like pointing a stick. Weighed like 5.4lbs,
Only $5000 or so.

Worth every penny.

 

[22-rimfire]

Bass Pro (BP) is more of an outdoors store than a firearms store. Their prices are not the lowest on firearms, but you can do worse. A friend bought a TC Omega recently on sale for $125 at BP. You ask?... blue, with synthetic stock.

I really like the BP stores in Nashville TN, Sevierville TN, and Atlanta GA. The one in Macon GA bascially sucks. Wish I would have visited the one in Mrytle Beach when I was over there a while back. I hear the San Antonio TX BP is pretty nice. It would rank right up there with the Alamo as a tourist attraction for me.

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

The one in Springfield MO's handgun selection has greatly improved over the last year back up to what it was in the mid 80's. I was there this morning and used the range, their ammo prices are about as cheap as wal-marts but with 10times the selection, my only complaint is that they do not carry all that many self-defense rounds to choose from and also they do not let ARs in the rifle range.

SM have you eaten in Hemingway's recently, the last two time I was there I thought it had gone down hill a lot.

 

[10 Ring Tao]

bass pro shop is very expensive you'll find the suff there is a healthy mark up from most other stores.

This is true for the most part, but they do have a lot of items that you won't find anywhere else for the same price, such as specialty items that you'd only find at a small shop.

 

[Limeyfellow]

I stop by the Outdoor World in Concord, NC every time I go through there, but the main reason is just to check out the clearance racks on clothing and gear. Pretty much everything that isn't on clearance in the store is selling for exactly the same price as the Bass Pro website.

I found the same thing when I go to that one. I did get get a pair of boots there on sale for a new price and some .22lr ammo though for the most part their stuff is a bit overpriced and the girl in the footwear department rather annoyed the snot out of me with her uninterested short answers. The other people in there were quite good though. Not much firearms choices though. Gander Mountain is a little better in Mooresville but if you want a real choice you pretty much have to go to Hyatts in Charlotte. I really struggle to find good outdoor stores in this area, but things have gotten better this year than what they used to be.

 

[Detritus]

I go to the BPS in Katy, Tx for the Redhead brand jeans, they're available in my (rather large) size and are reasonably priced, and that's about all. which kinda makes me glad that they're building one on MY side of houston (southeast, at 288 and the beltway) so i MIGHT have to make one more trip to the Katy store for clothes before the new one opens, but i hope not.

I think i've bought less than $70 worth of firearms goods (including incidental reading materials like G&A) from BASSPro in the 6 almost 7 years i've lived here with $45 of that b/c i got a free boresighting if i bought the new scope for my 10/22 from them.

i might buy things like camping gear from them, or if i ever decide to start fly fishing again before i move back to NC (the charlotte store is too far from the Raleigh area for a "gear shopping" trip) but i just can't bring myself to pay their prices on firearms, use them to illistrate to the wife what a good deal we can get or are getting from the local FFL sure, but buy at those prices you've got to be kidding! and the selection of "supporting stuff" (ammo, safes etc) stinks and is exceeded by the Gander Mountain shops in houston.

 

[sm]

SM have you eaten in Hemingway's recently, the last two time I was there I thought it had gone down hill a lot.

No I have not been by in a couple of years. Kinda makes me sad to hear the food went downhill. I think someone said that big old bass finally passed on as well.

Never said I was smart. Once I went in as the only male with 4 ladies.

Rule 1 - do not ask me if something makes your butt look big.
Rule 2 - do not try to keep up with Steve.

I was making a beeline for Ammo on special and some old red Abu Garcia 5000's , old ones, refurbished like new.
There was a special on clothes for ladies.

We literally "attacked" this place, it was like we hit the front door and a shotgun blast went off as we scattered.

Got the stuff, left, put away.

Come back with 5 kids and another lady [ remember, I ain't that smart]. This trip was for the kids.
As agreed, they do their thing - whatever. We eat at Hemingway's, and then they try on some clothes and "mom stuff".

"Were you not here earlier" sales asked
'Yes ma'am"
"What are doing" she asked
"See that bunch, I am in charge of standing "here" and keeping tabs on stuff"
I had kids stuff being brought over.
*sigh* "Mom said I will grow into this and my sister got one just like it..."

"You are either brave or stupid sir"
"The later ma'am"

Kids had a ball! Gun folks were real nice. The kids were behaved and they had a couple of old guns - kid sized, they let the kids see these. I mean really went out of their way.

I got "lost" and the littlest one and I were catching the magnetic fish in the pond set up.

You will never guess what the kids went nuts over and they had to have.

The Brass candle lantern that burns for ~ 6 hours. They were fascinated by this ,and (blame Steve) I mentioned also for emergency lighting, the old Kerosene lamps , worked great using lamp oil.

"Mom can we , can we please? In case of emergency like a tornado we will have lights...
"Camping...
"Just so pretty in my room with my other pretty brass things on the shelf..
"Grandpa has one of these..."

I stay in trouble.

Get one of them magnetic plastic fishing deals, a child will play for hours in the bathtub with one...outside using a wading pond...

 

[MountainBear]

BassPro in Denver is incredible. Their fine gun room gives me pleasant dreams of what I could make library/study/gunroom look like if I owned a house. They have an in house gunsmith, two full (and I do mean full) cases of pistols (besides the ones in the FineGun Room) and a 100 foot wall of rifles and shotguns. I don't do much reloading but lets be safe and say that their entire second floor is dedicated to hunting (a few camping things thrown in). Some is bow and some is camo clothing, but their is enough gun stuff in there that I have now been there six or seven times and still don't think I've seen it all.

 

[iamkris]

Bass Pro in Gurnee IL is OK for hunting clothes and fishing stuff and they **seem** to have a good gun selection but it is pretty much a bust unless you are looking for a hunting or sporting clays shotgun.

The yahoos behind the gun counter are arrogant and treat everyone I've seen as if they are an inner-city gang banger.

They kicked me out of their indoor range because I brought in a MechTech CCU (that's the carbine conversion for a 1911). I asked to speak to the store manager...she said it was an assault weapon and they didn't approve of assault weapons. Said it scared the other customers. Hmmph...

They've also gotten rid of almost all of their reloading equipment...they say they don't sell much of it because no one reloads anymore. That must by why MidwayUSA is doing so poorly...

I don't go there anymore and let the manager know why.

 

[KimKommando]

Any store with the name "sports" in it usually means sports equiptment....the people who really want to buy guns at a store typically go to "gun" stores....

 

[Mannlicher]

The Bass Pro outlets I have visited were just fine. The parking lots are always full, the cash registers are ringing. I guess you are in the minority with your opinion.

Based on your objections, maybe you should hang out at a 'TactiCool' shop and not a hunting/fishing/boating joint.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

They don't have any out here, but the one in Las Vegas, NV I went to had a decent if not spectacular selection of firearms.