Sportsman's Warehouse???

[George Dickel]

Just read in our local newspaper that a Sportsman's Warehouse will be opening here soon. The building they will occupy is a fairly large space so the selection of merchandise should be decent. I've never been in one so how does it compare with the competition, Cabela's, Bass Pro, Sheels, etc.? Looking forward to it as there is only a Bas Pro shop about an hour drive from here.

 

[NorthBorder]

From a recent thread I think I understand Sportsmans Warehouse is now another iteration of BassPro/ Cabelas. So not much competition there.

 

[jmr40]

There is one about an hour away in Chattanooga. They are a less fancy Cabela's. That is the only one I've been in so others may be different. The one in Chattanooga has a very good selection of firearms at decent prices. The help is very knowledgeable. I've not bought any guns from them however. While their prices are good Tennessee has a nearly 10% sales tax which cuts into the deals. Plus with my carry permit I can buy in Georgia with no background check. That does not apply in TN so there is another fee on top of the tax.

Prior to the most recent ammo/component shortage they were my go-to reloading source. They used to have the best selection and at reasonable prices. I was in there about a month ago and the reloading shelves are still empty, but that isn't their fault.

Overall I like them a little better than BPS or Cabelas. Even with the new ownership.

 

[mjsdwash]

I don't know of any affiliation with Basspro, but we have a few in this state. Its a much better gunshop than Cabelas is now by far, and a bit better than Cabelas was when they were still good.
They have good reloading stuff, decent prices, selection, decent, but still box retailer level staff.

They were the only store in Western Wa that sold primers/powder at normal prices that I could find. About %30 less than what everyone else was doing. Not much more than Graffs or Powder Valley.

Years ago I bought a box of 100 .452 230gr Gold dot reloading bullets for $18.
A few pounds of Bullseye and Bluedot for $16/lb.

Sadly they closed, and Dicks took their spot near me, and its not worth the drive to Everett. There is one in Wanatchee where I was able to buy 2000 small pistol primers during the panic. Price was $36/1000.

As a gunshop, its pretty good. They are a general purpose sporting goods store though, mostly hunding/fishing/camping.

 

[Megawatt maker]

Sportsman's Warehouse is awesome. The service of a nice LGS...the selection is better than bass pro/Cabelas, prices rival online.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

They're prices are generally better than BPS. Service at any of them (Sportsman's, BPS, Cabela's) is poor, so nothing to compare there. I don't know what you guys are talking about regarding selection; my Sportsman's has been stripped clean for over a year, almost two. (As has my BPS and Cabela's) The SW loyalty program is the dumps, but that's okay because of their lower prices. I think my SW's camping section is better. They're on par with the other two in most other respects.

And yes, BPS purchased SW earlier this year, so, as with their purchase of Cabela's, it's a race to the bottom now.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

The one near me (Vegas) is pretty open and well lit, not crowded and dark & noisy like some others.

Decent knives and gun selection. Lots of camping gear. Honestly it’s kind of a stripped down Cabelas with most essentials, but at least around here, virtually no ammo for many months. Still, I go about once a month.

 

[sisyphus]

gtg

 

[.308 Norma]

I've never been in one so how does it compare with the competitio

I like Sportsman's Warehouse. There's one is most of bigger cities out here in Idaho, and I've bought several guns, gun-related things including ammo, and other sporting goods through them.
None of the Sportsman's Warehouses that I know of do layaways though, and I wouldn't expect a lot of gun expertise behind the gun counter. As a matter of fact, just a couple of weeks ago, I stopped in Sportsman's Warehouse in Idaho Falls to pick up some snap caps for my wife's 20 gauge double. I couldn't find them, so I went to the gun counter and asked the young guy behind the counter if they had any.
His reply: "No, we haven't been able to get any caps of any kind in months!"
So I told him, "Well, thanks anyway," and started to leave. I hadn't walked 15' down the aisle when I spotted a whole rack of various snap cap. So I picked up a couple of 20 gauge ones, then turned around, went back to the gun counter, and showed the young man what snap caps are.
His reply: "Oh! I thought you were talking about those things reloaders use."

 

[Megawatt maker]

They're prices are generally better than BPS. Service at any of them (Sportsman's, BPS, Cabela's) is poor, so nothing to compare there. I don't know what you guys are talking about regarding selection; my Sportsman's has been stripped clean for over a year, almost two. (As has my BPS and Cabela's) The SW loyalty program is the dumps, but that's okay because of their lower prices. I think my SW's camping section is better. They're on par with the other two in most other respects.

And yes, BPS purchased SW earlier this year, so, as with their purchase of Cabela's, it's a race to the bottom now.

Dang. I didnt know SW sold out to bass pro. It's not finalized yet...but you're right...I expect SW to go to crap now.

 

[Riomouse911]

The first two I entered, Fresno, Ca and Carson City, Nv., were great experiences. Tons of SMLE, lots of guns, great staff. (This was well before COVID ruined everything.)

I’m disappointed to learn they were bought out by BPS/Cabelas. We’ve all seen time and time and time again how “great” acquisition and contraction has been for the shooting sports over the years . Hopefully SW won’t follow the usual path these mergers take.

Stay safe.

 

[tmd16556]

I guess the real question is, will Vista Outdoors end up buying Bass Pro or will Bass Pro buy Vista first?

 

[GJeffB]

I think the question, while well intentioned, is like "which is better, Walmart or Kmart [back in the day]?" I had a mostly satisfactory experience with a SW 125 miles away, a couple of bobbles, nothing terrible. Less experience with BS/Cabelas, but I doubt I could tell the difference blindfolded. They're all national big box, with local stores staffed locally.

-jb, ya pays your money and takes your chances

 

[Autodidactic]

Just read in our local newspaper that a Sportsman's Warehouse will be opening here soon. The building they will occupy is a fairly large space so the selection of merchandise should be decent. I've never been in one so how does it compare with the competition, Cabela's, Bass Pro, Sheels, etc.? Looking forward to it as there is only a Bas Pro shop about an hour drive from here.

I found one randomly nearby recently. I had been going to Bass Pro as it's the closest big box store that still sells firearms and ammo (many stopped). I went to Sportsmans Warehouse on Saturday, and Bass Pro today.

My thoughts: Bass Pro is better for general outdoors, from clothing to boats (they have much more including full sized boats), etc. Bass Pro is larger too.

However, the Sportsmans Warehouse I went to on Saturday appeared to have a better firearms section, including easily 100 used firearms just on display. Bass Pro/Cabelas do online to be sure, but not in-store. The Warehouse felt more like an LGS in the gun section. I found my latest buy there, a .32 ACP Tomcat used for $219.

Another thing to that point. I've been to Bass Pro probably 8 times in the last year, and never once walked out at random with a firearm. In fact, I've never bought one there although I wouldn't be adverse to doing so. It can be seen as a good or bad thing that in my first visit to SW, the gun selection especially used led me to walk out with an unplanned gun.

 

[Lo-Profile]

The Sportsman's Warehouse here in Northern Nevada have gone to manure since being bought by BPS. Only about half the products as before. Much the same as Cabela's here after the BPS buyout.
Then Covid made them all even worse.
They're slowly starting to get back to semi normal pre Covid, but prices are much higher.

 

[rperyam]

We have one about 45 minutes away in Chico, CA. Used to have a decent selection of powder at decent prices. Their primers were sky high. Only new guns and not much of a selection. Now powder and primers are suppose to be in the front where you pay. They laugh when you ask if they have any powder or primers. I doubt if they have a clue about either.

 

[NorthBorder]

Since the OP also mentioned Sheel's, I went to one in Billings last week. It was a mall unto itself. It even had a ferris wheel inside(just an observation). That is one store I would like to see more of. And I may as one is being built in Missoula. But Scheels is small time compared to BPS.

 

[Trey Veston]

Nearest one to me is an hour away and I've bought a couple of guns there. Good prices on firearms stuff. Bought a very nice sleeping bag there as well. But, their outdoor clothing section is not friendly to Big and Tall shoppers. Great selection and cool stuff, but rarely anything in 2X or above. Weird. The town the store is in is known for big ol' boys. Go to the North 40 store a 1/4-mile away and they have plenty of stuff in 2X and above.

But, since the reset began, they have been stripped of nearly all guns, all ammo, all powder, bullets, primers, etc.

Now that they have been assimilated, I am not looking forward to watching them go down the toilet like the others.

 

[DMW1116]

They were my go to for reloading as they had stuff more reliably than Cabelas or Academy for a while after ammogeddon started. I made trips into Asheville pretty often and made it a point to shop there mostly because I liked them for taking over a space formerly occupied by Field and Stream. Field and Stream decided to just become Stream and stopped selling guns of any kind. Good riddance. I haven’t bought any guns from them but primers, bullets, powder, and targets leave with me pretty often. They haven’t had primers in a LONG time, but at least they started putting the put ammo back out instead of keeping it behind the counter.

 

[Airborne Falcon]

Just read in our local newspaper that a Sportsman's Warehouse will be opening here soon. The building they will occupy is a fairly large space so the selection of merchandise should be decent. I've never been in one so how does it compare with the competition, Cabela's, Bass Pro, Sheels, etc.? Looking forward to it as there is only a Bas Pro shop about an hour drive from here.

The busiest Sportsman's Warehouse in the country is here in Columbia SC right next to Palmetto State Armory's corporate offices and main showroom.

Inventory is lacking since SW was bought-up by the same group that owns Bass Pro and Cabela's. In the past three weeks I've been to all three ... and all three have very similar products and inventories. I was looking for reloading components in particular but noticed the shelves in all departments are all stocked similarly with the same suppliers.

It's disheartening to some degree because now there will be no competition among the three which will almost assuredly lead to higher prices and fewer options on everything.

 

[Robert]

I loved the local one here. Then I'm December of 2020 Bass Pro Shops bought Sportsman's Warehouse. Since that the me it has gone down hill. I'm sure the recent other issues have not helped either. Selection is down, prices are up, and it just doesn't feel like the same place.

I've never been a fan of Bass Pro. Their house brand gear is total crap. They stock gear suited for hunting in the eastern us, but not much that is of use here in the Rockies. Their prices were always higher than anyone else and I find little there I need or can't find a better price on somewhere else.

I hope Sportsman's doesn't go down the Bass Pro path, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[mljdeckard]

I recently interviewed for a job in the SW corporate office. The merger is pending, they are still working out how they will manage the 'competition' and deconflict lines of marketing.

I USED to go to the big boxes to fondle gear, and then go to a 'local' store like Sportsman's to buy it. I won't give that kind of preference anymore, but they do have a surprising consistency of inventory for a lot of things. They are allegedly building one out in my desert town, it will be nice to not have to drive into Salt Lake for H110 and primers.

 

[DMW1116]

That’s the one I go to most frequently as I travel to Columbia often. My perception is they have a pretty good selection of projectiles and most recently brass (relatively speaking) at better prices than other B&M stores. They maintained a decent selection of firearms over the last few months as far as I can tell. The one in Anderson, SC has similar variety but less overall inventory. I’ve had no issues with any I’ve been to and the one in Columbia seems to have a particularly knowledgeable staff on the mid to late afternoon shift.

 

[Dogbite]

They are fairly decent in guns. Sometimes have some ammo, etc. They also have a decent little knife department. I've bought mostly ammo and knives from them. My dad has purchased guns from them. I like UT better than Bass Pro but not as good as the old Cabelas.

 

[Airborne Falcon]

That’s the one I go to most frequently as I travel to Columbia often. My perception is they have a pretty good selection of projectiles and most recently brass (relatively speaking) at better prices than other B&M stores. They maintained a decent selection of firearms over the last few months as far as I can tell. The one in Anderson, SC has similar variety but less overall inventory. I’ve had no issues with any I’ve been to and the one in Columbia seems to have a particularly knowledgeable staff on the mid to late afternoon shift.

Yeah this store has been kickin' butt since it opened. It's hung-in-there even through the SW bk and eventual break-up of the co-op stores in Canada and the lower 48 stores. I used to know the managers and gun and knife counter guys but everything has changed lately and not for the better imho. They're about to screw it up if they're not careful.

The new young manager in Columbia feels like he's been left in limbo. I don't think any of the three stores in SC really know what's going-on right now because corporate apparently doesn't know what's going-on.