Author Topic: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's  (Read 1201 times)

Ben

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I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« on: January 23, 2020, 03:50:13 PM »
As in Dick's sporting goods.

So I've never actually been in a BPS store, but as we know, they own Cabela's. I was getting a couple of things at Cabela's today, and (dangerously) walked over to the handgun cabinet (see my thread on the FN FNX). They had two FN FNX tacticals in the case. As I was looking at them, the counter guy said,  "Here, let me get one out for you." So I'm handling this thing, and actually feeling really good about it.  I know the guys who commented in the FNX thread mostly said they liked the gun, but they didn't "like like it". I kinda like liked it. It fit my hand well, pointed great and naturally, and the controls  I could access were right there.

I couldn't access the decocker or trigger because of the trigger lock, so  I said, "Hey, can we pop this lock off so  I can check the decocker and safety?" He replied, "Sorry, no. New BPS policy says we can't remove the trigger locks."

WTF? Am I supposed to buy a gun without being able to examine it? "That's a dumb rule" says I. I tell him that I do not like the changes since BPS took over Cabela's. He tells me, "Join the club." Not the first time I've heard the Cabela's employees there badmouth BPS.

Do you guys run into this elsewhere? The gun shops I've otherwise been to here have no such rule. I of course always ask if it's okay to dry fire, but something like being able to check how the safety works seems like a no-brainer. I bought my M&P 15 from Cabelas last April, and I know there was no trigger lock on it and I was able to manipulate all the controls and dry fire while checking it before purchase.

I might be doing some of my usual getting riled and jumping to conclusions, but this really seems like a dumb policy if you want to sell guns. Unless maybe you really don't want to sell guns. Because I told the guy, "Okay, thanks, I'll just go down the street and look at the FNX that store has, and that's probably where I'll end up buying it if I like it."  I wasn't being a jerk or anything, just being honest, and he said "I don't blame you."

Anyways... I've already been thinking Cabela's has been going a little downhill since BPS took over, and I sure hope BPS isn't turning into a Dick's or a Walmart on only selling certain kinds of guns or otherwise taking some kind of fudd stance. I usually don't do this kind of thing, but I'm going to use the "contact customer support" link at the Cabela's website to gripe and ask them what this is about.
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BobR

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2020, 04:02:52 PM »
I used to like going to Cabela's in Post Falls before they were bought out by BPS, not so much now. If in the area around lunch time we will pop in, eat a sandwich, walk around and then leave. Seldom do we buy stuff there anymore.

bob

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2020, 06:32:44 PM »
Cabelas here in PHX is way over on the west side of town, and the BPS is over on my side of town here on the east.  So more often than not, I wind up going to BPS.  I haven't been to Cabelas in probably 8+ years, but I really dislike the west side of PHX and the drive to get there.

I was just in BPS yesterday, stewing on a birthday gift for my brother.  I meandered around the gun department, but the trigger locks on everything were very off-putting.  I never asked to see anything, even though I've got a slight itch for 3-4 different firearms (20ga O/U, .44 lever gun, .357 lever gun, and a single action sixgun of some sort, not sure what direction I want to go).  They had a couple that looked mildly interesting, but between the locks, the lazy customer service (no hustle and very inattentive), and my unlikeliness to actually buy that day, I didn't even bother.

I find myself in BPS for fishing stuff, binos/optics, archery supplies (but never bows), clothing and boots, more than guns.  Kind of a pro-gun REI for me more than a gun shop.

Given that my interests are shifting more to legacy designs that aren't sleek and black, the various LGS's around me don't keep much in stock in that direction to kick the tires on.  I'm holding out for the next big Crossroads show, and I'm gonna walk around with a couple unwanted rifles to sell and then maybe scratch one of my target itches with the funds afterwards.
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Jamisjockey

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2020, 06:44:03 PM »
Academy has had that policy for years. 
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Ben

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2020, 07:16:18 PM »
So has BPS also had that policy for years, or is it some "new rule"? I'm kinda curious on if it's maybe something they instituted around the same time the other companies were folding.

Next time I'm at Cabela's I need to check on if the long guns have locks now too.

Academy is now on my list too.
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JN01

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2020, 07:44:18 PM »
Bass Pro in Cincinnati has had the trigger lock policy for many years.

charby

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2020, 07:48:50 PM »
So has BPS also had that policy for years, or is it some "new rule"? I'm kinda curious on if it's maybe something they instituted around the same time the other companies were folding.

Next time I'm at Cabela's I need to check on if the long guns have locks now too.

Academy is now on my list too.

I have seen trigger locks on the used long guns locks out in the store for many years.
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TommyGunn

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2020, 08:02:15 PM »
Academy has had that policy for years. 
???  I've bought guns (Waaaaaaaay too many) at Academy and never had a problem having them pop off the trigger lock  for a brief time for me to see what it's like.   


Maybe I'm special.  =D




But I sorta doubt it.  :angel:
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Ben

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2020, 08:11:24 PM »
???  I've bought guns (Waaaaaaaay too many) at Academy and never had a problem having them pop off the trigger lock  for a brief time for me to see what it's like.   


Yeah, to be clear, I don't care about the trigger locks so much as I do them not removing them if you are looking to buy the gun.
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

dogmush

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2020, 05:39:49 AM »
I'll be a little curmudgeonly here, but I don't go to big box outdoor stores any more.  They are too annoying corporate wise, don't have the selections they used to, and their prices on guns laughably insulting.

I can't imagine a reason I would want to give one of the corporate owners of the big box stores my gun money.  Shoot Straight is a local FL chain of gun stores (they have like 7 or 8 across the state) if I want a large selection to fondle first and high prices for that overhead, Bud's exists if I know what gun I want and just want it as cheap as possible, and there are several mid sized FFL's that will order me whatever I want.  Why give corporate culture any revenue or influence?

That's just me though.

ETA: My recent experience with Guns as durable items, and FL's ease of use secondary market, has also made me much more blasé about the whole "try it in a gun store" thing.  you only get so much useful info from a couple presentations and dryfiring.  If I want it, I'll just buy it and shoot a couple hundred rounds through it.  If I don't like it after that I have found I can sell it for pretty dang close to what I bought it for.  The last two guns I did this for I was out about $50 each on the whole transaction, which for me was worth it for what turned out to be an extended rental. It also steers me away from the used market for current production guns.  They hold their value well enough that there's no real point.  This strategy requires a robust secondary market though, so YMMV.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2020, 05:55:43 AM by dogmush »

K Frame

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #10 on: January 24, 2020, 07:19:55 AM »
When Dick's bought Gallyan's about 15 years ago they destroyed what had been a great sporting goods store.
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cordex

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #11 on: January 24, 2020, 07:32:40 AM »
When Dick's bought Gallyan's about 15 years ago they destroyed what had been a great sporting goods store.
Yup.  Galyan's was fantastic until Dick's killed them.

K Frame

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #12 on: January 24, 2020, 07:35:15 AM »
I'll be darned, it was 16 years ago... 2004 when Dick's proved that they were, well, dicks. And they've been proving they're dicks ever since. I can't even remember the last time I set foot in one of those stores.
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K Frame

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #13 on: January 24, 2020, 07:39:03 AM »
""Sorry, no. New BPS policy says we can't remove the trigger locks.""

I can't remember where it was, maybe Sports Authority, but I ran into that many years ago.... MAY have been Sports Authority when they actually sold handguns...

PLUS... no racking the slide, no putting the magazine in the gun to see how it felt with the toe plate... I'm surprised that they even allowed me to touch it.

Needless to say, I walked away when I had a pocket full of money and was actively looking to buy. I ended up buying it at a gun show a couple of months later.
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Ben

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #14 on: January 24, 2020, 08:45:12 AM »
are several mid sized FFL's that will order me whatever I want.  Why give corporate culture any revenue or influence?

That's just me though.

ETA: My recent experience with Guns as durable items, and FL's ease of use secondary market, has also made me much more blasé about the whole "try it in a gun store" thing.  you only get so much useful info from a couple presentations and dryfiring.  If I want it, I'll just buy it and shoot a couple hundred rounds through it.  If I don't like it after that I have found I can sell it for pretty dang close to what I bought it for.  The last two guns I did this for I was out about $50 each on the whole transaction, which for me was worth it for what turned out to be an extended rental. It also steers me away from the used market for current production guns.  They hold their value well enough that there's no real point.  This strategy requires a robust secondary market though, so YMMV.

For the most part, I'm with you there. The only gun I've ever bought from Cabela's was my M&P 15 because I paid for it in points (and you guys were ragging me about not having one yet, so I was in a hurry to shut you up :P ). I bought a couple of Anderson lowers because they were as cheap as other stores, and again, points. Otherwise my Cabela's purchases have been some gun accessories or fishing and hunting related, or clothes, which have generally been good deals. As I mentioned though, since the BPS takeover, a lot of that stuff has degraded. I have a few hundred dollars in Cabela's point saved up again, which was kinda what led me to the gun counter this time. Otherwise my general plan is to only buy a gun from Cabela's when I have points for it and it's on sale.

And to your point #1, yeah, they are generally overpriced on guns outside of special sales. That FN FNX tactical was $100 more than anywhere else. So were the other FNXs. A quick search showed Sportsman's Warehouse, yet another chain store, $100 and more cheaper on the FNX models than Cabela's. Pretty much in line with Impact and other "discount" gun stores. In fact Cabela's recent "sales" from what I've seen, mostly bring their guns down to the non-sale price others are selling them for. Very few sales, at least on handguns and sporting rifles, seem to be deals.

As to your "durable goods" point. That is really food for thought for me. I still haven't fully broken my CA mentality on gun buying, because you lose significant money there just doing a transfer, without even taking the used price of the gun into account. Being able to do unencumbered private party transfers does put things in a new light, and I like your point about buying a gun as an "extended rental". It does make sense, and given the use the "extended rental" would get, I wouldn't be surprised if it's actually far less of what an actual rental would cost for hours used.

And dammit, you'd better not have talked me into driving back into Boise again today to pick up an "extended rental", you bastard.  :laugh:
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dogmush

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #15 on: January 24, 2020, 09:28:17 AM »
Yeah, with my FL CCW, buying from a gun store, I pay sales tax, and a $5.00 NICS fee.  So when I sell a gun (that is in current production, available, and I have less than 1000 rds through) I knock 5-7(ish)% of the price of a new one, and go to a gun show.  Generally, the 10% discount, plus no $5 fee, plus no tax, plus no 1 hour wait for an gunshow flooded "instant check" means the gun is sold in 30-45 min of waling around with a sign on my backpack.

So my P30: gunshow price $549, $5 fee, 7% tax: $592.78 to buy.  6 months later sold for $550 cash in 30 min.

In Tampa the trick is to be willing to wait until you get a gunshow, and you'll find a bunch of folks who are in the mindset to buy a gun, being thwarted by lines, and NICS wait times.  Then strike while that iron is hot.  I don't know what the Boise gunshows are like, so you might not have that dynamic.

BobR

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #16 on: January 24, 2020, 10:30:08 AM »
Cabela's has also changed their return policy. In the past before BPS if you bought a Cabela's branded item such as a pellet grill or dehydrator, pretty much anything with the Cabela's brand, they would exchange it within a year by just taking it to the store. Now that they now belong to BPS you get 60 days to return the item to the store and after that have to deal with the manufacturer of the product. I had one of their high dollar pellet grill that went TU on me and the only reason I was able to get a refund at the store locally was because I had a Cabela's receipt that spelled out the warranty. I had to return two of their pellet grills and each time was very easy, roll it up, get a refund, get a new one. I haven't needed to return/exchange anything since BPS started the new policy. To reiterate what others have said, it seems the former Cabela's employees who now work for BPS are more than a little disgruntled and have no problem agreeing with you when you have something bad to say about their current employer.

bob

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #17 on: January 24, 2020, 12:50:00 PM »
I'm going to offer a counterpoint.

I avoid Cabelas unless its at a non- busy time of the day.
I can't count the number of times I've been near the gun counter and someone has flagged me and a 1/2 dozen other people in the area with a firearm. Then you have people who don't know what they are doing dropping a slide on a 1911 or worse, field stripping a pistol on the counter (because???)
If I'm buying a firearm, I'll have already done my research, maybe tried one out owned by a friend, or rented one at a range already. I really don't need to dry fire a pistol to know that it will go 'click' when I pull the trigger, and if I'm concerned about the trigger, I'll change it out for an aftermarket set after buying.
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Ben

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #18 on: January 24, 2020, 01:05:34 PM »
I'm going to offer a counterpoint.


I did buy my last two pistols (both 1911s) sight unseen and am happy with them, but then I know my 1911s. The main reason I wanted to manipulate the FNX was to see if I'd like the decocker before I bought it, since I've never used a pistol with that configuration before (the last double action I shot was a Walther PPK/S I owned several decades ago).

I do take your point about people doing stupid/damaging stuff when handling display weapons, which are then sold to some other guy.

Anyway, the FNX is not available anywhere in reasonable driving distance for rental. I'm still debating info given to me in the other topic regarding alternate choices, but if I do get the FNX, I guess it will be using Dogmush's "durable goods" philosophy. :)
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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #19 on: January 24, 2020, 02:08:36 PM »
Back in the day, I used to follow the Dogmush Principle of Gun Buying. But that was before the changes in Washington state law so that now all transfers/sales go through a FFL with additional transfer fees, background checks and up to a 10 day wait.
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Ben

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #20 on: January 24, 2020, 02:32:13 PM »
Back in the day, I used to follow the Dogmush Principle of Gun Buying.

He needs to copyright that.  :laugh:
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Jamisjockey

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #21 on: January 24, 2020, 02:33:47 PM »
???  I've bought guns (Waaaaaaaay too many) at Academy and never had a problem having them pop off the trigger lock  for a brief time for me to see what it's like.   


Maybe I'm special.  =D




But I sorta doubt it.  :angel:

Maybe the ones you frequent.  When we lived in Houston I could never get them to unlock one.
I've bought or helped friends buy several guns from there. 
JD

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Re: I Guess Bass Pro Shops are Being Dick's
« Reply #22 on: January 24, 2020, 07:09:04 PM »
The BPS around here has had that policy since it started around 11 years ago.

They still have huge numbers of ARs though.