Cabela's and Bass Pro

[Kansas Jake]

I approached the Cabelas merger simply from a consumer perspective. I liked the pre merger Cabelas better than BPS. Often these types of mergers lead to less choice and higher prices for me as a consumer. Did the owners have a right to sell and BPS to buy a competitor. Of course. The Wall Street capitalist also has the right to suck money out.

I also have the right to take my funds elsewhere and probably will.

 

[Walkingeagle]

I approached the Cabelas merger simply from a consumer perspective. I liked the pre merger Cabelas better than BPS. Often these types of mergers lead to less choice and higher prices for me as a consumer. Did the owners have a right to sell and BPS to buy a competitor. Of course. The Wall Street capitalist also has the right to suck money out.

I also have the right to take my funds elsewhere and probably will.

100% agree. I too wish the old Cabalas still existed, never being a BPS fan myself. Never spent much money there, but Cabalas, now I couldn’t tell you how much I spent over the years in their store or mail order. Going back into the very early 90’s.

 

[blackhorse]

I do not shop at either or both

 

[USMA65]

I was noticing today that Piettas at Cabelas now cost as much or more than Ubertis elsewhere. Many items Cabelas once sold have now been replaced by cheaper ones from the BPS inventory. Except for a few items, they both have lost me as a customer.

 

[Kestrel]

I too have walked away from Cabelas. Used to live at that store (black card holder for 20 years) Haven't been able to find the things I need there anymore and their muzzle loading section is pretty much non-existent in store.

 

[AlanG]

NYC liberal elite destroyed that hard working Blue Collar town at the expense of those hard working people. So Sad!!

I don't get these sort of political comments? If you think CEO's and Wall Street are made up of "liberal elites" you have never met either.

Expecting Corporations to "do the right thing" is naive beyond belief. There sole purpose is to make money, and the political climate of the last 40 plus years leans toward looking only at short money. Companies like W. Mart are no different, worse in most respects and no one would accuse the Waltons of being "liberal elites". This has been going on since the beginning of time and war profiteering has been going on since the Revolutionary War- it's just become more sophisticated.

One of the great things about black powder is getting to deal/buy from so many of the great honest small businesses in this hobby.

 

[David Veale]

I don't get these sort of political comments? If you think CEO's and Wall Street are made up of "liberal elites" you have never met either.

Expecting Corporations to "do the right thing" is naive beyond belief. There sole purpose is to make money, and the political climate of the last 40 plus years leans toward looking only at short money. Companies like W. Mart are no different, worse in most respects and no one would accuse the Waltons of being "liberal elites". This has been going on since the beginning of time and war profiteering has been going on since the Revolutionary War- it's just become more sophisticated.

One of the great things about black powder is getting to deal/buy from so many of the great honest small businesses in this hobby.

Couldn't agree more -- though I would add that much of what's great about this hobby is the ability to make the various items ourselves! Few people realize that the CEO of a public corporation can be *sued* for making a decision which is "not in the best interests of the shareholders". When faced with a decision between profitability or moral/ethical actions, guess which one wins 100% of the time? Public corporations in fact meet the clinical definition of a psychopath when all of their behavioral traits are accounted for. The movie "The Corporation" goes into great detail on this and is a real eye opener!

 

[Jdavis]

This video will tell you exactly how and why the merger was done and it wasn’t pretty.

 

[Marshhawk]

Amid all the comments over the how and why of Cabela's slow demise, there's the likely reason they stopped shipping the black powder guns. "The Brady Bunch." They saw weakness and the opportunity to attack.

 

[Carbon 6]

At one time cabelas had a pretty good selection of muzzleloaders, they have been slowly dialing back over the decades. Bass pro has never been known for their muzzleloaders.
I expect bass pro to eventually either absorb cabelas or sell it. If you drive by cabelas and see them spiffing up the place, maybe re-paving the parking lot or installing a new sign or roof they are probably going to sell it.

The Brady bunch on the other hand, have done far more to help the gun industry than they have to destroy it.

 

[mjpchief]

Even some of the better gun supply websites like midway have stepped up the rules. I ordered a traditions kit last fall and they wouldn't ship it to Illinois. In illinois blackpowder guns dont require FFL or waiting period but they wouldn't do it even with a box of wood, steel and parts. Not even close to a shootable gun at that point

In Illinois all black powder firearms now come under the same laws as any modern firearm.

I think the only gun you can buy without a foid card is a daisy red rider.

 

[lb94]

In Illinois all black powder firearms now come under the same laws as any modern firearm.

The FFLs that several auction companies in my area use say otherwise. All guns other than airguns and blackpowder require the waiting period but blackpowder you get to go home with that day

 

[mjpchief]

The FFLs that several auction companies in my area use say otherwise. All guns other than airguns and blackpowder require the waiting period but blackpowder you get to go home with that day

Every black powder rifle I have bought in the last two years required a foid card and a waiting period

 

[Henry2357]

Yes, I was surprised to see that neither BP or Cabelas will ship and that's too bad, I guess they will lose my business in that way. I have always like Cabelas and Bass Pro as kind of an attraction when in the area, which is many miles away from me. Will this stop me from stopping in when in the area, no but, I guess it's Dixie for my orders.

 

[fourbore]

I think the problem is keeping up with all the individual state restrictions. This is real. You think you can just pack up you ML and ship to anyone? Can you spell felony? I will cut cabelas a little slack on this one. The inconvenience of pickup should be in part offset by saved shipping costs. But hey, cutting off ones nose for spite is a hall mark of the gun owner. Boycott the whole world.

I am also dis satisfied with the post Bass Pro cabelas. That is price and selection issue. I still go in and buy or dont. I like the gun library, even if a purchase is a rare event. More competition the better. The world got smaller when walmart restricted ammo. I would miss cableas if they were gone. I bring my dog into cabelas. I chat with staff and customers. Its a good time for me.

 

[Howard Pippin]

Yes, I was surprised to see that neither BP or Cabelas will ship and that's too bad, I guess they will lose my business in that way. I have always like Cabelas and Bass Pro as kind of an attraction when in the area, which is many miles away from me. Will this stop me from stopping in when in the area, no but, I guess it's Dixie for my orders.

Good Morning. Just bought a new percussion from Midway USA, and they ship.

 

[mushka]

We have a Sportsman's warehouse here in Yuma that has a huge inventory of everything outdoorsy except bp rifles. They have a about dozen unmentionable front stuffers hanging on the wall and not a single sidelock. It doesn't carry real black powder either. Disappoints me. As far as Cabelas or other the closest is in Phoenix, 180 some odd miles away.

 

[VADSLRAM]

BP is becoming harder and harder to find because it is explosive. In VA there are some pretty wierd restrictions on storage like it has to be stored in a wooden container?? There is only 1 gun shop in the area that still carries BP. They all carry smokeless and the BP subs.
The Bass Pro here only has 1 BP for sale and it's an inline (puke) The guy behind the counter told me it's been there as long as he had been working and I was the first person to ask him about anything BP. Black guns and 9mm... well they can't keep them on the shelves. That really spells the end of availability.
I guess I'll keep going to the gun fair in PA to get my stuff and info. http://www.dixonmuzzleloading.com/

 

[Bad Karma]

Maybe the people of Sydney should not have put all their eggs in one basket. And how could the greedy so and so from NYC pull this off unless the greedy so and so’s from Cabela’s office didnt have the company up for sale?

If you’ve ever been to Sydney, NE, you’d quickly realize there just aren’t many baskets for your eggs. WRT the hostile takeover, we’ll, that’s what it was.

 

[Ames]

I have enough guns I've made, no waiting period. Don't plan on any more. I have enough lead and molds to outlast me in my years. I have enough holy black here to never think about it.
I'll grab a couple thousand magnum caps this year for the couple of cappers I have.
After that, I don't care anymore what the two giants do. I have no need for them.