16ga.com ~ View topic - Adventures of a tire kicker II or "So how soon do you..

Handling the phone relays between my shop & Cabelas on that Ranger - I keep getting asked "how soon do you need it?" on either end.

I keep thinking, "Right the fawk now would be nice." but end up saying politely, "The end of the week would be good."

And what kind of shop doesn't have a FAX machine? :banghead:

I have a related story; hope it's OK here, as it's about a 20ga.

I went round and round with those Cabela's guys on a Fulton 20ga they had listed. It was in Mitchell, SD and I emailed to ask if they could send it to KC. Never heard; emailed again. Never heard; called. Had to leave a message. Then I got an email saying it would be sent to KC. I emailed back saying I just wanted to know IF they could send it to KC; maybe I'd rather have it sent to me, and not to send it without talking to me first. Never heard. Then I got an email saying it had been sent with my name on it and should be there; call KC.

Called. Nobody knew anything about it, they'd have to call me back. They called; it was there, and according to them, with no name or instructions. Asked if they could hold it for couple days til I could get there. They acted a little peeved, but said OK. Wife and I make pilgrimage to KC (about 2-1/2 hours). Walk in, tell them they're holding a gun for me. Blank stare. Relate some details; no reaction. See guy's name tag, realize he is the guy I talked to on the phone. Tell him my name, relate (again) details of our conversation, and describe the gun. Another blank stare. Says he'll go in back and see if he can find it.

Comes out with the gun. Nice Fulton Hunter Special, looks good, locks up tight, et al. Notice that the replacement butt plate looks like it has been cut out with a chain saw, and that the stock has been beveled with a chisel trying to match the undersized butt plate. Point it out to the genius waiting on me; no reaction. Tell him it would have been nice if they'd mentioned that in the description; might have saved me a trip. Blank stare III. Tell him I'll look around a bit and think about it.

Buy some fly fishing stuff that I was going to order anyway, thereby saving the shipping. Go back, tell the guy the price is a bit high considering the stock. Ask him if he can do any better. He looks on computer (surprised that he knows how to work it!); says "That's about the best I can do." I have brought a decent little Stevens 20ga with me; ask him about a trade. "Oh sure," he says, without looking at it. "Probably worth about a hundred." Have already looked on their rack and have seen several Stevens not as nice as mine that are priced at $350+.

Go out and talk to wife. She says walk away. Says she can tell that I'm disappointed and that it's not what I really want. Tell her that the only other gun I'm interested in is a Sterlingworth 20ga for about twice the price of the Fulton. She say "If that's what you really want, I think you should get it." I do not go back to the bozo in the Gun Library. Walk to the front door, thanking God for this woman and realizing, for the umpteeth time in the 36 years that we've been married, how lucky I am.

On the way home, she says "You were thinking about buying that gun even though it wasn't what you really wanted, weren't you?" Sheepishly, I nod. I tell her the Futon is half the price of the Sterlingworth. Her response: "So?"

The next day, send the check for the Sterlingworth. When it comes it's eveything the seller says it would be. Show it to her. She says, in that way that only a wife who is much loved can, "It's nice. Is it what you want?" I tell her that it is. "Good," she says, and she means it.

Fin

Fin:

Can relate. never fails, I find some gun I want and then get outbid or wait and go back and it is gone (usually since I can't buy anything except when it goes on sale). Each and every time I tell the BOSS and she says "want it buy it!" followed by "why did you wait - if you can afford it and like it, buy it) after my explanation that it is gone already for $5.00 more than I offered or that I did not act fast enough. Can't tell you how much I am grateful that the BOSS is intereseted and supportive.

revdocdrew - after telling her that mom-in-laws birthday funds went for Ms. Guild tonight, the BOSS asked me point-blank "didn't I need a new safe Question

to put it and other guns in" I darn near fell out of the recliner. We even discussed where to put it. Gotta love her - great woman.

Any ideas on a new safe - specifically for 16 gauge guns????

Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 16 Location: North of Phoenix

Visited Cabela's in Glendale the other day. Walked into the Gun Library and felt like I had found the Holy Grail, at least until Cabela Bob opened his mouth and told me that the AYA Corals were really Merkels with spanish proofmarks.
So..., I've decided that it's a good place to go and drool, figure out what I like and then find and buy it elsewhere.

But I'm still confused by the spanish Merkels.

It's kinda funny - my original message isn't about bashing Cabelas, it's more about my impatience.

I mean, I've been looking at this thing every day for about 2 sweeks (since the first thread started) and once I made the descision to get it, well hurry up and ship the durn thing wouldja?

new toy syndrome.

and yes Bustingclays, I too need another safe - I'm gonna sort them by shogun/rifle though - a bunch of .22 and assorted shotguns...

Unfortunately, Cabela's is in the same boat with any other department store gun department. They are forced to hire at customary shop clerk rates from among the "great unwashed" as P T Barnum so succinctly, if somewhat indelicately put it.

We regulars at this web site are undoubtedly among the most knowledgable gun buyers on the planet. I'm not trying to toot my own horn here ( well, actually, I am Laughing

), but it appears its true. So don't be too discouraged by the deer in the headlights looks we get when we ask an informed question or make an accurate observation.

Just stick to what you already know to be true, and don't let some ignorant yahoo tick you off or get stampeded by the latest line of crap these (I)- heads are spoon fed to blurb out anytime they are faced with a question they don't have a clue how to answer. These poor souls we call clerks are hired in an ignorant state, by ignorant supervisors who dictate policy and discourage actual thinking. It saves on the effort of actually training these dopes, who will most likely be gone to a better paying positon at the first opportunity anyway. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, you were faced with a clerk that forgot most of his lines. He did what he was trained to do; he fell back on dumb silence and the usual and customary, "how in hell should I know" stare--always a winner by corporate standards.

In short, don't let ignorant fools bust your chops or tick you off with BS. Just walk away from a bad deal or the latest stupidly designed, overpriced offering and buy only smart. It's just part of the process.

So, chins up gentlemen; once more into the breech and all that rot.... Rolling Eyes

.

I'm not bashing Cabela's; I like a lot of their stuff and will contined to do business there. I am bashing their employees a little. I'm in sales, and when I have a potential customer I do everything I can to earn their business. It seemed like these guys did everything they could to run me off (and they succeeded!). I guess they make their $8.00 an hour (or whatever they make) whether anybody buys anything or not; the Big Box mentality.

I probably should thank them; they did me a favor. I ended up with the gun I really wanted; had they been more helpful/cooperative I probably would have bought the Fulton. It was a nice gun but not as nice as my Sterlingworth, IMHbutprejudicedO Very Happy

!

Fin

Fin, obviously you are a professional. The (I)-head clerk at Cabela's is not. (Geez I love that little icon, its so precise. Laughing

) You, and not they, were the one that did yourself a favor. You used your knowledge and intelligence to your best advantage. I applaude you.Well done. We all should follow suit.

I too buy from Cabela's. I also reject any obvious garbage and keep only what appears to be good stuff at a fair price. The older and more experienced I become, the easier it is to judge good stuff from junk and good deals from bad ones. I've learned that as much as overpriced stuff of decent quality is still no bargain, bargain priced junk is still junk. Shame on me if this were not so.

Cabela's is really no different from any store. They sell whatever they can at the most profitable price they can get. It is now, and always will be Caveat Emptor. BE wise, buy smart...live long and prosper.. you can lead a fool to water, but he'll probably drown his poor horse...or something like that. Wink

Also - when you get the attention of the shipper - make the payment arriangements so you don't have to play phone tag and/or wait a whole week before they actually ship the gun out once the FFL license from your shop of preference arrives...

picking it up today - gonna give it a thurough inspection this weekend

yeah, I'm excited.

It's in hand - I am not disappointed

Thank you to those gentlemen I have had correspondence with over this gun. The advise and information was very helpful and appreciated.

I'm gonna put a few rounds through it this weekend and do a little write up.