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Take a look at Bass Pro Shops Fine Gun Room. Search Lefever. They have around 1/2 dozen Nitro Specials. Not a one is priced under 3K (that's $3000.00). Am I missing something?

Marc

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

If they renamed the room the prices could be raised higher Rolling Eyes

Only the very top end models in great shape are worth the big bucks Wink

At least Greedy Mountain knocks 50 bucks off their used guns once in a while Embarassed

Member Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 161 Location: New Mexico

Crimminey! I picked up a 20 ga. Nitro this week in 90% in trade for a cut down A-5 with a Cutts and pellet holes in the stock and forend... and came out $50 bucks ahead on the deal!

I have been to their Fine Gun Room here in Denver and everything that I saw there was overpriced for even pristine guns. And in many cases, the guns were in about 85%. Go figure. Shocked

I have never been to impressed with Bass Pro here north of us in Auburn, NY. Lots of overpriced outdoor clothes that are crap. Dick's just north of Ithaca is the worse I have ever seen for service but occasionally has some ammo for a good price. That is if you don't have to ask for any assistance.

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Serious gun guys know better and don't buy from those guys.

BUT they do serve a market for guys that don't know better or have the money but not the time needed to hunt down a better deal.

My only problem with their strategy is that they create the impression that the market price for some of these guns is higher than it really is, which can fuel an upward spiral.

Jeff

last spring I was in Ft Worth, had a little time to kill before flight out, and drove the rental up to bass pro, I too was shocked by the inflated prices on everything they had (referring to the "fine gun room"), I don't remember even a really fair price, it was all steep. I bought my Nitro (1929, thanks for dating it for me, revdoc), for 325 bucks off the used gun rack at our local sporting goods store.... that's a tad over 10% of the alleged price offered at bass pro.... they MUST know what they are doing...... blue books aren't scarce.... I agree, I hope it doesn't further inflate prices before we can all load up on what we are needing.... Very Happy

Duncan

You are so right when it comes to their pricing. I have been watching to see if some day they will really want to sell one of their Beretta's. Their pricing on older SxS models is far from the blue book or auction sight sales. They have been selling an old 12g box lock for over $2000. dollars where most are sold for half of that. Then a 20g from 1960 at almost $3000. dollars. Once again about twice the going selling prices. I look but I sure don't take them seriously and sure don't buy from them.
Best,
Ron

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

So do you think Cabelas is any better?? Have been to several, and I don't see any difference-most of its overpriced. I think in some cases folks will be from a store out of fear of buying privately.

Are not, Bass Pro, Cabela's, and D B Dunn's all connected now? I once uploaded D B dunn's gun room and got Cabela's. Like father, like child. The only thing to do is walk in look around, have a laughing spasm, and walk out. Works for me. Wink

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

Well I can tell you one difference I've found between Cabela's and Bass Pro.
At least Cabela's will deal on the price at times. Bass Pro had a gun I was interested in a while back. They wanted top dollar for it. I watched it sit on their site for 6 months. I finally called and asked about it. Mentioned that it had been there for a while, guy said he'd have to check with his manager to see if they could do the price I offered.
Manager got on the phone and said they would not discount the gun. Didn't care how long it was sitting there. Wouldn't take any $$ off it.

Oh well, it sat there quite a while longer. Don't know if they ever sold it.

On the other hand, I've found some real nice classic guns at Cabela's and have been able to deal with The Gun Library people. Very Happy

Ever been to a Scheels? There is one on I-80 near Cedar Rapids, Iowa that I stop into when travelling to my parents in Kansas City. They often have some pretty good finds there for Bluebook or less prices.

All the big sporting mega-marts have some crazy prices on used/vintage guns but they tend to sell them anyway. They obviously make their money on the new gun purchases. Sometimes I think the "Gun Library" is 50% museum and 50% retail store. It ranks up there with the big fish tank!

There is a Dicks Sports near me and I think they have sold themselves short on the type of guns they carry and the target market in our area. Completely bottom of the line in every category it seems. I don't know that they have a single gun over $999.00. The funny thing is that they carry pretty high end golf clubs at $2000.00 Irons and $600 Woods. The management must think that hunters and shooters are a bunch of redneck hayseeds that wouldn't buy a higher end gun. I can't imagine that the margin is any good on a $450 O/U compared to a $2500 one.

Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 694 Location: MN

What % of hunters are going to spend more than $5-750 for a gun? Very few care about what they're carrying-its more about shooting. One of the worse businesses you coulp possibly get into is selling guns. There are too many and its just a mattr of waiting til someone has to sell. If you're patient, you will always get what you want at your price (within reason). Guns are a buyers market.

Regrettably I agree with you that the average HUNTER will not spend "big bucks" on their guns.Their looking for a reliable functioning tool...period.

However I think a lot of folks would be surprised by the number and market size of "shooter/collectors" that are out there. When I started collecting vintage SXS's I thought dropping a couple grand on a gun was a big deal.
Yeah right. I was/am floored by the number of people and frequency that are dropping 10,20,30k on SXS's every day.

The real sad thing is that the internet had illiminated almost all reason for the upscale brick and mortar guy to keep a shop open.