Bass Pro; The Good Bad and Ugly

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  • dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    Sometimes I just have to see and handle the rifle or shotgun in person, and I can't always find one to rent or borrow, so I have to go to a place like Bass Pro. One problem with Bas Pro is they will push what they need to sell; not what fits you best. I think if you go in realizing that it's ok. Make a plan of what you want and stick to it. The sales staff are also under pressure to not spend too much time with a customer (one of them actually told me that). I just keep pressing until I am ready; if that's a problem I walk.

    One nice thing about Bass Pro is you never know when you will see a nice rifle or shotgun with a red tag reduced price, which is unadvertised. So I will go there and window shop from time to time.

    One the other hand; One thing that really pisses me off are the 10% off of your purchase offers with fine print that states "no firearms". And don't count on the sales staff to point that fine print out to you, even if they know it. They do not want to jeopardize a sale.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    On the ugly...the really long wait times at the gun counter many days. Granted it was the Monday after Thanksgiving, but doing the 4473 and taking my/my kids Savage Rascal out of there (ordered online 2 weeks before) took just over 2 hours. Most was the initial wait. I was 5th in line and it took just over an hour. Then the form and what not took an hour.

    Last time I had done a 4473 was at BBP and it took them...oh, maybe 10 or 12 minutes for the 4473 and walk out with my receiver (SR25).

    Not sure why all that is so damn hard. Interestingly they just handed it over with some tape on the box to close it. No walk of shame or anything.

    I know I got the rifle for my kids and it feels a bit like shooting a red ryder BB gun for me (I am 6’1” and 14” LOP is comfortable)...but it is silly fun.

    Anyway, not a fan of BPS for buying guns (well, buying anything really).
     

    DutchV

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 8, 2012
    4,702
    They took a special order of mine once, then lost it, and tried to keep the money by saying "no refunds on guns" after they'd dithered around for six weeks. (I did get the refund.)

    No thanks.
     

    Meho1277

    Member
    Oct 18, 2018
    31
    I went there to look at a hk vp9sk, they didn't have one, asked if they could get one, i was told " i dont know", gave my name and number and what i was interested in, this was a saturday, on following wednesday I called, was told they were waiting for a call from their distributor, I went to a different local gun shop that very day, they didnt have one, they ordered one, had it the following monday, did paperwork, picked it up the following tuesday. I have never, to this very day, recieved a call from bass pro about this firearm.
     

    Racer Doug14

    Thread killer
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Feb 22, 2013
    8,003
    Millers Maryland
    I still dont get why people on this forum buy firearms from BP. Almost always, a PITA. The other stuff they have can sometimes be worth it, ammo and clothes. Cabelas sucks too,for guns. Both are a long drive to get to for me. Otherwise I'd probably get sucked into the gun counter toilet bowl.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    If you think of a trip to BPS as a trip to Home Despot on a Saturday morning, you will have real expectations. It's just another big box store. Nothing more.
    As far as sales go, they usually code off the last two digits on the price tag(×××.97, xxx.99, xxx.95, etc). I usually assume the item I have in mind will NOT qualify. That's just my luck.

    If it is personalized service you seek at BPS, go in there any week day between opening and 2pm. You will have all the time and space you demand.

    I don't go often, maybe once every couple years. I hate crowds. When I do go, it's during a week day.

    Remember, it is merely one more big box store.
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I didn’t know that red tags denote unadvertised specials. I’m not a Bass Pro fan, and don’t get in there much, but when there I’ll have to pay more attention.

    Thanks for the education!

    It's kind of random and the firearm in question may or may not be what you want. I picked up a Thompson/Center Icon several years ago for a REALLY good deal (a very underrated rifle IMHO). But how many guys here like Thompson Center?
     

    INMY01TA

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 29, 2008
    5,816
    Never bought a gun there but they do have some nice rifles. Bergara BMP, Bergara Premier LRP, Tikka Tac1, and a few more I have yet to find anywhere else. All in one place. If I were in the market for one of these I’d give em some consideration.
     

    geda

    Active Member
    Dec 24, 2017
    550
    cowcounty
    I wanted to buy a new marlin 1895 45-70 and did not mind getting a remlin, but I wanted to cycle the action before buying. None of my normal gun stores stocked these, and there were no gun shows I could make it to for a few months. I stopped by BassPro in Arundel Mills one day after work for archery supplies and they had 3 1895s in stock. I got a ticket, waited my turn, they took it off the shelf, let me hold it, but the action was quick tied shut, and they refused to take it off. I said, "I will buy this right now if you let me cycle it a few times to make sure it isnt defective which is a known issue with this brand". Apparently store or company policy prevents them removing the quick tie in the store. So I left without the gun. I do not think I have ever bought a non special order or gunbroker gun without cycling it a few times. That is one of the key advantages of a brick and mortar store. I got a pretty much new JM marlin at a gun show a few months later, could not be happier.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I wanted to buy a new marlin 1895 45-70 and did not mind getting a remlin, but I wanted to cycle the action before buying. None of my normal gun stores stocked these, and there were no gun shows I could make it to for a few months. I stopped by BassPro in Arundel Mills one day after work for archery supplies and they had 3 1895s in stock. I got a ticket, waited my turn, they took it off the shelf, let me hold it, but the action was quick tied shut, and they refused to take it off. I said, "I will buy this right now if you let me cycle it a few times to make sure it isnt defective which is a known issue with this brand". Apparently store or company policy prevents them removing the quick tie in the store. So I left without the gun. I do not think I have ever bought a non special order or gunbroker gun without cycling it a few times. That is one of the key advantages of a brick and mortar store. I got a pretty much new JM marlin at a gun show a few months later, could not be happier.

    With few exceptions, yes. I am fine if you want to block/tie off trigger, action, whatever on display, but in general I want to feel the trigger break and run the action a few times before I am willing to commit on any gun.

    Also why I know of one or two dealers at some of the guns shows I will never buy from as they don’t allow you to do that. Period. No exceptions. Sorry, especially on a used gun, not going to happen without me fully inspecting it. I get why it’s too hard to take one to the range before committing to buy the gun in question, but you wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it a little.

    I’d make an exception for something where that isn’t an issue, like buying a receiver. Or something on deep sale and with a warranty I know the company will stand behind (why I got the Rascal without trying it at all).
     

    kaliroger

    Active Member
    Jul 20, 2018
    473
    Frederick County, MD
    A Bass Pro in Tennessee had an indoor pistol range and lots of pistols for sale! That was nice to see even though I could not use it since they had no rentals or buy the handguns since I did not have a TN drivers licensee!(
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    the action was quick tied shut, and they refused to take it off ...

    I tried out three shotguns at BP and fortunately I was able to open and close over an under, and shoulder them. But yeah - you can't try the trigger and that could be a deal breaker if you need to try it out. Good point.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    Unfortunately, the only locally owned Benelli dealer close to me on this side of the river was closing so it was off to Cabela's. They're $300 under list price on the Benelli and Beretta shotguns I bought.
     

    shmuel2004

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jun 1, 2016
    140
    Pikesville, MD
    They're prices suck and it's spread to cabelas. Guns and ammo. Cabelas used to have some good ammo deals, plus discounted gift cards with free shipping and no sales tax. Now u gotta pay sales tax and their prices went up.
     

    JakeThePit

    Member
    Mar 11, 2018
    32
    On the ugly...the really long wait times at the gun counter many days.

    The wait is a deal breaker. I went about a month ago on a Saturday, was #11 in line. Looked like there were 4 people behind the counter, so figured it might not be that long of a wait. WRONG. Waited 40 minutes, they had only called 2 numbers, 2 of the counter people had disappeared. I left.

    There was a very out of place looking man and woman at the counter looking at binoculars. They were already looking at them when I walked up and they were there the entire time I was.

    In spite of a long, long line, they looked at about 20 pairs, then told the Bass Pro employee that they were "just starting to look" and left without buying anything.

    I suspect that they were actually there for the explicit purpose of slowing down the counter to prevent gun sales.
     

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