Trigger-Locked Guns at Cabelas

JDBerg · October 22, 2018, 06:09 PM

There was a nice BHP Mk II for sale in the Gun Library at one of the local Cabelas. The first time I saw the gun, I nicely asked the attendant if I could remove the lock to check the trigger and see whether the mag disconnect was still on the gun. The attendant advised me that the trigger locks stay on all the guns until they are sold.

I was told that there was an incident at one of their stores where a customer grabbed an unlocked gun and then loaded a round into the gun and committed suicide.

So now every Cabelas firearm in their stores has a trigger lock that stays with the gun until it’s sold. Cabelas employees are not permitted to remove the lock for any reason. You must buy the gun and then properly inspect the gun once you leave the store with the firearm and remove the lock.

When I first saw the BHP Mk II i thought that I woul’t buy a gun without first dry-firing it to check the trigger, and cycling the action by cocking & dropping the hammer, the typical GS tire-kicking routine.

So the 2nd time I went back to the store and I saw the gun again. I decided to argue for a discount since I couldn’t dry-fire the gun before I bought it, and therefore there was no way to properly inspect this used gun. So I was able to negotiate $75.00 off the $599.00 ticket price, and was given a 2-pronged key that unscrewed the lock into 2 pieces. I was told that I had to take the gun out of the store before I could remove the lock.

Turns out everything on this Mk II is intact, there is only minor holster wear on this gun, internally it doesn’t show wear. The mag disconnect is still on the gun and it has to come off to improve that SA trigger. So I got myself a nice Hi-Power Mk II shooter at a decent price.

I’m wondering how many people will buy firearms from Cabelas if they can’t first dry fire & cycle the gun they’re interested in?

fightthenoise01 · October 22, 2018, 06:34 PM

I bought a mode 70 extreme weather and got the same explanation. Shot himself under the chin at the gun counter. Had to have made a hell of a mess. The clerk told me if I didn’t like the gun after I got it home and inspected it, they will process a full refund. They just have to raise hell to do it, but they will do it. The gun shoots great.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

FITASC · October 22, 2018, 06:46 PM

That "POLICY" is a BASS policy, not a former Cabela's one

Dufus · October 22, 2018, 06:53 PM

I bought a pistol from Academy last year. No locks, but the associate told me if I pull the trigger, the transaction was over and he would put the gun away. He stated store policy.

NoSecondBest · October 22, 2018, 07:44 PM

Over the years I have had Cabela's take back several guns from me and give me a full refund. The reasons for asking for the refunds was acceptable to them and they did so with no argument at all. I have nothing negative to say about Cabela's refund or exchange policies. I've been doing business with them for over forty years.

FrankenMauser · October 22, 2018, 08:40 PM

Quote:

I’m wondering how many people will buy firearms from Cabelas if they can’t first dry fire & cycle the gun they’re interested in?

I won't pay their ridiculous prices, anyway. Adding an additional level of irritation does not improve matters.

**Spats McGee** · October 23, 2018, 04:58 AM

For the right price, I would. Then again, maybe I'm not picky enough about triggers, so long as they make the gun go bang.

NoSecondBest · October 23, 2018, 08:00 AM

You're kidding yourself it you think you're going to get a target grade trigger on an off the shelf gun to begin with. The trigger weights and smoothness are going to vary to a large degree. If you want the gun, buy it and then worry about the trigger. Any trigger can be improved upon after you get the gun.....if necessary. Spats McGee's response is about perfect regarding this subject. If you are picky, do a trigger job after you get it.

FrankenMauser · October 23, 2018, 10:25 AM

Quote:

You're kidding yourself it you think you're going to get a target grade trigger on an off the shelf gun to begin with. The trigger weights and smoothness are going to vary to a large degree. If you want the gun, buy it and then worry about the trigger. Any trigger can be improved upon after you get the gun.....if necessary. Spats McGee's response is about perfect regarding this subject. If you are picky, do a trigger job after you get it.

Don't forget about checking to see if the handgun functions properly - if at all. Doing so requires operating the trigger.

Would you buy a double-action revolver if you couldn't access the trigger for inspection and function testing?...

Sharkbite · October 23, 2018, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Would you buy a double-action revolver if you couldn't access the trigger for inspection and function testing?...

ABSOLUTELY not. Hammer push off, proper lock up, things like that must be inspected on a used revolver.

Cheapshooter · October 23, 2018, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Over the years I have had Cabela's take back several guns from me and give me a full refund. The reasons for asking for the refunds was acceptable to them and they did so with no argument at all. I have nothing negative to say about Cabela's refund or exchange policies. I've been doing business with them for over forty years.

38 of which they were not owned by Bass Pro Shop owner Johnny Morris. New boss, new rules. Only the name remains to protect the investment.

NoSecondBest · October 23, 2018, 12:25 PM

Quote:

38 of which they were not owned by Bass Pro Shop owner Johnny Morris. New boss, new rules. Only the name remains to protect the investment.

Please share your own personal experience with Cabela's regarding this issue? It's sad how people like to use the internet simply to post negative comments or get on a soap box to share their perception of a negative interaction with a company. If we all listened to this stuff and quit buying from each and every place someone complained about we wouldn't have anywhere left to shop. If someone were keeping a list I think every business out there would be on it by now.

RickB · October 23, 2018, 12:30 PM

Imagine a used car lot, with locks on the steering wheels of every car; you can remove the lock after you buy the car and tow it from the lot.

At the same time, you definitely do not usually get to "test drive" a gun before buying, so adjusting to including the quality of the trigger into a post-purchase test isn't a big deal, as long as the seller accepts "I don't like the trigger" as a legitimate reason to refund the purchase price and get a used gun in the process.

K_Mac · October 23, 2018, 12:58 PM

Many buy new and used guns using the internet. If the gun does not perform as sold, then there is a process that allows the problem be resolved. I have no problem with Cabela's policy. Like Spats I'm not too picky about triggers and have reasonable expectations when buying new or used. There are a couple of fairly local shops that I would not buy from because of their business practices regardless of price. I'm happy to have choices.

aarondhgraham · October 23, 2018, 03:18 PM

I ran into the same thing at Bass Pro in OK City,,,
Used revolver that I was interested in.

The clerk gave me the same spiel you got,,,
I just quietly asked for a manager and told him,,,
I have cash in hand but I won't consider a gun I can't check out.

The managers can do what they need to make a sale,,,
So he unlocked the trigger guard,,,
And let me check the gun.

All I had to do was be firm but polite.

Aarond

.

Cheapshooter · October 23, 2018, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Please share your own personal experience with Cabela's

I have had excellent experiences with Cabela's. Not so much with BPS who now owns Cabela's. The joke when BPS bought them was "Now, they'll have to raise the prices, and remove some stock to be part of Bass Pro". Where I haven't seen it yet, there have been changes.

JDBerg · October 23, 2018, 05:22 PM

Some of us “Old” (pick one) a)”Timers” or b)”Farts” frankly don’t want to buy much of anything off the internet other than what we absolutely have to. I really need to check out a piece like this 30 year old BHP Mk II before I buy it. So I have trust issues to make certain I didn’t get burned with a pistol that was butchered by a dropout from the Acme Correspondence School of Gunsmithing, been fried before. I got lucky with this one!

TXAZ · October 23, 2018, 05:29 PM

I was at the Allen Texas Cabela's last summer, and had no problem handling numerous compact handguns and pulling most of the triggers. (Maybe it's different in Texas...?)

Bottom Gun · October 23, 2018, 07:03 PM

In my experience, triggers can vary greatly from one gun to the next even with the same model. If I buy one, I would want a trigger that is acceptable to me and not one that will simply make the gun function.
How do you examine a used revolver if you can’t access the trigger?
On that note, I wouldn’t buy one if I couldn’t test the trigger.

hornetguy · October 23, 2018, 10:00 PM

To TX AZ about the Allen Cabelas....

No...their policy has recently changed. I live about 5 minutes from that store, and was in it a couple of days ago. All triggers are locked, and they will not remove them. I got the same story about a customer doing the suicide thing at a BPS. No more trigger checking at Cabelas.
This is not a deal breaker for me... I simply wanted to try some triggers on a couple of different 9mm's....

Instead, I drove about 10 minutes to a local gun shop, tried out the ones I wanted, and ended up buying a use one from them.

mete · October 23, 2018, 10:28 PM

You've
done the smart thing .If you can't get service in one store find another that will !!
Demand service and proper business procedures. I had a problem recently where a couple of phone messages were not returned. I went to another source got immediate and proper service and will never try the other company again !

YankeeIronSights · October 24, 2018, 03:58 AM

My local Cabelas recently adopted this policy and all sales are final. No returns allowed. You buy as is. This new policy is unacceptable.

As a matter of principle, I will not buy another firearm at Cabelas, until they revise this absurd policy.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Spats McGee** · October 24, 2018, 05:49 AM

To be clear, the trigger lock issue would be much more problematic for me buying a used gun than it would a new one. As I've mentioned, I'm not all that fussy about a trigger, but if you coupled the "never, ever remove the trigger locks" with an absolute "no returns" policy, . . . Well, I'd probably still buy if the price was right, but the right price would have to be even more right.

LineStretcher · October 24, 2018, 07:03 AM

The sales associates at Cabelas have been coached on the suicide story, the real story is that they changed their policies after the Las Vegas shootings. Their Nevada store sold the nut case many of the rifles that were used. They are doing what they are doing to try to shake that off. I believe there are still several ambulance chaser civil suits pending. What's sad is many of those ambulance chasing lawyers are taking advantage of the victims which in my opinion should be a crime too.

USNRet93 · October 24, 2018, 08:34 AM

Hopefully you know something about 'that' firearm before going in there and not relying on a dry fire to help you make a buying decision. BUT the store is weighing legal issues vs sales stats. It's cheaper for them to lose some sales VS being sued by somebody for whatever reason..IMHO..It wouldn't keep me from buying there.

My local little gun store doesn't like people dry firing their new handguns either..I think it's kinda rude, particularly when you do so w/o asking.

October 22, 2018, 06:09 PM	#1
JDBerg Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2015 Location: PA Posts: 1,835	Trigger-Locked Guns at Cabelas There was a nice BHP Mk II for sale in the Gun Library at one of the local Cabelas. The first time I saw the gun, I nicely asked the attendant if I could remove the lock to check the trigger and see whether the mag disconnect was still on the gun. The attendant advised me that the trigger locks stay on all the guns until they are sold. I was told that there was an incident at one of their stores where a customer grabbed an unlocked gun and then loaded a round into the gun and committed suicide. So now every Cabelas firearm in their stores has a trigger lock that stays with the gun until it’s sold. Cabelas employees are not permitted to remove the lock for any reason. You must buy the gun and then properly inspect the gun once you leave the store with the firearm and remove the lock. When I first saw the BHP Mk II i thought that I woul’t buy a gun without first dry-firing it to check the trigger, and cycling the action by cocking & dropping the hammer, the typical GS tire-kicking routine. So the 2nd time I went back to the store and I saw the gun again. I decided to argue for a discount since I couldn’t dry-fire the gun before I bought it, and therefore there was no way to properly inspect this used gun. So I was able to negotiate $75.00 off the $599.00 ticket price, and was given a 2-pronged key that unscrewed the lock into 2 pieces. I was told that I had to take the gun out of the store before I could remove the lock. Turns out everything on this Mk II is intact, there is only minor holster wear on this gun, internally it doesn’t show wear. The mag disconnect is still on the gun and it has to come off to improve that SA trigger. So I got myself a nice Hi-Power Mk II shooter at a decent price. I’m wondering how many people will buy firearms from Cabelas if they can’t first dry fire & cycle the gun they’re interested in? __________________ Words to Live By: Before You Pray - Believe; Before You Speak - Listen; Before You Spend - Earn; Before You Write - Think; Before You Quit - Try; Before You Die - Live Last edited by JDBerg; October 23, 2018 at 03:35 AM.

October 22, 2018, 06:46 PM	#3
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	That "POLICY" is a BASS policy, not a former Cabela's one __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

October 23, 2018, 04:58 AM	#7
Spats McGee Staff Join Date: July 28, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 8,821	For the right price, I would. Then again, maybe I'm not picky enough about triggers, so long as they make the gun go bang. __________________ I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.

October 23, 2018, 12:30 PM	#13
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	Imagine a used car lot, with locks on the steering wheels of every car; you can remove the lock after you buy the car and tow it from the lot. At the same time, you definitely do not usually get to "test drive" a gun before buying, so adjusting to including the quality of the trigger into a post-purchase test isn't a big deal, as long as the seller accepts "I don't like the trigger" as a legitimate reason to refund the purchase price and get a used gun in the process. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

October 23, 2018, 12:58 PM	#14
K_Mac Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2010 Posts: 1,850	Many buy new and used guns using the internet. If the gun does not perform as sold, then there is a process that allows the problem be resolved. I have no problem with Cabela's policy. Like Spats I'm not too picky about triggers and have reasonable expectations when buying new or used. There are a couple of fairly local shops that I would not buy from because of their business practices regardless of price. I'm happy to have choices. __________________ "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin

October 22, 2018, 06:34 PM	#2
fightthenoise01 Member Join Date: January 14, 2017 Posts: 23	I bought a mode 70 extreme weather and got the same explanation. Shot himself under the chin at the gun counter. Had to have made a hell of a mess. The clerk told me if I didn’t like the gun after I got it home and inspected it, they will process a full refund. They just have to raise hell to do it, but they will do it. The gun shoots great. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

October 22, 2018, 06:53 PM	#4
Dufus Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2014 Posts: 1,965	I bought a pistol from Academy last year. No locks, but the associate told me if I pull the trigger, the transaction was over and he would put the gun away. He stated store policy.

October 22, 2018, 07:44 PM	#5
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	Over the years I have had Cabela's take back several guns from me and give me a full refund. The reasons for asking for the refunds was acceptable to them and they did so with no argument at all. I have nothing negative to say about Cabela's refund or exchange policies. I've been doing business with them for over forty years.

October 23, 2018, 08:00 AM	#8
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	You're kidding yourself it you think you're going to get a target grade trigger on an off the shelf gun to begin with. The trigger weights and smoothness are going to vary to a large degree. If you want the gun, buy it and then worry about the trigger. Any trigger can be improved upon after you get the gun.....if necessary. Spats McGee's response is about perfect regarding this subject. If you are picky, do a trigger job after you get it.

October 23, 2018, 03:18 PM	#15
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	I ran into the same thing at Bass Pro in OK City,,, Used revolver that I was interested in. The clerk gave me the same spiel you got,,, I just quietly asked for a manager and told him,,, I have cash in hand but I won't consider a gun I can't check out. The managers can do what they need to make a sale,,, So he unlocked the trigger guard,,, And let me check the gun. All I had to do was be firm but polite. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

October 23, 2018, 05:22 PM	#17
JDBerg Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2015 Location: PA Posts: 1,835	Some of us “Old” (pick one) a)”Timers” or b)”Farts” frankly don’t want to buy much of anything off the internet other than what we absolutely have to. I really need to check out a piece like this 30 year old BHP Mk II before I buy it. So I have trust issues to make certain I didn’t get burned with a pistol that was butchered by a dropout from the Acme Correspondence School of Gunsmithing, been fried before. I got lucky with this one! __________________ Words to Live By: Before You Pray - Believe; Before You Speak - Listen; Before You Spend - Earn; Before You Write - Think; Before You Quit - Try; Before You Die - Live

October 23, 2018, 05:29 PM	#18
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	I was at the Allen Texas Cabela's last summer, and had no problem handling numerous compact handguns and pulling most of the triggers. (Maybe it's different in Texas...?) __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

October 23, 2018, 07:03 PM	#19
Bottom Gun Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 1998 Location: Arizona Territory Posts: 1,092	In my experience, triggers can vary greatly from one gun to the next even with the same model. If I buy one, I would want a trigger that is acceptable to me and not one that will simply make the gun function. How do you examine a used revolver if you can’t access the trigger? On that note, I wouldn’t buy one if I couldn’t test the trigger. __________________ NRA Life Member Mechanical engineers have their moments.

October 23, 2018, 10:00 PM	#20
hornetguy Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2011 Location: on the north side of DFW Posts: 970	To TX AZ about the Allen Cabelas.... No...their policy has recently changed. I live about 5 minutes from that store, and was in it a couple of days ago. All triggers are locked, and they will not remove them. I got the same story about a customer doing the suicide thing at a BPS. No more trigger checking at Cabelas. This is not a deal breaker for me... I simply wanted to try some triggers on a couple of different 9mm's.... Instead, I drove about 10 minutes to a local gun shop, tried out the ones I wanted, and ended up buying a use one from them. __________________ I always felt that if I got to the point where I thought it was time to bury my firearms, it was actually time to pick them up..

October 23, 2018, 10:28 PM	#21
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	You've done the smart thing .If you can't get service in one store find another that will !! Demand service and proper business procedures. I had a problem recently where a couple of phone messages were not returned. I went to another source got immediate and proper service and will never try the other company again ! __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

October 24, 2018, 03:58 AM	#22
YankeeIronSights Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2012 Location: USA Posts: 261	My local Cabelas recently adopted this policy and all sales are final. No returns allowed. You buy as is. This new policy is unacceptable. As a matter of principle, I will not buy another firearm at Cabelas, until they revise this absurd policy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

October 24, 2018, 05:49 AM	#23
Spats McGee Staff Join Date: July 28, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 8,821	To be clear, the trigger lock issue would be much more problematic for me buying a used gun than it would a new one. As I've mentioned, I'm not all that fussy about a trigger, but if you coupled the "never, ever remove the trigger locks" with an absolute "no returns" policy, . . . Well, I'd probably still buy if the price was right, but the right price would have to be even more right. __________________ I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.

October 24, 2018, 07:03 AM	#24
LineStretcher Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2018 Posts: 619	The sales associates at Cabelas have been coached on the suicide story, the real story is that they changed their policies after the Las Vegas shootings. Their Nevada store sold the nut case many of the rifles that were used. They are doing what they are doing to try to shake that off. I believe there are still several ambulance chaser civil suits pending. What's sad is many of those ambulance chasing lawyers are taking advantage of the victims which in my opinion should be a crime too.

October 24, 2018, 08:34 AM	#25
USNRet93 Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2018 Location: Republic of Boulder, USA Posts: 1,475	Hopefully you know something about 'that' firearm before going in there and not relying on a dry fire to help you make a buying decision. BUT the store is weighing legal issues vs sales stats. It's cheaper for them to lose some sales VS being sued by somebody for whatever reason..IMHO..It wouldn't keep me from buying there. My local little gun store doesn't like people dry firing their new handguns either..I think it's kinda rude, particularly when you do so w/o asking. __________________ PhormerPhantomPhlyer "Tools not Trophies”