I went and bought a new Blue Book yesterday, my old one was 5 years old. I have been looking at a couple of Kimber 375's on Cabelas. It would appear that(no surprise) they are quite high compared to what the book says. Looking further, it seems that they possibly influence the prices that many of the other on-line dealers ask. I realize that they can ask whatever price they want, but it seems like the market is artificially being driven up. I had been noticing this over the last few years, like many, when thinking about buying a gun, I would go online and research the going rate. It seems that the prices are spiraling based on Internet dealer pricing, not necessarily market demand. I realize, in a market driven economy, that this should self level, but it appears to me that some of these big dealers are being opportunistic at the risk of their credibility to knowlegable consumers. I'm not trying to start anything, this is just something I have been noticing and wonder how others feel.I may be all wet, but this is how it appears to me.

I have it on good authority that there is a good margin for negotiation at Cabelas in the used Gun Libraries. I mean they will dicker, If; you get the right guy on the right gun. And, if you dont, you may get screwed. Ive not tried this out yet, so FWIW.

I did look at doing a Cabelas trade-in and I was not happy. I generally expect to loose big time on a cash sale, but many places will treat you very well for a credit or even offer a consignment. Not Cabelas. I would guess they are doing 100% markup? No biggie. Gun buyers are a shrinking demographic and this is a real bad economy. It is easy to move on and shop at smaller more flexible places.

IMHO and IMHO only- The real money is the accessories that follow a sale. I think some your worst pikers on a gun purchase fall over over them selves like a woman buying shoes and purse to outfit the gun after. I should be worth running a sale and getting the buyer in the store spending.

Well another thing, Cabelas is always mailing out these $20,$30,$50 coupons. That tells you right there the whole store pricing is padded by 10%.

They are successful, hard too argue with success.

I've never figured out Cabela's gun pricing. When the one opened in Fort Worth, I was very excited. The gun library plus the regular used racks gave me plenty to look at. But then I saw the price tags.

Wow. Rust on the gun, but the price is within $20 of new. Condition is awful, but priced like a 95% gun. It's got a Simmons scope on it, so the price is increased $150. They are living in fantasy land.

But so are some other shops. There's one in a town south of Fort Worth just off the I35W that tried to sell me a used gun and scope combination for more than I could buy them new for. Uh, yeah, right.

Fourbore is probably right. Maybe there's enough people out there that see a gun and start drooling that they can do this, but they don't get my money....

LWD

Lee, put that blue book to good use....throw it in your wood burner and get something out of it. That book means nothing. As for Cabelas, the only ways you are going to dicker on pricing is if it is a high dollar gun and they can afford to drop down a few hundred, OR if they have had it in their system for longer than 90 days. Typically, if it is a high dollar gun, say 3000.00 plus, they will shift it from one store to another to get it in front of a variety of customers. Lower dollar guns it don't pay to do this so that is where you get some negotiating leverage...but it needs to be there for 90+ days first. I have done a fair amount of buying from Cabelas in my area the the past 4 years and there are real deals there believe me....but you have to be there to get them....you can't stop in 1x a month and expect to get these deals as they are in someone elses gun safe quickly. I stop in my local Cabelas at least 1x and mostly 2x a week so I get to see more good deals than I have $$ for, but you have to know what the market price structure is. Sometimes I will see what looks to be a good deal, but am not certain, so I go right home and do 10 minutes worth of research and if its as good as I thought(or better) I call for them to hold it for 5 days while I make up my mind. That 5 days helps to shield you from impulse buying, which we are all guilty of sometimes. For sure, Cabelas does not drive the gun sale markets and believe it or not...Cabelas does a lot of buying from the internet sites. Some dealers on the internet are just fools...plain and simple.

LWD, pricing at Cabelas is very dependant on the competency of the "gun" people at that particular store, with some being better than others. Most hunters use their guns like a tool and don't worry if there is a few nicks on the wood or a bit of rust on the barrel as they are looking to save 40-50 bucks...whereas there are those that think entirely different...there is no right or wrong.

Like my Pappaw always said, something is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it. We are living in the Ebay society.

The only reason brick and mortar gun shops still exist is the 68 GCA. When was the last time you saw a camera or record store?

I think of Cabelas and their ilk like the car show, you only go to check out fit. And pick up powder and primers.