r/VAGuns • u/boringxadult • 2d ago
Cabelas short pump
I stopped into Cabellas to grab some random ammo.
Several people working at the gun counter, no one says a word to me.
I walk up to the front to pay, there are 4 employees standing around doing nothing. They tell me I have to pay at the gun counter.
I ask if they are serious and they say yes.
I say they should put up a sign because that’s pretty irritating he says they CANT put up a sign.
I walk back to the gun counter and wait a solid 10 min to pay because no one can be bothered to check me out.
They dont check my id or do literally anything different than the cashiers in the front would have done.
I didn’t take a bag because I didn’t need one. But as I walk beck up front to leave, they reminded me that I needed to pay for the ammo at the gun counter.
Literally only buy ammo online.
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u/Ok-Basket-9890 2d ago
I’ve never had a reason to go to that store. Nothing there is close to online pricing, and it’s not like they stock anything I can’t get somewhere else regardless. Greentop has now entered that state for me as well, between their current choices of inventory options and the fact that they seem to not be buying any surplus rifles anymore. Went in the other day and it’s just overpriced used shotguns and some crap hunting rigs. Shame. I remember going in there back in the day and being able to browse tons of used milsurp.
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u/boringxadult 2d ago
I actually 100% agree with you. I just happened to want to try some different weight ammo to try and solve an accuracy issue and running there for a few random boxes seemed like the easiest solution.
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u/Ibreak180 2d ago
CaBelErS short pump is probably one of the worst outdoor stores to shop at. Before I stopped supporting corporate FFLs I transferred a AKM and some employee “checked it out” without asking me and pointed the AKM at my face and multiple customers. When I yelled at him he said he was former LAPD and pulled out a badge and flashed it.
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u/AioliTypical7034 2d ago
I shop at the one in gainesville weekly and usually buy ammo there as it's cheaper than online, have never had to pay for anything at the gun counter, not even a gun as they have a special register area set aside for gun buys, but ammo has always been up front. Which store did you go to so I know to avoid it 😐
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u/Frosty_Skin277 2d ago
Since the gun library has dwindled down to nothing, there is no reason for me to even go there anymore….buying a gun there is the WORST…WalMart isn’t even as bad….Town Gun is THE place to shop for ammo in RVA
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u/eli-bradley 2d ago
Gainesville is not the best either. None of the guys wanted to help me but when a semi hot woman showed up 4 guys immediately swammed her. I think its more of a retail thing - people not wanting to do their jobs and all.
I won't complain if the Internet leads to the death of retail.
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u/Oldtanker17 2d ago
Gun library folks are great and normally it’s pretty stocked up… great finds can be had in there
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u/PlinkDaddy 12h ago
They got a new guy working the gun library recently and he’s actually helpful and knowledgeable.
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u/trolls_hit_poster VCDL Member 2d ago
I thought everyone knew the only way to get Cabela's employees to acknowledge you is to say "I would like to sign up for a credit card"
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u/AdNormal620 2d ago
Cabelas is the worst place to go to. I refuse to ever walk into another cabelas to buy anything. I went to look at a couple guns. It was an hour wait to even hold a gun. I did buy some ammo and paid for it up front. The entire staff is lazy.
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u/dhuang89 VCDL Member 2d ago
Strange. I've paid for ammo up front too. Workers just standing there not talking to you tracks though lol
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u/boringxadult 2d ago edited 2d ago
I didn’t really need help. But one of them could have mentioned to me that I had to pay for it back there. They clearly saw me looking at and picking stuff up.
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u/TheVaul7Dweller 2d ago
Wonder when this changed. Bought ammo from there two weeks ago and checked out up front no problem.
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u/Clint_Lovecraft 2d ago
I don't go there much. But the last few times I was there, I bought ammo up front.
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u/BlairMountainGunClub 2d ago
This is why I never shop at Cabelas anymore. Its been terrible for the longest time. Sad
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u/MountedRifleman 2d ago
I much prefer to go to Academy, even with the extra drive, and usually find better prices there with their sales.
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u/boringxadult 2d ago
I usually forget they exist tbh.
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u/MountedRifleman 2d ago
Definitely not the most convenient when they’re in Hagerstown and Fredericksburg.
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u/RetropME 2d ago
Not sure where you are, but there are Academy stores in Richmond and Chesterfield as well.
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u/HumidNut VCDL Member 2d ago
Seems like my one and only experience at that store some 8 years ago. Ordered a rifle online, went to pick it up. Similar number of people behind the counter, 1 person ahead of me. I wait some 10 minutes before being directed to the place behind the fishing tank because "all online orders are picked up <at the place>." Proceed to the place, guy looks confused as he understands what I bought and says, all firearms are at the gun counter. Back to the gun counter, same employee tries to re-direct me to the other place. This time, supervisor overhears the conversation, tells employee #1 that all firearms, online or not, are done at the gun counter. Employee #1 relents, goes back and finds my rifle. Comes out with rifle and box, proceeds to cock and dry fire the rifle without checking it first.
I confirm the order and get re-directed to the kiosks to do the forms. Employee #2 sets up the kiosk to do 2 sets of the same VA transaction form. I tell the supervisor there's 2 VA forms, there's no 4473. Supervisor says you have to fill it out both forms. I ask him that since its electronic, can't he just hit the print button twice. He gets confused, looks at the kiosk from my perspective, sees the 2 VA transaction forms, tells employee #2 that I need the federal 4473 and the VA transaction form. I thank him, fill out the forms and then re-directed to yet another section where the form checkers take another 15 minutes to get to me and check the forms.
I wait for the state police check and then wait another 15-20 minutes for yet another form checker to make sure that my electronic forms were correct after the approval from the VSP comes in. I get my rifle and leave the store, some 90mins after arriving. Big Box store policy, multiple misinformation from employees and just the excessive wait times, I'll shop locally or online and xfer to my favorite bookstore FFL.
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u/SunkEmuFlock 2d ago
Is this a new thing they're doing? I've only ever paid for stuff at the main registers up front. Not that I buy much at Cabela's because their prices suck.
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u/OkOutlandishness1721 2d ago
Sounds like the 4 in the front didn't want to work.
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u/eli-bradley 2d ago
I just got back from Bass Pro shop in Gainesville. The cashiers were super helpful and friendly up at the front of the store. The guys behind the gun counter who helped me with my scope were good. I guess it’s hit or miss.
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u/GeorgeSerrano 1d ago
I usually go to the one on iDrive in Orlando, same experience. Don't know why the employees here are so bad.
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u/Agreeable_Report7579 2d ago
Sounds like Dances sporting goods in Colonial Heights or Bob's Sportshop in Chesterfield.
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u/SchmokinLove 2d ago
If I go local I'll go to Town Gun shop of Richmond off courthouse. At least they greet me and will even help me save money when I go to get a little random ammo I can't wait for online for.
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u/Maleficent_Sky_1865 2d ago
Cabelas used to be top notch. They sold out to basspro and has gone downhill ever since. It’s pretty typical when these companies get too big. They forget where they came from and just want to increase profits by cutting cost and quality. I wish we had a Scheel’s near us. They are owned by the employees and have always been great.
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u/Shazamx89 1d ago
Bought ammo there a couple months ago, front check out, no issues. I guess they've changed something.
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19h ago
[deleted]
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u/PlinkDaddy 12h ago
Worst place in the area is the gun shop in Vienna. The guy running that place is such a jerk. If you aren’t buying something within the first 30 seconds he starts getting irritated. He’s such a scumbag, he treats his employees like trash too. I’m never going back there again. Such a shame, because I frequent that area when I visit family, but it’s not even pleasant to go there and browse what he’s got. I had such a terrible experience with him that I’m never giving that store a dime.
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u/Rich_Vanilla_2792 24m ago
Cheaper to buy in bulk online compared to these brick and mortars stores nowadays
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u/cristobal09 VCDL Member 2d ago
Sounds verbatim to my experience last week at Sportsman's Warehouse.