cabelas gun trade in program

smitty

Very Active Member
Messages
1,434
Has anyone used this program before?

How accurate and fair are the appraisals?

Do you feel that it is more beneficial than selling to individuals?
 
I let them make an offer on 3 firearms.
It was laughable.
They told me they offer 70% of book value.
Not sure if that is true but I got thousands of dollars more selling privately. (These were Winchester collector pieces.)

I think they get a lot of "estate" sales where someone passes away and a family member brings in a pile of guns and says, "what are these worth?"
 
I have a gun that I'm contemplating selling for $2,500. They offered me $1,750. I heard the same explanation about 70% of Fair Value because they "had to make money too", which is fine. They're not making 30% on any new gun they sell though. Also, take a look at some of those used guns on the rack. They ask way more than fair value on the few I've peaked at.

Think of it this way, if you got "fair value" in this scenario, you make almost 43% more. Even if you give somebody a deal, you're making a heck of a lot more.

Like most things in life, it's probably the right decision for some people but definitely not for all.
 
I considered a trade with Cabelas one time. They had a rifle tagged at $1100.00 that I was interested in. I had a rifle (used but very good condition) that was very similar to another rifle they had on the rack tagged at $1000.00. They would only give me $750.00 for my rifle and it had an older Leupold scope on it. 70 - 75% of fair market value is all Cabelas is gonna offer on a stock firearm. I can't say what they would do if someone took in a real collectors item.
 
you would do much better selling privately than to Cabelas. You sure as heck do a lot better buying guns elsewhere than Cabelas and you don't have to take a number.
 
I am in the business of buying and selling used items. Cabelas is a publicly traded business. Their profit margins are horrible. They are offering the most they can if they are offering you 70%. That is all you will get from anyone like that. A pawn shop would be half of that.

Yes you can sell for more privately. Some guys make $100 per hour at their job. So, posting it online, meeting someone down at the grocery store parking lot or at the Tasty Freeze...then having them decide they dont like the color of the stock...or the scope...then they offer you 20% less than asking price...then you say no...then you do it all over again next weekend at the 7 eleven parking lot.....

Ya, I would take Cabelas up on it if it only lost me $300. Then I would go to work and make up that cash quickly.

Now, if I made $15 per hour.....heck yes I would meet you at the Tasty Freeze every weekend in June until I got my extra $300.

It really is a function of economy and who you are and where you are in this life financially. Gotta decide if it is worth your time.

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato
 
Nope, Cabelas will not offer you anywhere close to what you could get selling it privately. I prefer NOT to deal with Cabelas whenever possible.
 
Cabelas is a far better option than a pawn shop as stated. I guess you just have to decide how quickly and effortlessly you want to sell your gun. I wont rag on Cabelas simply because they are trying to maximize their profits. I will say I have picked up a couple of used shotguns at really good prices from their used rack!!!
 
Aspen has it right I think. I always look at sites like Gunbroker and seek out the collector items and always wonder how long a pre 64 super grade is up there when the asking price is $3700. Maybe someone who has a log in with them can comment. Is it worth joining? Have any of you had bad luck with anything you bought on there that was across the country? Have any of you guys sold anything on there? I want to join, but I can see myself pissing a lot of money away. I have a Winchester model 52 that I think is worth about $3000. I don't think I will get that, at least not right away. But that's how I like it to work, real fast, and I don't think these deals are real quick. I have a lot tied up in guns and always think about how to get rid of them when I'm too old to enjoy them anymore.

Another trend I see is the younger generation aren't as interested in those old items like pre 64, model 52, 40x and the single shots, it seems like it the over 40 bunch that really dig them. I talk guns at work to anyone that wants to listen. I've noticed more and more that younger people are less interested in a nice bolt action or revolver and more excited about AR rifles and some striker fire pistol. I'm sure some of the younger guys cum on this site and only know about a Ruger American or a Savage that their Stepdad bought for a hunt at Sportsmans Warehouse. They have no idea what nice is.
 
Being a small FFL dealer I now understand why Cabelas offers the 70% of blue book. Dealing in used guns is a pain. Customers don't want to buy used guns and then pay tax on them. I get folks wanting me to take tradeins, and unless its something I'm personally interested in, I encourage them to use Utah Gun exchange and do a private sale.

If its a rare firearm then Gunbroker is the only way to go, so you can get a national market. Had an extra python from my collection that I tried to sell locally, and just got tire kickers and time wasters. Put it on Gunbroker and got 25 hundred more then I expected and had it listed for locally.

I'm amazed cabelas sells as many guns as they do. Small dealers and online sells is where you save money.
 
Cabelas doesn't actually trade guns. They buy guns, they give you cash and you can walk out the door with it. You don't have to buy another gun.

I agree with others that if you have a valuable high demand or collectable firearm Gunbroker would be a better choice than Cabelas.

But Cabelas does have it's place. I won a $300 gun at a RMEF banquet that I didn't really want. No local person was going to give me $300 for it if they could buy it at the local gun store for the same price so I was going to have to discount it.

I thought about Gunbroker at $250 but there would be a $25 FFL fee on my end, $25 fee on the buyers end and $25 shipping netting me $175. Cabelas gave me $210 and I was happy.
 
You know here in St. Louis mo area they offered me $1,600 for barely used rifle that sold for $1,800 new. So maybe it's supply and demand

Joe

"Sometimes you do things wrong for so long you
think their right" - 2001
"I can't argue with honesty" - 2005
-Joe E Sikora
 
Captain_coues

If you are wanting to buy pre 64 guns, gun broker and auction arms are the way to go. Anything posted by jackthedog is listed accurately. I got a very nice pre 64 mod 94 in 32 win. most on there will give you a rough grade when in doubt knock it down to the next lower grade for pricing and let it roll. I have been buying online since 2008 and have yet to make a purchase on a junk firearms that was not accurately listed (meaning the seller said it was a work in progress or needed a part and I was okay changing out a firing pin, or fixing a botched trigger job).



?If men were angels, no government would be
necessary.? John Adams
 
>Cabelas doesn't actually trade guns. They
>buy guns, they give you
>cash and you can walk
>out the door with it.
>You don't have to buy
>another gun.
>
>I agree with others that if
>you have a valuable high
>demand or collectable firearm Gunbroker
>would be a better choice
>than Cabelas.
>
>But Cabelas does have it's place.
>I won a $300 gun
>at a RMEF banquet that
>I didn't really want. No
>local person was going to
>give me $300 for it
>if they could buy it
>at the local gun store
>for the same price so
>I was going to have
>to discount it.
>
>I thought about Gunbroker at $250
>but there would be a
>$25 FFL fee on my
>end, $25 fee on the
>buyers end and $25 shipping
>netting me $175. Cabelas gave
>me $210 and I was
>happy.

You don't need an ffl on your end. An individual can ship to an ffl. If a particular ffl won't accept from an individual, that's a good indicator to find a better dealer.
 
I ended up selling 4 guns on Friday. Placed an ad on our local radio station during a spot they call the trading post. Had all 4 guns sold within 15 min.
 
>
>Captain_coues
>
>If you are wanting to buy
>pre 64 guns, gun broker
>and auction arms are the
>way to go. Anything posted
>by jackthedog is listed accurately.
>I got a very nice
>pre 64 mod 94 in
>32 win. most on there
>will give you a rough
>grade when in doubt knock
>it down to the next
>lower grade for pricing and
>let it roll. I have
>been buying online since 2008
>and have yet to make
>a purchase on a junk
>firearms that was not accurately
>listed (meaning the seller said
>it was a work in
>progress or needed a part
>and I was okay changing
>out a firing pin, or
>fixing a botched trigger job).
>
>
>
>
>?If men were angels, no government
>would be
>necessary.? John Adams

+10....I have bought lots of things from jack the dog...he is first class.
 
>I like cabelas gun trade program.
>Easiest place to get rid
>of a hot gun...


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>I ended up selling 4 guns
>on Friday. Placed an ad
>on our local radio station
>during a spot they call
>the trading post. Had all
>4 guns sold within 15
>min.

OK SMUT?

I've only Had One Gun I'd ever consider Selling!

You Sell 4 in one Pile?

You Must be Giving them away if it only took 15 Minutes!

You Afraid Ms Smitty was gonna Take them?










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Hey Bessy, I drew a elk bow tag in NM 1st season. How close are you to unit 51? LOL!

Joe

"Sometimes you do things wrong for so long you
think their right" - 2001
"I can't argue with honesty" - 2005
-Joe E Sikora
 
>Hey Bessy, I drew a elk
>bow tag in NM 1st
>season. How close are you
>to unit 51? LOL!
>
>Joe
>
>"Sometimes you do things wrong for
>so long you
>think their right" - 2001
>"I can't argue with honesty" -
>2005
>-Joe E Sikora

Not very Close Joe!:D

And You probably know more about the Unit than me!








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