I asked your guys advice and the vote was overwhelmingly for the 1894. The firearm was in the Cabela's gun library in Nebraska, so I took your much respected advice and had the rifle transferred to the Cabela's nearest to me. (which is an hour and a half away).. I was pretty excited and when the firearm arrived my youngest daughter and I went over to take a look.The 1894 journey part 1: (Cabela's)
My daughter and I had a great day together. But, my experience with Cabela's (under it's new ownership of Bass Pro Shops) wasn't so great. First off I had a firearm that I had thought about trading in and I toted it along in its box and as soon as I walked into the store I kind of felt like they viewed me as a criminal for carrying in a firearm. I was escorted to a desk where they carefully examined my firearm to make sure it wasn't loaded, put a trigger lock on it and put it back in the box, at time I wasn't allowed to handle that firearm again. And it didn't seem that anyone was thrilled to see me bring in a gun.
When they brought out the 1894 I was watched like a hawk and they forced me to always keep the barrel in this 'bullet trap' contraption. When I said that I wanted to look down the barrel they reluctantly consented, but they weren't happy about it. They blamed the bullet trap on Bass Pro Shop Corporate attorneys. I found that the barrel had a significant scratch in the bluing that wasn't in the Nebraska description, and that the safety was blocked. The rifle had a wonderful hair trigger, so I assumed that it had been used in cowboy action shooting. Although it had been well taken care of, I think that it may had had many many rounds run through it. But, I was still interested. I thought that the safety might give me a little bargaining chip. I said that it would be hard for me to spend $1100 for a rifle with a safety that doesn't work. The guy behind the counter said immediately that yep, 'he wouldn't buy it either but cooperate sets the price and there is no negotiating and no one to talk to.' Huh, that made me a little madder than I already was. And then I said that I had spent $25 to have the rifle transferred up there. If the Nebraska store would have mentioned the scratch in the barrel and the broken safety I may not have had it shipped up. He briskly replied, "You'll have to take that up with corporate. I am not authorized to give you a refund. And that was that. I was dis-satisfied, and was escorted to the door where I was then handed my firearm that I had considered trading in. So much for all of the business that I have done with Cabela's over the years.
And yet, my daughter and I had a fun trip anyway, she had packed us a lunch and chattered all the way there and back home again.
Well, that is just part 1 of the story. I'll share part 2 tomorrow night (Join us tomorrow night when Greyhawk visits the local gun shop, and asks... "What's with all of the rust?")
