Cabela's — Local services in Thornton

I don't even know where to begin. As "the world's foremost outfitter" this store is an absolute mess. With a federal judge's recent decision pistol braces are LEGAL. Every manufacturer has reintroduced the brace and so has every other gun store. Except Cabela's. I purchased an braced AR pistol and had chosen Cabelas as my FFL. I called them ahead of time and confirmed that it is okay to send this item their way. I get a call after the guns arrival from one of the staff there in the firearms section and get verbally attacked about how "illegal" my firearm is. They call it an SBR which it isn't. The gentleman who has absolutely no knowledge of firearms says the brace is a stock and my firearm is illegal. He proceeds to speed through the phone call and I try to explain to him what the actual law is. I asked for a clear written statement to be sent to my email as to why I cannot purchase this firearm. Cabelas claims that it is sending the firearm back to the manufacturer and it is sending me an email. By no surprise I get no email and I decide to go down to the store. Where I meet the person I spoke to. He proceeds to talk down to me as if I have no idea what a braced AR pistol is vs an SBR. His reasoning is that my firearm is under 16in in barrel length and therefore it's illegal. I tell him to print me off an exact copy of his policy and the law so I can present this to the manufacturer. What did I get? A copy of a Google search from pew pew tactical. I didn't know that all of a sudden a blog type website was the law. He didn't bother to read the result anyway because it described what an SBR is and not an AR pistol. Not to mention this gentleman calls a magazine a "clip." The amount of incompetence was shocking. I get sent home with a Google search as proof and no knowledge of what is to happen to my firearm. Fast forward to Monday I call the manufacturer of the firearm and explain to them that Cabelas is sending the gun back and they tell me that they weren't informed of this by the FFL as they should have been. I proceed to waste 2 hours at the store trying to get help as to where they shipped my gun. I proceeded to watch a lot of old men struggle to run background checks on a computer and handle firearms. If you can't process legal information or handle firearms you should not be working around either! Getting help was a nightmare. I watched a guy who was off the clock help the old guys process background checks but when I asked him for help he was "off the clock." I ended up having to go find a young knowledgable employee and ask him for help. He finally got a hold of a manager who was able to track down the tracking number to their shipment of my gun. So for 2 days the manufacturer didn't know where my gun went, I didn't know where my gun went, and nobody in Cabelas did either. How this place has survived without being shut down with law enforcement is incredible. Needless to say if you want to buy any firearm go to any other actual gun store. Skip the overpriced "Cabelas" branded items, their old incompetent employees, long lines, etc. P.S. they never answer their phone. I've called numerous times to save me the drive but nobody answers. When you go in the phone will ring all day and nobody has the decency to pick it up. I've never encountered a business run so badly. Nor the need to write a...

This is gonna be as honest as I can be with a review of a place perfect for hunting/firearm needs. I recently visited the Bass Pro shop location in Denver recently and was coincidentally recommended this Cabela’s location for some specific primers I needed. I’ve gone to this Cabela’s location only twice now, due to it being so far from where I live, and I’ve never had much reason to shop at one until I got into hunting/firearms recently. But my second, most recent visit, was nowhere close to my first visit. My uncle and I went in looking for some basic ammunition and a very specific firearm primer. I noticed immediately after browning some AR parts and the handgun counter that I was being watched more than usual. This isn’t being dramatic. There’s surveillance and then there’s “watch these people.” Which didn’t bother me, I’m not gonna steal stupid parts and ammo. If I somehow fit the cliche description of a thief, with my extra large hockey jersey Polo club jeans and Converse, then apprehend me and send me on my way. Don’t make us feel like you’re loaded and ready to take us down. It felt like that within 10 minutes of us being at the location.

But what really bothers me is when we ask where the other AR models are, we were pointed to “the gun library” by the gentleman who helped me purchase my firearm my first visit. It wasn’t just a Glock, or any gun, it was a Navy colt revolver. I’d bet 1/500 gun buyers go in to buy one of those. I’ve only been in the retail business for 5 years or so. I remember hundreds of customers especially if they return. In your case, purchased a very unique firearm. I’m not asking to be looked at like a president. But no “hey you’re back, how’s the pistol been handling?” Because I know 1/500 people buy black powder firearms. If that.

So, my uncle and I made our way to this gun library, and as I walked in I said “hey how are you doing,” to I’m assuming, the security guard, and got met with no answer or no form of customer service. Which immediately made the entire trip to the location extremely uncomfortable for my uncle and I. We didn’t have a single of the, I’m assuming, 4 workers standing there come up and offer any form of assistance in finding anything. No greeting from any of them. The “gun library” is the perfect place to offer your peak, 10/10 customer service to firearm enthusiasts. You guys have World War 2 firearms, and oddball weapons that, if you would have offered me some insight on, I would have considered looking into. Instead, my uncle and I were met with no customer service. Stares. And when I asked, I’m assuming, a woman working there “hey can I put these on the table for a second?” Because I don’t wanna hold 6 cases of ammo while I browse firearms, she shrugged me off.

If I would have been approached about these unique firearms, I more than likely would have purchased your Springfield rifle. But instead, my uncle and I both left so uncomfortable, as if we were held at gun point. I don’t recommend this location for anything firearm related. If you ask about firearms, you’ll be looked at like a criminal. If you ask for special ammo, you’ll be followed like a criminal. If you look at the best firearms there, you’ll be looked at...

Came in to buy a scope on my lunch break. Did the research online and knew exactly what I wanted so I didn’t have any questions. The scopes were located behind the counter for obvious reasons so I stood at the scope counter for about 10 minutes patiently.

Eventually a gentleman walks up to me and asks if I’ve signed in. I said I didn’t know there was a sign in (by the way there’s no signage to let you know that’s what’s going on, you have to be informed by staff unless you’ve been in before and know the drill). I told him I did not know I needed to sign in and I just need that scope there and pointed to the box RIGHT BEHIND HIM. He looked at me and said no, sorry you’ll have to sign in. Even if he was super slow this entire interaction would have taken 8 seconds out of his day. I asked again and said it’s that one right there (pointing) and I don’t have any questions or need any of your time sir. He put his hands up and said there’s people waiting that have signed in.

A little baffled by the interaction I still went ahead and signed in to their system. After waiting 2-3 minutes and seeing how slow the gun counter was moving I left. Just for the record I stayed in the text queue and I would’ve had to wait another 36 minutes for someone to just grab me a box.

Later that day I went to the Lonetree location (I live closer to it) and did the exact same thing. There were plenty of people waiting and the gun counter was even busier than the Thornton location. I was greeted in 45 seconds and I explained to this guy in the exact same words which scoped I needed and pointed to the box. He grabbed the box, handed it to me, and said have a good day. Kudos to him for having a brain and understanding how to properly handle the situation.

Now I could complain about what a mouth breathing doof that first guy was and I know his name but I won’t mention it. I just think Cabelas should have a different system if you do or do not require hands on assistance. I get buying a firearm is an involved interaction and requires people to wait in line to talk to a knowledgeable staff member. But from a customer perspective nobody should have to wait more than 10-15 minutes to grab a box off the shelf. Had I stayed I would’ve spent a total of 46 minutes waiting for that.

And it still irks me that the guy looked at me with the blank stare, 2 feet and a slight lean away from the box I needed, and he said sorry can’t help ya. Cool. Probably won’t be back to...