I'll take the OTHER SIDE....
I have purchased a half dozen SxS's from the Cabela's Gun Library in St. Louis, and been very pleased with each. If one is polite, it is not difficult to negotiate a lower price. My friends and I have bought guns there at 20% to 35% below the tagged asking price. If you make a lower offer, they will listen -- sometimes they accept, sometimes not. A few times I've been told they "had too much in it" and couldn't accept my lower offer.
Perhaps the Cabela's stores vary, depending upon the local management. Gun Library Manager Steve Barzee in St. Louis is knowledgable, and pleasant to deal with.
I returned one new shotgun for malfunctioning, and received a prompt refund with zero hassle. Another friend returned a high priced European SxS that patterned far from the point of aim -- again with no hassle.
One friend bought an older high grade American SxS that quickly developed a trigger problem -- and Cabela's stood behind it and had it repaired at their expense. Another shooting partner bought a used Guerini O/U that split the buttstock soon thereafter; and Cabela's had the stock replaced by Guerini at no charge. The replacement wood was much prettier than the first stock.
I do notice that some of their "overpriced" guns sit there for 6 months or more. But there are many other shotguns that move within a week of their arrival.
Jerry Goldstein
