Some dealers treat their business like a license to steal. I guess the high traffic stores can afford to troll for suckers, and better yet when they don't land one on a specific lure they can ship it to another branch and run it up the flagpole there.
When I was travelling to Ohio semi-weekly, I did manage to get two fair deals. One from Cabela's in Dundee, and the other from Jaqua's.
In the Jaqua's case, they had an SKB 200E that was almost unused and fairly priced. I happened in the third day they owned it, and bought it. Silver finish, $800. They seemed happy, so was I. Following month they got another one in, slightly more used, but still a good gun. They priced it $500 higher than the one they just sold. Apparently, they considered the first on an education of sorts. They have one now with a blue finish, $1,500. Guess what... it's still an $800 gun.
Cabela's sold me a used but still very sound Superposed for $800. No corrosion, and only moderate stock finish wear. I'm betting that was the LAST B-25 ever sold by Cabela's for less than a grand. This was in 2005.
Sometimes you find a fair deal, other times you just shake your head. I do wonder where the inventory disappears to though... must be enough suckers to support prices at least 100% too high in many cases.
