For some time I've been debating between a No.1 in 30-30, or 30-40. I decided on the 30-40 chambering, and contacted those Cabelas locations who had them advertised in the Gun Library.
What a joke.
When the stores finally replied after time periods ranging from 18 hrs to six days, the rifles were either:
1) Already sold.
2) "Spoken for."
3) "The website may say $999, sir, but the price is $1399. We aren't responsible for errors in pricing on our web site." (Who is then? George Bush?)
Several years ago I adopted a zen/karmic approach to gun acquisitions. These roadblocks merely meant that I was not to have the Cabelas exclusive No.1 in 30-40, yet. Although I could have bought one for $1400 and had the money, I was NOT willing to pay that amount especially after having gone round and round with the Cabelas organization regarding what WAS available at WHAT price. That's a separate story.
Fast forward a couple months to present and I find a really clean, hardly fired No.3 "Liberty" in 30-40, for $785 delivered in case anyone is keeping score.
The previous owner had installed sling swivel studs and the No.3 wore Weaver bases, so I installed a "mountain" type sling and a Lyman All-American 4X with post and crosshair reticle from my "stash" of those, choosing medium Burris Zee rings. I laser boresighted the scope in my shop, and then got a chance to shoot it yesterday at the range.
There were members of the "Fire three shots, walk 200 yds" crowd at the range but in between all the hiking back and forth that everyone was doing I laid out some claybirds upright on the 200 yd berm. I fired 12 shots off the bench, and broke 11 birds without requiring an adjustment to the scope. Pure luck, I suppose, and I packed up as the late afternoon sun disappeared behind the trees. Next time I'm going to put it on paper to see how good it really shoots, but the practical indications are all really positive at this point.
Cabelas can go pound sand; I saved over $600 by getting the little No.3 and I could not be happier.
Noah
What a joke.
When the stores finally replied after time periods ranging from 18 hrs to six days, the rifles were either:
1) Already sold.
2) "Spoken for."
3) "The website may say $999, sir, but the price is $1399. We aren't responsible for errors in pricing on our web site." (Who is then? George Bush?)
Several years ago I adopted a zen/karmic approach to gun acquisitions. These roadblocks merely meant that I was not to have the Cabelas exclusive No.1 in 30-40, yet. Although I could have bought one for $1400 and had the money, I was NOT willing to pay that amount especially after having gone round and round with the Cabelas organization regarding what WAS available at WHAT price. That's a separate story.
Fast forward a couple months to present and I find a really clean, hardly fired No.3 "Liberty" in 30-40, for $785 delivered in case anyone is keeping score.
The previous owner had installed sling swivel studs and the No.3 wore Weaver bases, so I installed a "mountain" type sling and a Lyman All-American 4X with post and crosshair reticle from my "stash" of those, choosing medium Burris Zee rings. I laser boresighted the scope in my shop, and then got a chance to shoot it yesterday at the range.
There were members of the "Fire three shots, walk 200 yds" crowd at the range but in between all the hiking back and forth that everyone was doing I laid out some claybirds upright on the 200 yd berm. I fired 12 shots off the bench, and broke 11 birds without requiring an adjustment to the scope. Pure luck, I suppose, and I packed up as the late afternoon sun disappeared behind the trees. Next time I'm going to put it on paper to see how good it really shoots, but the practical indications are all really positive at this point.
Cabelas can go pound sand; I saved over $600 by getting the little No.3 and I could not be happier.
Noah
