I was at Cabela's in Dundee, MI today.  They had two Krags in the library.  Both 1898s. 

The first one had a pretty decent stock and finish.  Rear sight was an 1896.  It had the cleaning rods and oiler in the trap, and a muzzle cover.  The bore looked ok and decent rifling.  S/N in the 12X,XXX range, and a 1898 cartouche.

The second had an ok stock, but not as nice as the first.  Rear sight was a 1902 with a modified (ground) 1898 eye piece that someone had further filed out the center notch to a pronounced V.  It had the cleaning rods and oiler in the trap.  The bore was very dirty and dark, but the rifling was sharp.  S/N in the 32X,XXX range and a 1902 cartouche.

Now here's what pissed me off about them?  The first was priced at $2,100 and change, and the second was priced at $1,800 and change!  WAYYYYYYYYY overpriced in my humble opinion!!!  What the hell are people thinking?  I told the guy in there that I thought they were way too high priced... not that he cared.

Paul,

I agree that these mil surp rifle prices, not just on Krags, have gone way out of line with what they should be. I see a bunch of these things not selling which tells me they are over priced.

I have never found anything at any Cabela's library listings that has intrigued me enough to buy because their prices are so high. I have heard of a few people finding a deal at Cabela's occasionally but very few.

Maybe these are the prices we would normally see in about 10 or 15 years but not today!

Ebay part prices are getting Stupid.  :-/

We're losing Krags at an alarming rate by the looks of the number of them that are being parted out on ebay. I hope that, at least, some of them are being rebuilt with the parts but I fear that good ones are being destroyed to make incorrect rebuilt Krags.

I don't know. I just don't like seeing it.

If you go back there and they are sold that is the place to sell items you no longer want. I have a cabelas near me and have done this and was very happy with what they paid me. You get cash and do not have to deal with complaints from buyers when items are shipped. I do my buying elsewhere. I think they are way overpriced.

Never thought about SELLING to Cabela's - I DO know that I will almost certainly never BUY from them again.

When they started into antique arms, their prices were fair, sometimes even cheap, to an informed buyer, but, they must have gotten wind of the fact that they'd left money on the table and vowed they'd get it back - which they are now attempting to do - in spades. A pox on them and their children's children!

Dick - I love how you always try to be nice and hold back what you REALLY think!!

Well, I didn't say that their staff (Reno NV) was snooty and seemingly could care less!! To me, Cabela's is just a Target or a Costco, but for sports - the polar opposite of the LGS we grew up with.

To be honest... I wouldn't buy a gun there either!!!  I'd go to a mom & pop place I know of that's practically in the middle of no where.  Their prices are great, staff knowledgeable and nice, and they do a great job.  They just don't have as much inventory in the way of bullets and powders, which is why I occasionally go to Cabela's to get powder and reloading supplies.  I usually order my bullets from Midway or Grafs!

Paul,

I've gotten good deals on powder and primers at Powder Valley. Have you ever checked them out?

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These days, I buy my primers at Vender's Row during Nationals week at Camp Perry.  I use CCI #34s almost exclusively now (except my Berdan KV-762N for the 7.5 Swiss, and CCI 200 for my 7.7x58mm Arisaka), and I can usually get them for a great price at Vender's Row.

I've never purchased powder online.  Is there special handling fees?  I paid $31.00 for a pound of 4831 SC Saturday.  Would it be cheaper on line?

It's only cheaper if you buy in bulk. There is a hazmat fee that sometimes is waived during deals but you usually need to be buying over $150 of powder or primers combined. I like buying in bulk then I don't run dry when I'm doing a bunch of loading.

I can get 4831SC a lot cheaper than that a pond but I'm getting 8 pounds at a time. Then I don't need any more for years! Then I have years to save up for the next jug or two.