That's a bit distressing, Slim
I'm sorry you had a bad experience at Cabela's. I've been to the Fort Worth store three or perhaps four times, plus once to the store in Buda. Each time, I was treated courteously by whichever employee I asked for help. They were VERY busy immeidately before Christmas, and it was sometimes a problem to find a not-too-busy clerk during that time. Otherwise, I was always greeted immediately I approached the counter. When wandering through the loading components aisles, someone usually came up and asked if I needed help.
Not disputing your account of what happened with you - - It just happened differently with me. Oh, yes - I've been there when some terrifically obtuse questions were asked, and the clerks were always very patient with their explanations.
On the other hand, I've been to the Cheaper Than Dirt store many times, and my experiences tallied exactly with your own. Nice bunch of people. I think that, having been there longer, they've had a chance to draw from some of the more knowledgeable local talent to staff the counters. Except at tiems when they were very busy, I've usually ended up having a nice chat with the clerk.
In fact, I once phoned CTD to see if they still had a used Browning I'd seen the day before. The guy regretfully told me it had already sold. He volunteered to take my name and phone number, saying they got such pistols occasionally. About a week later, another guy phoned me and said he'd tried been unable to sell his High Power and accessories to CTD. The clerk gave him my number. We met and I bought the pistol and accessories for a very reasonable price. CTD didn't make a dime off THAT deal, but they gained a lot of good will from me.
Another new, "big business" place that has impressed me recently is the Sportsman's Warehouse in Lewisville. Not as large as Cabela's, they have a very good selection, reasonable prices, and a friendly staff who actually know something about the shooting sports.
Hope your dealings go well in thefuture.
Johnny