Strange business model today

[Bob Sebold]

If you plan ahead you can go to a local dealer. Do not cry about the prices unless they really gouge. Stop in often & buy what they have, order what they don't. I use Recobs, which is near me. They always try to help you out. I usually have at least 2 yrs supply of stuff on hand and buy it when they have it. Problem when you want to change a powder, but that's what you gotta do. I don't like and have never paid a hazmant fee. Guess I am stubborn.

 

[mikeinct]

I hate Haz Mat fees...Shipping is justified , the extra 20 bucks is just a rip off..mike in ct

 

[billlarson]

I feel to sell/advertise something you don`t have..... or own ...... is mail fraud........ and to be charged twice hazmat fees..... is grounds for a case submitted to your state district attorney`s office of "Consumer Affairs"....
OMHO
bill

 

[dickn52]

So, dickn52, what vendor are you talking about? Nothing wrong with letting people know about deceptive business practices. Vendors who are deceptive on their websites deserve to be ratted out. It keeps most people honest.

Sorry. Everytime someone mentions a company name on here he gets hammered for not going to them and telling them etc...blah blah blah. One company advertises at the top in the banner. The other is huuuuge.

 

[JimSC]

In the meantime our local home-owned gun shops are struggling to stay alive against increased internet commerce. If and when these small shops shut their doors, we can finally quit complaining about shipping and hazmat fees because we’ll have no other option.

We have a local store that specializes in powder, primers and instore loaded ammo . I tried to buy some 4831SC from them two or three times. Not a terribly rare commodity. First whoever answered the phone tried to convince me that the Hogdon stopped making it then said she would contact the owner to see if they could get it. Then it was we will see if we can get it on the next order, then it was sorry our distributor does not carry that powder. One local store does carry it at 37.00 + tax a pound if I want to drive 20 miles to the other side of town and pay 9% tax.

I want to do business with local mom and pop stores but it's hard sometimes

 

[pirate ammo]

We have a local store that specializes in powder, primers and instore loaded ammo . I tried to buy some 4831SC from them two or three times. Not a terribly rare commodity. First whoever answered the phone tried to convince me that the Hogdon stopped making it then said she would contact the owner to see if they could get it. Then it was we will see if we can get it on the next order, then it was sorry our distributor does not carry that powder. One local store does carry it at 37.00 + tax a pound if I want to drive 20 miles to the other side of town and pay 9% tax.

I want to do business with local mom and pop stores but it's hard sometimes

I counted just now,,I have 60 different flavors of powder on my shelves,,2 or 3 cases of each no,3 or 4 pounds yes,,I will always look for someone but I can't place an order every day,,not
that big of place,,I answer this phone,,I tell the truth as I know it,4831,got it,,4831SC,got it,even with that I'm slowly going out of business,,most think big stores only have a selection
go to them ,me personaly I don't care,my stuffs paid for I can lock the doors and keep it and use it myself..so before you kick small stores go try and survive in business with what we
have to deal with everyday,,,by the way,4831SC $ 29.00 + 6.25% tax everyday

 

[Bob Sebold]

To bad not more stores like yours.

 

[pirate ammo]

To bad not more stores like yours.

and while I'm on maybe a rant,,why should I have to spray my store down with FREBEEZE twice a day because of stinking ass people and their sorry damn kids that want to destory
my stuff,,meanwile I've got to fix at a loss because my prices are to damn low because everyone wants for nothing,,DONE,,

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I counted just now,,I have 60 different flavors of powder on my shelves,,2 or 3 cases of each no,3 or 4 pounds yes,,I will always look for someone but I can't place an order every day,,not
that big of place,,I answer this phone,,I tell the truth as I know it,4831,got it,,4831SC,got it,even with that I'm slowly going out of business,,most think big stores only have a selection
go to them ,me personaly I don't care,my stuffs paid for I can lock the doors and keep it and use it myself..so before you kick small stores go try and survive in business with what we
have to deal with everyday,,,by the way,4831SC $ 29.00 + 6.25% tax everyday

you're a good guy why dont you try internet sales more? get a sponsorship on here and get to sellin to us. also- do you really have to charge sales tax for out of state buyers? i'm guessing youre set up to ship haz-mat so get to it!!

 

[pirate ammo]

you're a good guy why dont you try internet sales more? get a sponsorship on here and get to sellin to us. also- do you really have to charge sales tax for out of state buyers? i'm guessing youre set up to ship haz-mat so get to it!!

to do hazmat you have to get a speicail program,,I looked,can't afford it,unless you have big inventory in stock internet sucks,,tried that,tied in with elliot bros inventory but someone would
want a $10.00 item,,guess what , got to order $200.00 of something to get 1 item,,your screwed,,we are small

 

[Dusty Stevens]

you can always sell your other wares and burn the powder yourself.

 

[pirate ammo]

you can always sell your other wares and burn the powder yourself.

really,I'm happy,really,,thanks for your thoughts

 

[Dusty Stevens]

really,I'm happy,really,,thanks for your thoughts

I just want you to be happy!

 

[pirate ammo]

I just want you to be happy!

I'm done with the complaining,I fell into my own trap,,but what the heck. we going to BBQ Memorial weekend so we are good

 

[JimSC]

I counted just now,,I have 60 different flavors of powder on my shelves,,2 or 3 cases of each no,3 or 4 pounds yes,,I will always look for someone but I can't place an order every day,,not
that big of place,,I answer this phone,,I tell the truth as I know it,4831,got it,,4831SC,got it,even with that I'm slowly going out of business,,most think big stores only have a selection
go to them ,me personaly I don't care,my stuffs paid for I can lock the doors and keep it and use it myself..so before you kick small stores go try and survive in business with what we
have to deal with everyday,,,by the way,4831SC $ 29.00 + 6.25% tax everyday

The situation with the 4831 SC happened over a course of two or three months not in the course of a afternoon. Did you skip the part where the sales clerk tried to convince me that 4831SC was discontinued, then a few weeks later I was told it would be included in their next order then when that date passes was told their distributor did not carry it. Realistically the local store cannot stock every powder and primer made but I am not going to overpay by 30% to get the product I want or do without it. When testing a new powder I might buy a pound locally. Assuming one of the stores has it on the shelf but for my keg orders my only options are the big internet suppliers

BTW I believe it is the stores job to keep the customer happy, not the other way around

 

[Dusty Stevens]

.... but for my keg orders my only options are the big internet suppliers

where do you get your kegs from? I always had to get them straight from the distributor knowing an insider.

 

[ireload2]

Here are some rules I follow for powder selection.

1. Older widely established brand and burn rate.
Example IMR 4895.
A. Many decades in use
B. There is lots of data for many cartridges
C. Flexible and useable for both reduced loads and full pressure ammo.

2. Dependable supply chain.
A. Constant availability
B. Manufacturer is serious about keeping their product in the pipeline.
C. Distributors are dependable.

For decades I was always able to get Dupont and Hodgdon powders

Norma never seemed to be widely distributed or widely available
Accurate powders vary in availability. The origin of Accurate varies.
Sometimes it has been China and Czech Republic.
Reloader 7 has been discontinued several times so I never tried it.
Some Hercules powders have been in production more than 100 years. I always expect to find Bullseye, Unique, Green Dot and Red Dot.

Even I violate my own rules in some circumstances.
SR4759 is my favorite powder for a wide range of reduced loads. It only has one serious competitor and I have a lot of loads that use SR4759.
SR4759 has been discontinued 3 times since the late 1960s. Before the last discontinuation I bought a lot of it.

 

[JimSC]

where do you get your kegs from? I always had to get them straight from the distributor knowing an insider.

My mistake I should have been more specific. 4 pound jugs are 1/6th kegs and 8 pounders would be 1/3 of a keg.. Historically a keg of rifle powder was about 11 inches in diameter and 13 inches tall which would hold about 25 pounds of powder

Around here we commonly call 8 pounders "kegs" but then sometimes I will order 16 to 24 pounds on a order so when I order 3 powders I am technically getting a keg , or almost a keg. I shoot on average a minimum of 50 and some weeks over 100 rounds of rifle ammo a week. At 40 + grains per round avg that is about 175 rounds per pound. I am sure there are many on this forum that shoot more than that. If I could get what I wanted 1/2 mile down the road I would surely do it.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Last keg i got was 44 or 45lbs of vihtavuori

 

[smokinghole]

I'm blessed with a few local stores that carry primers and powders at reasonable prices. I buy there and buy often. I can't justify the prices online especially after shipping and hazmat. Hell most of my local prices compete with online prices. Some of the vendors even extend me a 10% Veteran discount on top of their awesome prices.

I'm in the Harrisburg, PA area and happily shop at Shyda's Outdoors, as well as Acri Gunshop (haven't been in a while due to his hours), and Trop (not an awesome selection but I get primers if I'm in there).