Is Powder Valley about the cheapest place to buy smokeless powder ? I here they also have great customer service. I'm only going to buy several different 1 lb containers, so I'm not buying bulk.
Cheapest place to buy smokeless powder
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Dave Berg said:
I did check with the local dealers,( by local, the closest one is 1/2 hour away) none of them have all four or five of the ones I want. I would have to drive over an hour one way to get the ones I want all at one place and pay a higher price by about $3.00 each plus gas. I might as well pay the $27.50 hazmat fee. Splitting the order with a friend is a great idea. Do you know if they will ship primers in the same box so I only have one hazmat fee ?
I use powder valley exclusively for powder and primers.
If you only need a pound or two of powder, the hazmat fee will run the cost up. If you need any Primers, especially Bench Rest, they will pack both together in the same shipment/box and the savings can more than wipe out the hazmat fee real quick.
There are few companies out there with Customer Service as good as theirs.
BTW, they often have some great buys on bullets too.
If you only need a pound or two of powder, the hazmat fee will run the cost up. If you need any Primers, especially Bench Rest, they will pack both together in the same shipment/box and the savings can more than wipe out the hazmat fee real quick.
There are few companies out there with Customer Service as good as theirs.
BTW, they often have some great buys on bullets too.
Shynloco
You can lead a horse to water, but ........
Dave,
I know sometimes were get STUCK having to pay money for LUDICROUS things such as "shipping" for Powders and Primers. And I buy lots of bullet from Powder Valley and I agree they have excellent CS. But on the powder and primer issue, might I STRONGLY suggest you find somewhere local or a friend who is "picking up" closer to home and save that money for buying powder or primers. I know it's not the businesses ripping us off, but I've gotten so tired of the bull crap in terms of charging for shipping certain things in which they only put a stamp on and ship it no differently than anything else. Sorry for the rant, but I get sensitive to shooters and good folks getting ripped off because some folks are somehow trying to prevent us fun loving people from having our fun or having to pay more just to enjoy ourselves.
I know sometimes were get STUCK having to pay money for LUDICROUS things such as "shipping" for Powders and Primers. And I buy lots of bullet from Powder Valley and I agree they have excellent CS. But on the powder and primer issue, might I STRONGLY suggest you find somewhere local or a friend who is "picking up" closer to home and save that money for buying powder or primers. I know it's not the businesses ripping us off, but I've gotten so tired of the bull crap in terms of charging for shipping certain things in which they only put a stamp on and ship it no differently than anything else. Sorry for the rant, but I get sensitive to shooters and good folks getting ripped off because some folks are somehow trying to prevent us fun loving people from having our fun or having to pay more just to enjoy ourselves.
Try your local craigslist...
"Cheapest" place ain't always the "best".
Got hazmat charges on top of delivery expenses when you shop the net.
Cheapest way to buy is to visit your local full-service handloading dealer and chat them up and buy a couple cannisters of whatever you want to try.
Really, the smartest way to buy is to study load data in manuals for the ctgs you will load for and consider which powders work well with all you will load for. You also might benefit from having some variety in burn rates. Study the threads pertinent to handloading charges with bullets you want to use and get an idea what is most proven. A shortcut to this is to see the Sierra Manual and go with their accuracy load and use their bullets.
A number of tried & true powders are extremely versatile. Others are optimum for only certain ctgs.
There are ways to buy merchandise on the Cheap, and then there are means to opitimize the funds you have to spend. Optimizing is smarter and more effective. The guys at your local store who see you in and that you are a customer can point you in directions that will save you much time and money.
One thing for sure you want to consider is whether extensive "load testing" is gonna work for you. If you are trying handloads in great quantity searching for max velocities and accuracy, you might wear out your barrel before you ever find the holy grail of handloads. Better to start with proven data and if your rifle won't shoot Sierra accuracy loads look at your rifle for reasons why.
Lots of variables in the handloading, rifle mechanics, and marksmanship triangle. Using proven loads to begin will optimize your time, money, and most likely your results.
good luck!
"Cheapest" place ain't always the "best".
Got hazmat charges on top of delivery expenses when you shop the net.
Cheapest way to buy is to visit your local full-service handloading dealer and chat them up and buy a couple cannisters of whatever you want to try.
Really, the smartest way to buy is to study load data in manuals for the ctgs you will load for and consider which powders work well with all you will load for. You also might benefit from having some variety in burn rates. Study the threads pertinent to handloading charges with bullets you want to use and get an idea what is most proven. A shortcut to this is to see the Sierra Manual and go with their accuracy load and use their bullets.
A number of tried & true powders are extremely versatile. Others are optimum for only certain ctgs.
There are ways to buy merchandise on the Cheap, and then there are means to opitimize the funds you have to spend. Optimizing is smarter and more effective. The guys at your local store who see you in and that you are a customer can point you in directions that will save you much time and money.
One thing for sure you want to consider is whether extensive "load testing" is gonna work for you. If you are trying handloads in great quantity searching for max velocities and accuracy, you might wear out your barrel before you ever find the holy grail of handloads. Better to start with proven data and if your rifle won't shoot Sierra accuracy loads look at your rifle for reasons why.
Lots of variables in the handloading, rifle mechanics, and marksmanship triangle. Using proven loads to begin will optimize your time, money, and most likely your results.
good luck!
I've used Powder Valley a few times with in the last year. First order was 16lbs of powder & 5k primers. All came boxed together under 1 hazmat. Next order was for 27lbs of powder and 7k primers, again all came in the same box. The last order was 16lbs of powder, 3k bullets, & 7k primers, all came in the same box. Powder Valley has my business. Great customer service, very fair shipping costs, couldn't ask for more. Every once in a while they will run a special & waive the hazmat if you buy a certain amount of primers or powder. Seems like I'm always full when that happens though.
spclark
Gold $$ Contributor
Some vendors will NOT ship powder and primers together, they charge you 2 HAZMAT fees instead. I avoid those companies.
Where I am the closest 'local' shop used to carry a modest supply of more common reloading supplies but closed that department when Cabela's opened up 4 miles away. Their stock is seldom replenished, they carry only one pound size of common propellants of just two brands & charge about 20% over what I can buy the same stuff per pound for via Internet.
Best way to save $$ is to get with friends & order a quantity to spread one HAZMAT over several buyers.
Where I am the closest 'local' shop used to carry a modest supply of more common reloading supplies but closed that department when Cabela's opened up 4 miles away. Their stock is seldom replenished, they carry only one pound size of common propellants of just two brands & charge about 20% over what I can buy the same stuff per pound for via Internet.
Best way to save $$ is to get with friends & order a quantity to spread one HAZMAT over several buyers.
Thanks everyone, as always it's great to have this great source of information.
spclark said:
Some of those vendors CAN"T ship both at the same time, in the same box because of where they're located.
Midway, from what I've been told, is one that has to ship from separate locations (which I suspect are actually drop ships from master distributors) this the two hazmat fees. That, combined with their chronic "backorder" status on too many of the items I need/want has put them lower on my list of places I order from.
Last 3 orders from PV contained both powder and primers-no problemo shipping both in the same package.
Their prices are 99% of the time lowest around and if you buy more than a couple of pounds and /or get 5k or more primers the Hazmat bite is not so bad.
When I figure that IF my local gunshop even has the powders I use the cost there is usually 30 plus dollars a pound as opposed to 18 to 22 at PV.
You do the math--not too many pounds before you go ahead on the cost thing.
Their CS is outstanding.
Gary
Their prices are 99% of the time lowest around and if you buy more than a couple of pounds and /or get 5k or more primers the Hazmat bite is not so bad.
When I figure that IF my local gunshop even has the powders I use the cost there is usually 30 plus dollars a pound as opposed to 18 to 22 at PV.
You do the math--not too many pounds before you go ahead on the cost thing.
Their CS is outstanding.
Gary
gary0529 said:
Don't overlook the fact that PV also has good prices on Brass. If you have a powder primer order with them, you've already paid the initial "bite" for the UPS package and the incremental amount for the extra brass isn't very much. I usually end up adding a couple packages of Lapua brass with my powder/primer orders.
dogdude
Egan O'Brien
PV does have good prices and CS,but there shipping dept. needs work. last year i made a large order(for me) and on the bottom of the box was 2 500 box's of 240's and various other bullets. one box of 240's had broke open. on top of the bullet's ,every single container of powder was bubble wrapped. to me the big box's of bullet's should have been bubble wrapped not the powder!! but that's just me dogdude
Powder valley is one two places that are known for customer service and best pricing. The other is Bruno's shooting supply. They are a large stocking dealer in competitive shooting market. As az resident I don't ship because I am getting dinged for sales tax as well. Non az shooters will find competitive prices and good service. Bruno's is also my first call when I wake up on a given day and discover that I need a barrel. At least 5 times in the last few years I secured a kreiger off the shelf with one call. Of course mostly competition contours
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