Major Announcement at JLK

[Turbulent Turtle]

The makers of the JLK bullets just posted a major announcement at their site: http://www.swampworks.com/jlk/

Their availability will be drastically improved and there is a price decrease.

I am not associated with JLK but I have been a long time customer of Swampy's.

 

[ShootDots]

That is EXCELLENT Denys! I just started purchasing their 105VLD's for one of my Dashers.. The "Base to Ogive" was + / - ONE HALF K! The "Base to Tip" was less than 7K! OH and their 6mm Bullets are already so "pointy" that any "help" from a pointing die would either be superfluous or possibly damaging! All you have to do is LOAD THEM! NO MORE 'bullet prep" work!

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Hey Ben, if you're at the match this weekend, I can show you the bullets that Swampy sent me for review. They are the .308 180 LBTs, of course.

I have been using the 180JLKLBT for several years as you know. I found them to be exactly as you describe and I load them directly from the tub in which they come from JLK. Nothing to sort or "improve".

I've had to order them well in advance, sometimes as much as 6 months. The delay has always been the jackets. Once JLK receives the jackets, I get my order within a few days or weeks. Now with the new source for jackets, availability will go way up and price will drop.

 

[sparky123321]

Am I missing something because I don't see a way to place an online order at accuracyone?

 

[sparky123321]

My brother just placed an order with JLK. I asked him to order 50 .224 80gr and 50 7mm 168gr for me to test. They refused to sell him anything less than 250. I don't know about you, but I don't test or workup loads with batches of 250. 100 bullets at a time is bad enough with Berger, Lapua or Sierra when working up a load with 4 or 5 different bullets. My brother told me good things about JLK and that they sold him small quantities just a couple months ago for testing, so I was going to give them a try. Sounds like they're looking to become a major bullet producer and that's not what I was looking for. There are enough of them out there already. Bigger very seldom, if every, means better when it comes to specialty manufacturing of any kind. It normally means more automation and less hands on and the personal touch. Very disappointed.

 

[Swampy]

Dear Sparky,

Re accuracyone... you will need to give them a call to place an order. They don't use a shopping cart system. If volume of things increase for John, maybe he will try one in the future. Other dealers who come on board may or may not have shopping carts as well. Just give them a call.

Also, please beware that not all of our sizes will be available through distribution... only those for which we have acquired new sources of jackets. Unfortunately, the .224 80 gr. is not yet one of them. Hopefully down the line it will be. In the meantime, the 80 is available only though us here at Swampworks / JLK Bullets, and WHEN we can get jackets. At this time I have very few available.

Re quantities... When your brother called me he never mentioned a request for sample quantities, OR that he had purchased samples from me previously. He requested a quantity of "50", and I informed him of our standard box quantities, i.e. 250 for .224's, 125 for the 7s and 30s. I also informed him that bullets sold for distribution would be sold in conventional 100 bullet box lots.
Had he requested samples, he would have been informed that samples are sold as available, and are based purely on available quantity of remnants from lots that don't make a full box. I could then have checked for him to see what I had available at the time he called.
Sorry for any misunderstandings......

Re manufacturing process.... Yes, I am hoping to become bigger. It's called the desire to improve my business, my livelihood, and my future for me and my family. One thing this desire is based on is my reputation as a maker of finely made, consistent, tight tolerance, custom produced bullets. You can't do that nearly as well by using automated methods. I have NO plans to automate the processes which allow me to make bullets as I do now..... rpt. NO PLANS to automate what makes my bullets what they are now.

Thanks for the comments Sparky....

Best to all,
Swampy

Swampworks Inc. / JLK Bullets

 

[sparky123321]

No worries. I'll just stick with Berger for now. They've performed very well for me so far. Be well.

 

[Dgd6mm]

JLK bullets are consistent in size tolerances.

 

[sparky123321]

Don't get me wrong, I wanted to give them a try after I saw how they performed for my brother. Unfortunately, bullets I can't get my hands on don't shoot very well in any of my rifles. :-(

When supplies and the distribution stream become more available I'll probably give them a try.

 

[sparky123321]

Sorry if I sounded grumpy folks. Unfortunately, I'm in the middle of a 4 hour IV that I have to get ever 3 weeks and they didn't get me with the first stick today. This forum helps me pass the time and get through these sessions and I appreciate it very much. Just about done. Amen.


I hope everyone is having a great day.

 

[bowfisher]

Yeah, you did sound grumpy...Since you're getting an IV , that puts it in a little better context. I won't post what I was going to post now, that would be like hitting a guy in the face while he still has his glasses on, just isn't cricket. 8)

In a world where everyone wants premium goods at walmart prices and then only buy small amounts at a time, only when they need them, it's a wonder we have guys like Swampy that even try to build a business. I don't know Swampy, never used JLK bullets but I say kudos, and will be trying some in the future!

 

[sparky123321]

Well, I appreciate you holding back. Definitely hasn't been a great day.

I may have been a little grumpy, but price is NEVER a factor with me. I'm only interested in accuracy no matter the price. I just couldn't see buying 250 bullets before I've had a chance to test them out. I did go online to attempt to buy a couple boxes of 100 at accuracyone, but there was no way to purchase them online. If I could have bought some to test and they worked out well for me I would have been a life long customer no matter the price. Like I said, when I can get my hands on some I'll probably give them a try. Honestly though, I do tend to steer away from components I can't count on being available. I've had great luck with Vihtavuori powders, but gave up on them long ago due to lack of availability.

The shortage of high quality reloading components has been frustrating for most of us. Most reloaders I know have had to try different brass, powders, primers and bullets because they can't always get what they prefer to use.

 

[Swampy]

Sparky wrote:

The shortage of high quality reloading components has been frustrating for most of us. Most reloaders I know have had to try different brass, powders, primers and bullets because they can't always get what they prefer to use.

Sparky,

.... and this is exactly what I am trying to alleviate by getting JLK's projectiles into the hands of online dealers.

It's going to be a rocky transition period I'm sure, but once we can get there, things will be better all around for both availability and price. In the meantime, please be patient, and like I asked on my big announcement on my website, I'll take all the assistance I can get from customers helping me spread the word to their preferred dealers that I'm ready to work with them.

Best regards to all,
Swampy

Swampworks Inc. / JLK Bullets
www.swampworks.com/jlk/

 

[6BRinNZ]

Sparky wrote:

The shortage of high quality reloading components has been frustrating for most of us. Most reloaders I know have had to try different brass, powders, primers and bullets because they can't always get what they prefer to use.

Sparky,

.... and this is exactly what I am trying to alleviate by getting JLK's projectiles into the hands of online dealers.

It's going to be a rocky transition period I'm sure, but once we can get there, things will be better all around for both availability and price. In the meantime, please be patient, and like I asked on my big announcement on my website, I'll take all the assistance I can get from customers helping me spread the word to their preferred dealers that I'm ready to work with them.

Best regards to all,
Swampy

Swampworks Inc. / JLK Bullets
www.swampworks.com/jlk/

Any chance these can make it overseas?

 

[bowfisher]

Well, I appreciate you holding back. Definitely hasn't been a great day.

I may have been a little grumpy, but price is NEVER a factor with me. I'm only interested in accuracy no matter the price. I just couldn't see buying 250 bullets before I've had a chance to test them out. I did go online to attempt to buy a couple boxes of 100 at accuracyone, but there was no way to purchase them online. If I could have bought some to test and they worked out well for me I would have been a life long customer no matter the price. Like I said, when I can get my hands on some I'll probably give them a try. Honestly though, I do tend to steer away from components I can't count on being available. I've had great luck with Vihtavuori powders, but gave up on them long ago due to lack of availability.

The shortage of high quality reloading components has been frustrating for most of us. Most reloaders I know have had to try different brass, powders, primers and bullets because they can't always get what they prefer to use.

I know exactly what you mean about getting amounts to test. One of the muzzle-loader bullet makers has a " test pack" of 10 of each weight for a specific caliber so you can see what your gun likes. A good idea, IMO. Otherwise I get normal lot amounts , see what works, and then sell the ones I don't need here on the forum.

 

[stinkitup]

Any chance these can make it overseas?

Yep especially down under, just picked up a large batch so hoping they shoot. Would be good if they were easy to get.

 

[BradY]

I believe they are quite easy to get in Aus. Bob Dyer was the importer I heard. You can get them through most state rifle associations.

 

[6BRinNZ]

I believe they are quite easy to get in Aus. Bob Dyer was the importer I heard. You can get them through most state rifle associations.

hmmm, I assume its the usual nightmare to get them out of Aus and into NZ...unless you fill ya bags when you come over for the TransTasman this year

I've emailed swampy so we'll see what happens.

 

[tenring]

Swampy - Who is your "new jacket manufacturer"?

 

[Swampy]

Swampy - Who is your "new jacket manufacturer"?

tenring.... some are coming from the same source that the short line BR guys are getting theirs. Some are from other sources, and it appears that others are on the horizon. I am not at liberty at this time to say more.

Best regards,
Swampy