Posted: 6/12/2011 4:02:30 AM EDT
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My friends (roomies) and I have started reloading a few weeks back, and we've got the equipment and a few hundred rounds that work great, but we just aren't really getting by with bi-mart's selection.
We need a better store with a wider variety of goodies, and preferably local so we aren't paying haz-mat on shipping primers/powder (Which we need plenty of, I've been saving brass for 3 years). Fisherman's has a good selection, but the pricing blows compared to almost anywhere else. So, West side of town.... Where do we go? |
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Overall, buying online will save you much more money. Even with the hazmat fees, buying online will work out in your favor. About the only time I don't buy online, is when I need something like powder right away. Also, it pays to shop around on the internet with different vendors, because different vendors have specials on different things.
For example, one place may be a big time Sierra dealer, and always seems to have the lowest prices on Sierra bullets. Another seller may always have the cheapest Lapua bullets, and primers, while yet another one always has the cheapest Hornady, Winchester, or Remington Brass. Some of the places I have found the best deals: Powder Valley Midway Wiedner's Graf & Sons Bruno's E. Arthur Brown Lock, Stock, and Barrel Russ Haydon's shooter's supply Edited to correct 4th grade grammar, and upgrade the grammar to junior high level. |
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The bullets aren't really the big problem, since they can be shipped cheap, but paying $25 extra to ship powder is a killer. I need to figure out if one hazmat fee can cover powder and primers from some vendors, I guess...
Right now, we've got enough .223 and 5.56 brass to consume an additional 12-14lbs of powder, and enough 9mm and .40 brass to use up 4-5lbs. We still have additional calibers on top of that. |
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i buy anything heavy locally. Try to buy powders & primers locally too if im gettng 1 lb or < 1000 primers. but if im going to use alot of powder or primers, i will buy several kegs and call it good. Spreading the cost of a 25.00 hazmat tax over 16 lbs of powder is peanuts and is way < 0.01. Do the math and calcuate how much it will cost you. I dont pay attention to the 25 buck, but i look at how much it cost over what im ordering. If you just buy 1 pound of powder and 100 primers, then youre better off buying locally. Remember reloading is about BUYING IN BULK! if you cant do it, youre spending more $$ then necessary. Yeah, you may endup with more powder then you would like, but you will use it up. also when the prices go up agian, you will pat yourself on the back for buying that much in the first place.
If you have any friends that reload, try to get an order togeather. |
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Quoted:
The bullets aren't really the big problem, since they can be shipped cheap, but paying $25 extra to ship powder is a killer. I need to figure out if one hazmat fee can cover powder and primers from some vendors, I guess... Right now, we've got enough .223 and 5.56 brass to consume an additional 12-14lbs of powder, and enough 9mm and .40 brass to use up 4-5lbs. We still have additional calibers on top of that. that aint going to happen. they WILL NOT ship Powders & Primers togeather! do some homework. look at consolidating powders. |
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Quoted:
The bullets aren't really the big problem, since they can be shipped cheap, but paying $25 extra to ship powder is a killer. I need to figure out if one hazmat fee can cover powder and primers from some vendors, I guess... Right now, we've got enough .223 and 5.56 brass to consume an additional 12-14lbs of powder, and enough 9mm and .40 brass to use up 4-5lbs. We still have additional calibers on top of that. that aint going to happen. they WILL NOT ship Powders & Primers togeather! do some homework. look at consolidating powders. You need to research more. PVI has done so multiple times in the past. Just because midway won't, doesn't mean everyone won't. |
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Quoted:
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Quoted:
The bullets aren't really the big problem, since they can be shipped cheap, but paying $25 extra to ship powder is a killer. I need to figure out if one hazmat fee can cover powder and primers from some vendors, I guess... Right now, we've got enough .223 and 5.56 brass to consume an additional 12-14lbs of powder, and enough 9mm and .40 brass to use up 4-5lbs. We still have additional calibers on top of that. that aint going to happen. they WILL NOT ship Powders & Primers togeather! do some homework. look at consolidating powders. You need to research more. PVI has done so multiple times in the past. Just because midway won't, doesn't mean everyone won't. at one time it wasnt allowed. If the seller doesnt want to change or will separate the powders and primers is up to them. its their business and they will run it as they see fit. If PVI will mix, then buy from them or the others. I buy from Midway since they have what i want. |
| dont forget about Pats reloading. Also, if you buy a few 8 pounders the $20 gets spread out across them and isn't bad. You can also wait for the next time Bi-mart does the $2off thing on powders. That puts it in the mail order range. From time to time Powder valley has done free shipping if you buy like 10k worth of Tula primers or something like that (not bad primers from what I have heard). Thats a great time to load up. I would also second consolidating powders. For 223 and a myriad of other calibers, BLC-(2) and H335 are great. For pistol I am told Titegroup is the way to go, I think I am going to go grab a pound and have a go with it. But for the most part, I have gotten 90% of my primers from group buy deals with others that I know. If you can network around and find other people that do bulk reloading its a good way to get stuff cheaper. |