Powder Prices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SW CQB 45]

I went gauging some powder prices where I live. Powder seemed to be plentiful in two gun stores but the prices were outragious when compared to Powder Valley.

WST and WST 28 and 29 bucks!!!!!!
LongShot 28.
American Select 25 to name a few.

I checked the prices of WST and WSF on Powder Valley and WOW! Almost half that price (16.50)!!!!!!!

QUESTION
Has any reloaders and forum members who lived in the same area got together for a bulk powder or primer order and will it save money in the area of the hazmat fee for potentially large orders?

I got plenty of primers for next year but I want to try different powders before I settle on one per caliber.

WST and WSF are powders I want to test this winter and under $17 a lbs is sweet...but the hazmat will increase those prices.

TIA

[2152hq]

I'm lucky to live within 10 miles of a large distributor and buy all my reloading components there.
The last time I bought Clays powder it came to about $11/pound. That was 16 pounds of it (box of two 8 pound jugs).
It gets used up fairly fast when shooting skeet every week though. Haven't tried it in handguns but I know others use it.

That HazMat charge really puts a damper on anything you might want to buy that has to get shipped. If it's a large enough quantity to break it down, it can absorbed pretty well though.

Off the shelf prices at most stores I've seen are about what you've quoted. I look out of interest just 'cause I'm there,,and just shake my head.

[ArchAngelCD]

I've found if you order 2X 8lb jugs of powder and 5000 primers you only add $1 per pound of powder and $1 per 1000 primers to the price. If you buy more the Hazmat fee doesn't hurt as much but I still don't like is since they really do nothing different in shipping.

[Rule3]

I just bought a bunch of primers and 12 pounds of powder from Weidners so I figure the has mat was spread pretty good.

The prices are what they are. The only place that sells powder and primers is 20 miles from me at Bass Pro. Primers are only sold in individual sleeves of 100 and powder is at least $20 a pound plus tax.

The "snobs" at my gun range already have there little cliche group and will never let anyone know when they have a group buy for bullets, powder or primers. They got theirs and say it's to difficult to organize it with more people. To much problem getting them to pay or to pick up the stuff. I guess they may have had some problems but we all live in the same area. If I give them several hundred dollars I sure am gonna pick it up.

[jepp2]

I don't know how "large" an order you are talking about. There is a weight limit on a box for HAZMAT charge. I recall the limit as being 48 pounds. If it is two boxes, there will be 2 fees.

Some distributors will not ship primers and powder in the same container. Powder Valley will. Just another thing to consider.

Power Valley will also hold instock items, until backordered items are in stock, if that is what you request. I have had great customer service from them.

[Rule3]

45Lbs

....................

[walnutred]

The UPS and DOT hazmat weight limit is 66lbs, unless there was a recent change. There is a local group that tries to pool primer and powder orders twice a year and it seems to work out well for them. I don't participate but my last order was for 16 lbs of powder and 20K primers, so the hazmat fee seemed acceptable.

[Andy Griffith]

Yes.

If you have a gun club or something close by, and you order enough to get prepaid freight and go truck lines- it becomes much cheaper.

The club I'm a member of...I get together with some of the others and put in an order with a distributor two or three times a year. I've joined in on it twice in the last three years- before the scare **** started. Find a club with some trapshooters- they're the tightest guys always trying to save a buck, and combine your order with theirs and there will be no freight or hazmat.

[growr]

The whole haz-mat charge is ridiculous........just another way to gouge in my opinion.
Randy

[cp1969]

Originally Posted by growr

The whole haz-mat charge is ridiculous........just another way to gouge in my opinion.
Randy

You got that right. That stuff is handled in no different manner than if you'd ordered a lump of clay.

[ken158]

Midway USA says 48# per hazmat fee of $25 and that is in catalog that arrived yesterday... page 20 if anyone cares...

[ArchAngelCD]

Midway USA charges too much for S&H anyway. They have everything you need but that one thing bothers me to no end!

[SW CQB 45]

No more Midway orders for me....I dont care for their gouging, I mean shipping charges.

I think Powder Valley is the way to go....I just need to order a decent amount to eaze the pain of the BS hazmat fee.

[Rule3]

I also think or at least it used to be, that Midway ships primers and powder from two different locations so you can not combine them and have to pay 2 haz mat fees.

I used to be a devoted Midway customer as they had excellent service, their shipping was not any worse than other places. What has miffed me lately is what they charge for certain items. I can get the same thing at Natchez for less than Midways sale price. They also charge more for some items than direct from the manufacture. My last few orders, the main thing I wanted was out of stock so if I back ordered it I would get hit for an additional shipping fee.
Unless they are the only one that has something, I am pretty much done with Midway. I'll pay a little more and get it from Brownells or Sinclair. Powder from Weidners or PV.

[ArchAngelCD]

Originally Posted by OCD1

I also think or at least it used to be, that Midway ships primers and powder from two different locations so you can not combine them and have to pay 2 haz mat fees.

I used to be a devoted Midway customer as they had excellent service, their shipping was not any worse than other places. What has miffed me lately is what they charge for certain items. I can get the same thing at Natchez for less than Midways sale price. They also charge more for some items than direct from the manufacture. My last few orders, the main thing I wanted was out of stock so if I back ordered it I would get hit for an additional shipping fee.
Unless they are the only one that has something, I am pretty much done with Midway. I'll pay a little more and get it from Brownells or Sinclair. Powder from Weidners or PV.

I am totally with you on this one! The double S&H fee on back orders really rubs me raw!

Sorry for the sidetrack...

[AZ Desertrat]

I agree....I have done most of my powder and primer buys from PV lately....good service...and I think their s&h is fair.

[PNUC]

The high power rifle shooters at my club organize a drop-ship from Sierra every year about this time. We each order about 4K of whatever bullet(s) we're shooting. Sierra is the only manufacturer does this, far as I can find out. (Hornady does not. Berger, before they dropped my favorite bullet, did not.)

I believe the Sierra orders are actually shipped from PV.

With powders & primers, before the panic I used to organize group buys from PV with people I knew and trusted. Nothing snobbish, I just needed to know the guy wouldn't stick me with 16# of powder or 5K primers because he scored at a gun show, or bought a new gun and sold the old one, or the cat needed braces, or whatever.

And I didn't want money up front. Last thing I need is mediating a dispute between an indifferent vendor and a pissed off customer.

But once the shortages happened group buys were out. The chances of even two desirable powders or primers being in stock at the same time? Nil. Every man for himself!

I think the group buys will start up again soon as we start running low, but it will still be a limited group.

Only good thing about powder expense is it's small compared to bullets.

[Rule3]

"or the cat needed braces, or whatever."

Too funny!

[yellowf4]

Someone listed 5 posts below this that Graf is shipping 32lbs of powder with no hazmat....

[Engineer1911]

I'll be out of primers and powder in about 8 years. Then there will be a clean out sale -- rifles, molds, dies, presses, excess S&W pieces, and off on a grandiose vacation!!!

[ArchAngelCD]

Originally Posted by yellowf4

Someone listed 5 posts below this that Graf is shipping 32lbs of powder with no hazmat....

That's all well and good if you have ~$600 to spend on powder at one time. I for one can not do that...

[Skip Sackett]

Originally Posted by ArchAngelCD

That's all well and good if you have ~$600 to spend on powder at one time. I for one can not do that...

Be friendlier and get someone to take up the other $500!

Surely someone else reloads in your area. Getting everyone to be "flush" at the same time is a little tough, I know, I've tried to get group buys of powder and primers at out local range. It's tough.

I went to the local pusher today and got a 1lb jug of W296. $22! It was only a year ago that it was a mere $20.


At any rate, I've been casting and not loading too much. A friend of mine needed some 44Mag loaded for a Ruger M77 he just got. 24gr 240gr XTP. Give me 1800fps from a 20" barrel. He should be getting close with the 18 1/2". If he gets a deer this year, I've got dibs on a rear quarter!

[SW CQB 45]

I placed an order from PV and after shipping and hazmat of 7lbs of powder....it adds $5 a one pound can. I still think I made out ok except not sure on the VV powder. since they dont sell it locally, not sure if I got a deal or not.

1 ALLIANT BULLSEYE 1# 13.95 +5= $18.95
1 WINCHESTER SUPER-FIELD (WSF) 1# 16.50 + 5 = $21.50
2 WINCHESTER SUPER-TARGET (WST) 1# 16.50 + 5 = $21.50 ea
1 VIHTAVUORI N310 1# 26.00 + 5 = $31
2 VIHTAVUORI N320 1# 26.00 + 5 + $31 ea

[Skip Sackett]

If you would have bought 4lb containers of each powder the cost per pound would have been much better.

8lbs for $98 in the same scenario would have been $103/8 or $12.88lb.

Now, since you are flush with money, you could have bought bigger jugs of all of those powders and saved even more money!

I know that you can ship 40,000 primers for one hazmat fee. Not sure how much powder can go under one though.

[SW CQB 45]

my goal is to test powders this winter and try to find the best accuracy out of certain loads

for Nina, 38 and 45 and stick with those powders, then start the bigger 4 and 8 pound jug orders.