Buying powder

[Baxter]

I live about 150 miles from TOW and plan to drive down to get my powder - can't afford their "Minimum 25lb order + shipping + HazMat fees for shipping. Contacted TOW a few days ago to get FFFg for my new flintlock. "No powder, call after 4:30PM to see what will be available next day. It is deer season so we sell out quickly". Called at 4:30 yesterday afternoon and spoke to a gentleman who told me to call again today after 4:30. Called at 4:33 today and spoke to a lady who says "I don't know who told you that but we won't be receiving powder until the second week of November and we will have months and months of powder." ? I can wait, seems like I have been waiting all of my life. I wonder if anyone can comment of purchasing powder from TOW?

 

[jamesthomas]

I would forget about Track for powder. a lot of folks here use Powderinc. to get our blackpowder, just a 5lb minimum. I buy it in 10lb lots. They use UPS. which will leave it on your front porch if your not home, which I like. It takes about 2 to 3 days to get it. P.S., I just checked them and they say they're OUT of Goex, But get some KIK black powder, it is just as good as Goex and is what I use. I think it's a little cleaner burning than Goex also.

 

[necchi]

Well, I'm in St.Cloud so they're about 40 min drive.
The proximity they have to the Cities makes it tuff for them to hang onto powder.
Word get's out that they have it in stock and all the local's flood the place.

They price the stuff high too,

 

[david50]

Powder Inc. is the way to go. dont understand why one would buy powder any other way,they sell it cheaper and it comes right to your door. http://www.powderinc.com/

 

[majg1234]

I buy from Back Creek Gun Shop in Va,they've always been great!!!!!! ordered 10lbs of Ffg Goex monday AM it showed up today :thumbsup: shipping,Hazmat and all was less than $20/lb.And did I say they were great.They didn't answer the phone when I called but in less than 1 hr they had returned the call and the order was done.I HIGHLY recommend them :grin:

 

[William O.]

Powder Inc. is the way to go. dont understand why one would buy powder any other way,they sell it cheaper and it comes right to your door. http://www.powderinc.com/[/quote]
Powder Inc. is the way to go, and they price their powder to include both shiping and haz-mat fee so even buying the 5 pound minimum is a real savings over what you would pay in a retail store for it. However, they are out of 2f & 3f Goex until after 11/7/2012. They do have Swiss, Scheutzen and KIK right now though. http://www.powderinc.com/catalog/order.htm

 

[Matt85]

havent bought from powderinc but ive bought powder from http://www.grafs.com/ the prices are good and the company has treated me well so far. grafs lets you choose your shipping provider (i hate UPS) and depending on your choice powder its cheaper then powderinc.

-matt

 

[rafterob]

grafs lets you choose your shipping provider

Powderinc. lets you choose also, they just don't let you know that. One company will drop off without a signature.

 

[Baxter]

I've read all the replies available in this string at this time and I thank all of you for your very useful and kind suggestions. Frankly, when I typed the OP message I thought better of it and thought that I had deleted the posting - not wanting to gripe about a business until I contacted it and given it a chance to work things out with me but, the message did get posted and I do appreciate the replies. I've a PM to answer and I'll post a follow-up. My greatest disappointment is in getting 'mixed messages' from a retail store that I've already done some business with (not for powder though).

 

[necchi]

It is a wonder,,
Why Dave doesn't stock powder on a regular basis??

It's always been hit-n-miss even for the walk-ins to the shop.
When he does have it there's a form
(pages in a book he has you fill out);
Name, Address, PH#, next of kin, emergancy contact, Thumb and palm print, Spouses name, Ex-Spouses name, name and sex of your unborn childern, DNA sample and a place to leave a bit mark on the paper,,
(before he goes and get's the powder!)

I'm sure it's just all the paper work and license and insurance he has to carry just because he's a business that makes it easier to just not have any on hand,,
:idunno:

 

[Asher]

I tried checking Bass Pro Shop online (they have a store near me, probably the most convenient, but I wanted to check prices first) and they didn't show ANY real black powder online. Do they really carry it in the stores?

 

[jamesthomas]

Yes they do. They do not advertize it and ya have to go to the counter and ask them for it. It's where I get my 4f for priming.

 

[Baxter]

Thanks, necchi for the chat some minutes ago; my daughter is eager for a rendezvous experience, as am I. Is TOW the ONLY black powder supplier up here in MN? I am sending off my form letter to Powder, Inc. tomorrow and will look at Graf's and any other suppliers mentioned. Eager to get started; saved some ceiling tiles from a project that should give me something visible to shoot at as soon as I have powder. Looking about for some shooting sticks to aid my 'bad left shoulder' but maybe a couple of slim young popples will do. Thanks to all for their input and I will keep reading.

 

[William O.]

I tried checking Bass Pro Shop online (they have a store near me, probably the most convenient, but I wanted to check prices first) and they didn't show ANY real black powder online. Do they really carry it in the stores?

Yes, at least the one closest to me does, but it was up to $23.95 a pound last time I bought from them. :shocked2:

 

[William O.]

Looking about for some shooting sticks to aid my 'bad left shoulder' but maybe a couple of slim young popples will do. Thanks to all for their input and I will keep reading

Here are some places selling shooting sticks that might help you find what you need; http://www.catshootingsticks.com/store.html http://csharpsarms.com/catalog-category/16/Shooting-Accessories.html?page=1&product_category_id=16
Plus how to make your own; http://www.prbullet.com/stix.htm http://www.ehow.com/how_6076410_make-folding-shooting-sticks.html

 

[Otter]

I think you can email the forms Powder, Inc requires (IIRC, their release/info sheet and a copy of your current DL) if you can turn them into PDFs. I did that over 5 years ago and their requirements may have changed, so check their website for sure. The last time I bought from them, I was visiting a jobsite in Little Rock and Clarksville was just a 5 or 6 mile detour. If you can do that, BTW, you do save the HazMat and shipping charges . . .

 

[Ken Rummer]

Before I retired my employer was paying $.58 per mile as reimbursement for use of a personal car. This meant, to me, that it actually cost me more to operate the car than $.58 per mile.

I am sure this cost is now much more so I use $.60 to calculate the cost of driving to a store to buy powder compared to having it delivered by UPS and paying the Hazmat fee.

At $.60 per mile you can drive 41.6 miles for the $25 cost of the hazmat fee.

 

[ebiggs1]

There are many ways to consider this. Not just actual co$ts! We make the trip to GAFS and Sons which happens to be nearly 150 miles from me. But we make a mini-vacation out of it. There are lots of things to see and do and places to eat along the way. Makes a pretty nice get-a-way. :grin:
Except that horrid Tigerville, :td: I have to suffer through to get there. Yeah, otherwise a very fun trip. :thumbsup:

 

[gl1200a]

Wife and I do the same thing going to Clarksville.
Not far to the wineries.

 

[hanshi]

I don't think much has changed. I've ordered powder from Powder Inc and from Jacks and have been extremely satisfied both with service and with product. I quit buying powder retail long before Elephant bit the dust; and, by the way, I was quite satisfied with all the Elephant I burned behind prb.