Travelers Swiss question

[user 48702]

Traveler's FEDEX Hazmat fee is $44 for 2022, as is required by FEDEX, up from $39 for 2021. The $100 flat fee included shipping and Hazmat. If you back the $44 Hazmat fee out of the $100 flat fee, you paid $56.00 for shipping. Traveler's never raised their prices per pound during the current crisis for his repacked powder, as he had plenty of stock on hand. His price for Traveler's Schuetzen is the same today as it was a year ago. He should probably break down the flat rate and spell out the Hazmat and shipping charges separately. Heck, I receive 5 gallon kegs of flammables which has the same $44 Hazmat fee. I could jump up and down about a $256.00 Hazmat fee on my last shipment, but $212 was the freight/shipping cost when you back out the Hazmat. Traveler's powder I received back in the Fall was repacked in 2016, and I have no problem with it. The plastic containers are new to me, but you don't have to be concerned about rusty containers due to long term storage.

Here is a link to FEDEX Surcharges and Fees for 2022. If you look at page 5, about halfway down, you'll see the current Hazmat Fee is currently $44 for the year 2022.
FEDEX Surcharge and Rate Sheet

 

[FishDFly]

I cannot remember it, I have tried. His avatar has either his logo or a Swiss emblem in it. That is not much help. I did search for Swiss but did not find it.

 

[Jebidiah Springfield]

Thank you for posting the real hazmat fees. I see it should have been $44. He charged me $125 for shipping and hazmat, said $100 was for hazmat alone.
So it appears he marked it up...I was too trusting, I just believed him when he said what the fees were. His price per pound was cheaper than most so that has to be taken into account for the total price.

I'm so new to this I didn't know what questions to ask. At first I wanted to order 5 lbs, but after hearing that just the hazmat was over $100 ($20 per lb for just hazmat) I thought about ordering more to absorb the hazmat cost and then I could give extras to people at the range and local clubs.

I'm sure the powder was kept properly prior to repackaging since the guy is a pro and knows what he is doing. I just would have preferred it did not take 5 emails before he finally calmed down enough to answer the question of how old was the powder.
Lesson learned. Always ask before purchase.

At least now I'm quite sure that 6 year old powder is nothing to worry about at all.
I think the plastic containers he uses are functionally good in that they won't rust.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

The $100 hazmat would be a flag for me. It's his prerogative to charge what he wants, just like a guy selling portable generators for $2000 after a hurricane, but I won't pay it (when I checked on UPS, their hazmat fee was $33). I had put him on my source list, but if this is how he responds to questions from customers I'll make my own if I can't find it elsewhere.

 

[Andrewmtnman]

I ordered 5 lbs from travelers a month ago. HM fee was $70ish. He was pleasant on the phone. No issues. I did see the date was 2016 on the jugs. I am not concerned, never had an issue with old powder of any kind going bad or having a shelf life, providing storage is appropriate. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[azmntman]

I ordered 5 lbs from travelers a month ago. HM fee was $70ish. He was pleasant on the phone. No issues. I did see the date was 2016 on the jugs. I am not concerned, never had an issue with old powder of any kind going bad or having a shelf life, providing storage is appropriate. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

Your not married?

 

[Frontier's]

I'm shooting powder from 1974.

 

[Jebidiah Springfield]

Yes, we have now established black powder, properly stored is good for decades.

and that "You're not married comment" made me laugh out loud!


p.s. Travelers was very pleasant on the phone.. .while charging me $100 for hazmat...

 

[rkrcpa]

I received 10 pounds from him recently for $26.50/lb. delivered. Seems like a fair price given current market conditions.

I spoke with him on the telephone because the website info was contradictory. We had a pleasant exchange, including him telling me how he came to have the powder for cheap.

I would buy from him again.

 

[Andrewmtnman]

I'm shooting powder from 1974.

What’s the price on those cans?

 

[Jebidiah Springfield]

I received 10 pounds from him recently for $26.50/lb. delivered. Seems like a fair price given current market conditions.

I spoke with him on the telephone because the website info was contradictory. We had a pleasant exchange, including him telling me how he came to have the powder for cheap.

I would buy from him again.

Then clearly you got a better deal than me. He was pleasant on the phone. He did have the powder in stock, it is in good shape, overall given the current scarcity of powder I don't think anyone should avoid buying from him. I was just shocked at the cuss filled angry emails.

People should definitely feel free to buy from him anytime, just make sure you pay the correct shipping prices, that's all.

 

[FishDFly]

"I was just shocked at the cuss filled angry emails."

Are you going to share them?

 

[Jebidiah Springfield]

No, I think he was likely having some other major issue in his life and I caught him at a bad time. The rant was mostly about California and Californians. California has intentionally made it a pain to deal with. He has not since emailed anything angry. His last email finally answered the initial question of how old the powder was, so I got my answer and would like to let this mess end. Whatever he is/was going through, I'm sure it is/was quite unpleasant. I'm not trying to further hurt the guy. Everyone has bad days.

It is not my intent to cause more ruckus than I already have.

Like I said before, I take full responsibility for not having asked the date of manufacture before I bought. I've learned my lesson to not blindly trust sellers.
Sure he overcharged me quite a bit for the "hazmat" fees, but I don't think he would do that to anyone who let him know that they know the charges from fedx are now $44 for such size shipments.

 

[Frontier's]

What’s the price on those cans?

No clue, it came in a 25lb plastic bag. Used to be artillery powder before I turned it down into 2,3 and 4f.

 

[Cattywompuss]

Yes, we have now established black powder, properly stored is good for decades.

and that "You're not married comment" made me laugh out loud!


p.s. Travelers was very pleasant on the phone.. .while charging me $100 for hazmat...

I bought 4lbs of Swiss three weeks ago from Powder Valley. Total was $156. Including shipping and Hazmat. Shipping was 13.95 and hazmat was 19.95. What in seven devils is happening at Travelers? I live in Alabama, so, all things considered, I see no problem with what I paid to have it dropped off on the back stoop.

 

[Andrewmtnman]

I paid $17/lb plus $70 shipping at travelers in Jan. So they are actually cheaper in the end, or were. Schutzen

 

[Cattywompuss]

I paid $17/lb plus $70 shipping at travelers in Jan. So they are actually cheaper in the end, or were. Schutzen

How many pounds did you buy?

 

[Andrewmtnman]

5. Should have bought more. Seems to be the theme these days

 

[PatriotKnight]

I found some black powder for sale marked "Travelers Swiss " and "Travelers Scheutzen " and it's listed as being in stock yet regular Swiss and Scheutzen show as out of stock
Anyone here know the difference? By the way. it's at a place in Texas called Travelers Antiques.

Great vendor. This is their private label BP of Swiss and Scheutzen. Buy it and be amazed by their amazing customer service. I’ve used them as my go to for years.

 

[PatriotKnight]

I just tried to add those to a cart at the site and they came up out of stock.

You have to call them. Or email them.