Where's the balls?

[Stumpkiller]

Nothing new at Gander Mountain or Dick's locally. Muzzleloading season is less than two weeks away and they have NO .54 caliber round balls. Dicks had ONE BOX of 25 .50, though Gander Mt. did have both Hornady and T/C boxed round balls. Gander Mt. had no blackpowder, Dick's hasn't carried it for years. Nothing with a side-hammer to be seen on the racks at either store.

Suppose if we made a vocal boycott they'd notice?

Gander Mt. did have a full isle of deer food, though it is illegal to use it in NY (even if you're not hunting over it). Oh, I'd like to do a Carrie Nation routine with an ax in that isle.

 

[guncobbler]

Kind of funny but I don't really mind not finding traditional stuff in the gun stores. I do this sport because it's fun to make many of the things I need and kind of exclusive to nuts like us. We may not all ride the short bus but we sure are "special". Of course I don't want to be the only person around who does this but visting the Forum dispells that thought. GC

 

[amccall]

I was at Gander Mt. a few weeks ago and met a guy that belongs to my muzzleloading club. Gander Mt. hired him for his experience to increase sales in traditional blackpowder weapons. The crazy thing he told me was when he went to order some basic supplies and guns he was told that he could not order that stuff. They told him that those things don't sell fast enough. He said, so you hired me to increase sales in traditional blackpowder weapons but you will not let me order any to have on hand. The only way I can sell any is if someone comes in and asks but there is no advertising to tell people that is how we are going to handle it, they said yes. He started to laugh and said " and they still wonder why all they sell is the inline products". :youcrazy:

 

[Bob J]

Well its certainly nice to have places to order stuff from; Dixie, Track, Tip Curtis Frontier Shop, East Maine, etc. I'm fortunate that the one gun shop in my town carries some muzzleloading supplies so I buy balls and some other things there.

 

[Walks Alone]

Still better than the fairly new Bass Pro Shop they built here. If it isn't for 50 caliber in-lines shooting Pyrodex, they don't even stock it for the most part. But then this store is very lacking in the entire gun department and with no hope for change. They do have fishing gear and wrong pattern hunting clothes coming out of their ears though - I guess they think more approriate for on the desert. :hmm:

 

[kgs113]

Are you in desperate need for .54 loads. I have .530 and .535 roundball to spare. Do you need 2 or 3 rounds for the season? :rotf: Seriously, if you're low let me know. I'm in the neighborhood. Hoping to get out for ml season. What range do you usually shoot at?

 

[Pittsburghunter]

You know I hate posting this but that is the reason I buy .50cal rifles. You can always find ammo for them it might not be exactly what you want but shootable ammo.

I am lucky I can buy just about anything I need where I live but I think about where I may be going and what I can find.

 

[Stumpkiller]

No. Thank you very much. I'm set. I cast my own and have a coffee can full of back-up and two five-gallon pails full of scrap lead. I just like to keep tabs on the local retailers and harass them occasionally. I gave up even hoping for local blackpowder and buy from[url] www.powderinc.com[/url]

It usually goes like this:

"Do you have backpowder?"

"No."

"O.530" round lead balls?"

"No."

"Sorry, my mistake. I thought this was a sporting goods store. Is there one in this area?"

:blah:

We had a local store that was liquidating the pistol department and, when the bored clerk left to answer the phone after handing me a used .45 ACP(!), I field stripped it of every piece that comes off (including the firing pin, mainspring cover and trigger) and left the parts on the counter.

My wife says I have a mean streak.

 

[Bob J]

Still better than the fairly new Bass Pro Shop they built here. If it isn't for 50 caliber in-lines shooting Pyrodex, they don't even stock it for the most part. But then this store is very lacking in the entire gun department and with no hope for change. They do have fishing gear and wrong pattern hunting clothes coming out of their ears though - I guess they think more approriate for on the desert. :hmm:

There's a Bass Pro Shop about 80 miles south and 110 miles north (Orlando). Invariably one of my brothers or relatives (non-muzzleloaders) will want to stop in the Orlando store when we are headed to N. Fla.on a hunting trip. Waste an hour or two there? Boring! I've no further interest to make regular stops there to look at plastic inlines, over-priced camo, and gee-whiz techno-trash. :shake:

 

[mglampson]

We had a local store that was liquidating the pistol department and, when the bored clerk left to answer the phone after handing me a used .45 ACP(!), I field stripped it of every piece that comes off (including the firing pin, mainspring cover and trigger) and left the parts on the counter.

:rotf: Now THAT is priceless! It's probably still in pieces in a box somewhere under the counter.

Britches

 

[Pork Chop]

Dixie,

Where you hunting up in North Florida?

 

[TFoley]

We had a local store that was liquidating the pistol department and, when the bored clerk left to answer the phone after handing me a used .45 ACP(!), I field stripped it of every piece that comes off (including the firing pin, mainspring cover and trigger) and left the parts on the counter.

:rotf: Now THAT is priceless! It's probably still in pieces in a box somewhere under the counter.

Britches

Now I'VE got a good story a bit like that, concerning the UK mainland handgun hand-in in 1997, but you'll have to look on the general muzzleloading thread for it under 'de-activation'.

tac :haha:

 

[3 stinky dogs]

That's what I thought to until I bought a gun that uses flint instead of caps. I managed to order enough gunpowder to keep me busy but I cant afford to order enough led. I don't have the stuff needed to cast balls and the one place that sold "traditional" archery and gun stuff went out of business. I find my self starting to agree with the guy's who always complain about big stores not selling the stuff I need

 

[oomcurt]

Shucks, I've been bitching about big stores and modern marketing for over 20 years now. Try to find a real hardware store sometime. Even better...go into a damm Ace store and try to buy slotted head wood screws...can't do it. To top it all off, you then have to listen to some stupid clerk telling you the phillips head screws are better. I got news for them people...I don't always live in the 21st century. Fact is..I didn't always live in the 20th century either. Dang modern idjits.

 

[Slamfire]

There was one of those "real" hardware stores in the valley I lived in, in California. Trouble was you couldn't get through the aisles, so much merchandise was stacked in them. :shocked2:

 

[walruskid1]

forget about gander mountain, they cater to the .50 cal club - and i don't mean traditional. i do have a local gunshop that still carries some stuff. only because one of the countermen is a traditional shooter.

 

[3 stinky dogs]

At least you have some where you can get your stuff . As it stands now I will have to wait till I get back to Ft. Collins before I will be able to walk in and buy my stuff.

 

[riarcher]

Not limited to ML as far as finding things. I've trouble with "tall" pants/shirts, EEE-Wide shoes, Traditional archery gear, fresh water fishing gear, and an assortment of "normal(?) goodies."
Then when I do get to a store it's like such a bother for them to help you find things I've given up on anything bought local except gas and beer!
Now that it's Christmas Season all the local merchants are crying poverty and can't compete with mail-order :youcrazy: and are asking for a tax break!
They got what they asked for in my opinion. :cursing: No mercy from me.
What? I'm suposed to buy my cloths too small just to suport them when they wont order what's wanted? Not me.