Where do you get your goods?

I just started reloading and wanted to know where people get their powder and primers in the moco/ Frederick area? Any decent shops?

Gun Shak in Mt Airy

Ian said:

Gun Shak in Mt Airy

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Thanks for the info. I am not expecting super saver deals but are the prices fair and reasonable? Thanks for the help

Gun Shack is not the cheapest, but it's a nice store.

I want to know, Does Gun Shack enter identity information in a logbook for primer and propellant purchases? Do other Maryland stores?

Got all my stuff at Bass Pro, they seem to have a decent amount of reloading equipment

Watch the internet and get a buddy (or two). Splitting the haz mat fee a couple of ways (and getting a better price on bulk amounts) can help. I have dealt with Gunbroker for some semi-obsolete brass, as well as Graf's and Midway. The important thing is to remember to factor in shipping, especially with bullets. Lead is heavy.

Threeband said:

I want to know, Does Gun Shack enter identity information in a logbook for primer and propellant purchases? Do other Maryland stores?

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My DL info was recorded for a pound of Alliant Unique at The Gun Shop.

The internet for large orders. Grafs.com, wideners.com

Walmarts in WV on my yearly trip through have been a gold mine. Otherwise, Basspro for the occasional financial sodomy.

Mostly gunshow for primers and powder. Other stuff, online.

http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/
http://www.tntreloading.com/

I've always had good results with MidwayUSA.

I've also ordered from Cabelas as well.

Bullets I tend to shop around more than I do for powder/primers.

Arrow & Bullet in Hagerstown for powder & Primers.
3 R gun shop Hagerstown also has good prices.
(they are always at the Frederick gun show)

Maryland_DKB said:

Thanks for the info. I am not expecting super saver deals but are the prices fair and reasonable? Thanks for the help

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You are getting good answers here. Don't be surprised that they are so varied ... that's just how things are, and you seem to have the right approach about this stuff.

First, find out who has what you want locally (what you asked for in the first place). Compare prices there to what you can find online, and if they are within about 10%, consider them to be reasonable. The hazmat and shipping fees for powder and primers quickly erodes the low prices of the stuff that you see online, as does the cost of shipping heavy stuff, like lead. Keep that in mind when you evaluate the prices of stuff that you see on the shelves at Mom & Pop's You-Shoot-Em store.

IF you see great online prices for powder and primers, and you can get some people to join you in a group buy, you can order (up to 48 pounds, I think) a quantity of materials in one shipment, with the same hazmat fee as shipping a pound of powder. The only problem there is getting a group of people together to decide on an order, divide the expense, collect the money, etc. Unless you already have a close group of friends, or your pockets are deep, buying from Mom & Pop might still be worth the extra unit price.

But ... shop around and learn what various places have. I've got a mental list of little "honey holes" that I don't get to often, but have to go near for other business. One is a shop in a small town where the guy has some stock on the shelves that doesn't move locally, but he still has it priced as when he received it some 10 years ago. A factory-sealed container of 10 year old powder doesn't concern me, especially when it's been stored in ideal conditions for those years ... and it's like getting it at almost 50% off. (No, I'm not sharing where it is until I go there again with much more cash.)

My favorite shop (Green Top) is pretty far away from me, but I end up going past it on other business every few weeks. I keep a running "grocery list" of what I want to get on the next trip. Figuring in shipping and hazmat fees, and since I have to be there anyway, buying consumable reloading supplies there is cheaper than ordering them online.

Non-consumables (hardware, casings, etc.) are a different matter. Look at the online sources that people are mentioning here, and order from the best that you can find. Having a C&R on file with many of those sources will often get you a modest discount. It's usually not much, but it adds up. I'm sure that I cover the cost of my C&R about once every six months, or so, from savings in online supply purchases (or with one C&R firearm purchase, from certain dealers).

Good luck, and welcome to the poorhouse!

Depending on what you will be reloading, you can check these out also:

http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.aspx
http://www.hi-techammo.com/
http://www.gibrass.com/
http://www.shop.rmrbullets.com/


-Rock

I'm making a run to cabelas this weekend. I head up that way when I'm low on primers and powder. Plus for me the boss(the wife) does the antique thing so we both enjoy it. Green top is nice also if you want to drive or Richmond.

The one issue you will find when getting all of your components together is that you will rarely fine everything you need in 2-3 places. I end getting things from 5-6 different places. Price shop and you'll soon figure out where to buy everything. Are you planning to do just brass or are you also doing shotshell stuff ?

I typically get non haz components online (usally Midway USA etc) primers, and powders I get from a local shop. Ordering powder & primers, the Hazmat fees will kill you unless you do a bulk order with a group of people.

Back when I lived in Montgoco - I used to go to a shop in Mount Airy called Crosswinds. But Googling the old phone number and name, I think it is Gun Shack now. The place had old wooden floor, like it was an old hardware store from back in the day. Their prices were good - but that has been ages since I was there. They were far cheaper then any of the shops in Montgoco at the time.

I stock up on powder and primers at the gun shows everything else online.

Threeband said:

Gun Shack is not the cheapest, but it's a nice store.

I want to know, Does Gun Shack enter identity information in a logbook for primer and propellant purchases? Do other Maryland stores?

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Yep, i picked up some powder for my BP rifle and they logged my DL info

I know some individual stores take driver's license info for black powder sales. Is it a store thing, or a State thing?

I'm really wondering about primers and smokeless powder, though.
Does Maryland collect log book identity info for powder and primer sales?