Aargh Midway!!

[rockdogz]

Ok, I love you MidwayUSA, but sometimes you infuriate me...

First, I sign up to be notified when Winchester 231 powder comes in stock. Today I get two emails saying the 1Lb and 8Lb quantities are in stock. Hot dog! So I click on over to the site, and... the 8lb is still out of stock. Geez, was I that slow?? So I pick up some 1lb bottles - cool, at least got some that way.

Next I get another batch of powder and decide to add some primers since I want to take advantage of the hazmat fee. Well when I add the primers, they tack on a second hazmat fee!! Jeez so I get rid of the primers and check out so I don't lose my 231 (I don't know how their cart system works - didn't want someone else to buy it out from under me).

I call them up later and come to find out that they keep the primers on site but not powder, so they have to charge two separate hazmat fees for shipping both. To top it off, I ask when they'll be getting more 8lb of the 231 in. The guy says it's in stock. So I check and - yep it's showing as in stock now!!!

I've bought from Cabelas in the past too, so maybe I'll have to look to them more often for reloading supplies.
Sorry just had to vent.

Oh and PS, THEY HAVE 231 IN STOCK!!!

[zfields]

Thats what has always turned me off from ordering reloading componets from them.

I stick local. pay a few bucks more, but rather support them, have it in my lil grubby hands and not pay hazmat.

[shadowofnight]

I buy a lot from midwayusa except 2 things...primers and powder.

For that it is powder valley all the way

midwayusa 8lb Win 231 = 131.99

powder valley 8lb Win 231 = 116.00

Want to add primers at PV...still just 1 Hazmat fee.....and both 1 pounders AND 8 pounders of your Win 231 are in stock at powder valley too.

[DRAB_81]

Cabelas actually has decent pricing on powder/primers, and they only charge one hazmat fee. I just ordered 2# of W231, 2# Longshot and 3K primers. The hazmat fee was a whopping $20. The primers are are backordered, but the powder shipped right away. There was still only one hazmat fee and one charge for shipping. Powder Valley has REALLY good prices, buut they always seem to be out of stock...

I tried to make the same order from Midway, the Hazmat fee was $55.

[Eargasm]

I stick local. pay a few bucks more, but rather support them, have it in my lil grubby hands and not pay hazmat.

Who's your source for powder/primers in Sonoma County (if you don't mind sharing)?

[zfields]

Usually petaluma reloading supply, if i dont feel like driving there, smit and travolties ( sp ) in santa rosa. Id rather go to petaluma though, better prices, better attitude IMO.

[Cowboy T]

Better to buy local whenever possible, and not only to save the HAZMAT fees.

[rockdogz]

Better to buy local whenever possible, and not only to save the HAZMAT fees.

Agreed; I wish there was somewhere local. I did find primers today unexpectedly, so there's a silver lining

[DRAB_81]

I would buy local, but I would end up paying more for the mark-up than I would for the hazmat fees. Powders are usually $10 over internet prices, and Primers are usually $5-$15 over internet prices. One local shop has Wolf primers for $40, and CCI/Win primers for $45. 1lb of Blue Dot goes for around $16 online, but get's atleast $25 locally. Even if I made a small order, like 2# of powder and 2k primers, I'd still save money buying online...

[brianinca]

>>>>
I stick local
>>>>
Better to buy local whenever possible
>>>>

I very much agree, pretty much the only thing I've bought in the last 15 years from my LGS is powder, primers and bullets.

When the whole "condor safe" thing came up in '08, they were on the horn with 4 different distributors finding me the weird Barnes bullets I needed (.310 762x39, .458 300 gr FP). I also bought 277 and 308 Nosler non-lead because they said good things about that bullet, and we called Sierra to find out when they were coming out with their non-lead lines (they aren't).

A year ago, they had a shipment of .380 ACP come in, it was behind the counter - because they know me, I got 2 boxes of 50 for $32 OTD. I told the owner he should charge more, he smiled and said "I'm selling all I can get at this price, why should I charge more?"

I walk in and get Varget any time I want - I bought 2 lbs in 6 mos just because I could. I got flack because they knew I had an 8lb jug, I justified it saying I was saving it for my match loads (all one lot that way). When the LGS saves your favorite powders back for good customers, it doesn't matter a bit to me saving 15% online.

Oh, yeah - when primers were in short supply, I always had WLR's and WSR's, and Federal 215's when I needed them. I did have to settle for CCI pistol primers for awhile there, it was rough.

I suspect a lot of shortages in the last 2.5 years affected those who don't patronize LGS's more than others.

Regards,
Brian in CA