buying components

[bluebell]

Hi all

I would be interested to know where you all buy your reloading bits and what sort of quantities?

 

I am fed up with having to spend ages during the working week phoning round only to find that there is no one place with every thing I need so having to spend loads in postage/ petrol to get what I want.

 

So seriously considering buying a years worth of bits in one go (not least as every time I buy the price appears to have gone up). For me this will be about 1500- 2000 bullet heads, probably 200 brass (243/308) plus primers and maybe powder. Does anyone else do this? If so are there any deals to be done for such a large order? Would it be worth getting together with a few mates to make it an even bigger order and perhaps get direct from manufacturers?

 

Jan

[AndyCM]

Hi all

I would be interested to know where you all buy your reloading bits and what sort of quantities?

 

I am fed up with having to spend ages during the working week phoning round only to find that there is no one place with every thing I need so having to spend loads in postage/ petrol to get what I want.

 

So seriously considering buying a years worth of bits in one go (not least as every time I buy the price appears to have gone up). For me this will be about 1500- 2000 bullet heads, probably 200 brass (243/308) plus primers and maybe powder. Does anyone else do this? If so are there any deals to be done for such a large order? Would it be worth getting together with a few mates to make it an even bigger order and perhaps get direct from manufacturers?

 

Jan

 

I recently did just that with midwayuk via a local (non retail) rfd because of expanding.

My order was around 1200 bullets - no powder - no primers.

And I got almost everything I needed about £400 worth no exactly a big order as far as midway are concerned. Online prices, that I paid were better than any shop I've been in lately & took about a week to arrive. The rfd fee was very reasonable.

Cheers

AndyCM

[bluebell]

Thanks for that Andy, that was the direction that I was heading, but to be honest not all that keen on them as have been told that I was a silly femail and didnt know what I was talking about in the past Which may sometimes be the case but wasnt in this instance and even so could have been put in a way that wasnt quite so rude!

[Elwood]

Jan, try Norman Clark, they are always very helpful, specially Mick. Reloading Solutions are also very good as are Trent Firearms who advertise on here.

 

Let them know that you are above novice but below master and any advice would kindly appreciated and they should see you OK.

[grahamfarmer]

hi jan,

 

if your using match bullets midway uk normally deliver in ten days if in stock dont now about what quainties you could have for each shipment befor attracting customs attention as they are shipped from usa but 300 regulary cause no problems expanding ammo would need to be delivered to a friendly local rfd.

 

if you dont mind a bit of a afternoon out you are not a long way away from norman clark at rugby who stocks most things in way of powder etc can ring to check befor hand to check stock very help full guys.

 

or a bit further afield you have reloading soulitions at banbury never delt with them .

[bluebell]

Thanks Graham & Ian

My issue with Norman was I simply couldnt get through this week, every time I had a chance to call he was engaged!

 

Reloading solutions didnt have most of what I wanted in stock and only appeared to have 100 of anything.

 

Im not looking for anything too outlandish, normally want some 70g ish HPBT for .243 and something similar, say 155g in hpbt. even Midway struggled with that in 500 rounds when I looked last weekend.

 

Since I am hoping to change job in the not too distant future to a role that will reduce my ability to call during office hours even more than at present I started out looking for an easy solution on line, but failing any level of choice there thought I had better lay in a stock that would keep me going for a while.

[Alycidon]

I used to live in your county, not a lot of choice I am afraid. I tend to use Norman Clark in Rugby and Reloading Solutions are not that far away from you but you say you have tried them.

 

Donaldsons in MK is about the only local company that has much to do with rifles, always closed when I went for a look though. If your are Sandy end then there is another outfit near Royston but what their stocks are I just dont know.

 

Pete Lawman in Northampton does a limited range and is cheap. Only works evenings and weekends though as he also has a daytime job. Nice bloke to deal with.

 

A

[londonhunter]

I used to live in your county, not a lot of choice I am afraid. I tend to use Norman Clark in Rugby and Reloading Solutions are not that far away from you but you say you have tried them.

 

Donaldsons in MK is about the only local company that has much to do with rifles, always closed when I went for a look though. If your are Sandy end then there is another outfit near Royston but what their stocks are I just dont know.

 

Pete Lawman in Northampton does a limited range and is cheap. Only works evenings and weekends though as he also has a daytime job. Nice bloke to deal with.

 

A

 

 

If you live in Bedfordshire which I do as well, I would suggest you go over to Oxford -Reloading Solution

Great showroom always willing to help.

Can't fault them at all

[londonhunter]

If you live in Bedfordshire which I do as well, I would suggest you go over to Oxford -Reloading Solution

Great showroom always willing to help.

Can't fault them at all

 

They open on a saturday till 3pm

If they are engaged I send them an email and always get a confirmation and reply with a few hours.

They have monthly shipments and whatever they do not have will be on the table within a few weeks

 

Any emergency in reloading terms in means BAD planning that's all

[sean c]

Try Tim Hannam's for your bullets i get all my stuff from him via my rfd and Ive never had problems getting 155grn and 250grn scenars.

[grahamfarmer]

hi jan ,

 

another option out my way is peter starley at warwick he has large stocks of most requirements works from his house and is right off the a 46 at warwick if you want to try him let me now and will look out his number weekdays are best or ring and he will let you know when hes at home.

 

graham.

[Alycidon]

Any emergency in reloading terms in means BAD planning that's all

 

 

Generally true, I load batches that are enough for a few months at a go. But bad availabilty from the US (ie Sierra 204 39gr BKs) does put spanners in works. Vit availabilty also seems pretty poor, Norman had almost none last time I went.

 

A

[bluebell]

many thanks to you all. It is not emergency purchacing but lack of time during the working day and an unwillingness to give up a days shooting to spend it traveling to someone who may or may not have what I want in stock. Have to say that Peter Lawmans looks good prices and fairly local and faxing a list of requirements is a cracking idea - why didnt I think of that

[baldie]

Tim Hannam,s is the vhit importer, and will send to any rfd. The only couple that have been short in the last two years, from them, was firstly vv140, then 540, as people substituted it for 140. Yep, i know its a pain, and not to mention extra cost, but the gear is there if you want it. Fastway couriers will take powder under 5.3 regs, and are cheaper than tnt, but you have to have a franchise in your area obviously.

We havent had any problems getting 39 blitzkings Geoff, ours are from highland outdoors.

VV140, 150, and 160 is available in the 5lb kegs too, and Hannams have just started selling berger bullets as well.

I buy lapua scenars by the 1000 box, and it effectivley means you pay for 900, as their is a bulk discount.

Primers were the last thing in short supply, but the backlog is catching up fast. We had some federal, and also cci br4,s last week, and they have been like hens teeth lately.

Reputedly, the bullet situation is the next hard to get item.

[20Tac]

In terms of bullets, Reloading solutions are fine for small quantities in person, but for large orders Midwayuk are better. Reloading solutions didn't know for example, that the 500 quantity box of Sierra 39gr blitzkings existed when I asked them, and Midwayuk will get them in no trouble at all.

[baldie]

Yes, very true 20tac. midway uk are a good company. We have at least three orders a month with them.I honestly dont know why more dealers dont use them. Its a £200 minimum order for carriage free, so the customer doesn,t even have the postage to pay...and lets face it...£200 worth of bullets, dies, etc takes no getting to these days does it ?

we tend to top up our sierra stocks from midway, and have a couple of large orders a year with Highland. Its dead handy to be able to get the odd box of oddball stuff in, usually in under 10 days from Midway.

[TonyH]

In terms of bullets, Reloading solutions are fine for small quantities in person, but for large orders Midwayuk are better. Reloading solutions didn't know for example, that the 500 quantity box of Sierra 39gr blitzkings existed when I asked them, and Midwayuk will get them in no trouble at all.

But did RS offer to get these for you? They are Sierra stockists, and a very large dealer: they keep excellent stocks, and I've found them superior to deal with both by phone/mail order and in person. Their showroom is impressive, large and well stocked, modern, smart. Must admit I have no experience of Midway UK (have they got a showroom, at all?) but in the rather restricted category of major specialist UK dealers in handloading components, RS put the competition to shame.

Tony

[Ronin]

I buy most of my componants from Tim Hannam, either visiting direct or having courier deliver.

 

Midway are good for large orders but I find their blanket £8 delivery charge frustrating for smaller items - such as spares for repairs - swap over ADL to BDL, when the items could be posted for pence.

 

Brian Fox is a good source for Berger, he offers discount to F Class UK members.

 

RLS is a good place to visit although I don't pass often.

 

Powder - I buy so much of it, I have made an arrangement with my local shop, so I can get it couriered to them from wherever I get the best deal from.

[20Tac]

But did RS offer to get these for you? They are Sierra stockists, and a very large dealer: they keep excellent stocks, and I've found them superior to deal with both by phone/mail order and in person. Their showroom is impressive, large and well stocked, modern, smart. Must admit I have no experience of Midway UK (have they got a showroom, at all?) but in the rather restricted category of major specialist UK dealers in handloading components, RS put the competition to shame.

Tony

 

Tony,

 

They could have got 500 eventually, but all in separate boxes of 100 - they already had 2 or three on the shelf and didn't know at that time when they were getting any more in. No, they didn't offer to get the single box of 500 - their version of 500 is 5 separate boxes of 100.

I agree RS is a very good shop, but if you don't live nearby you have to pay courier charges on top of that order. So, as I was saying before for larger orders Midwayuk just works better.

 

Andrew