Do you load more than 100 rounds a month? HELP

[MoBoost]

I guess I'll be a party pooper: either carry all of them or none.

Any serious shooter will buy very large quantity to avoid load redevelopment - 16lb+ from same lot, aka online.

Occasional shooter will buy a pound of "each" for load developmenmt, and then another pound when load is "found" - that's the guy you'll need to retail to. That means you'll have to carry "one of each" for all calibers.

Sure, Varget, blc2, 4895 will move, at first ... but if you are not known as "reloading" place - it will just sit there.

 

[Grumulkin]

I load probably 35 different cartridges and certainly do load over 100 rounds a month. Even the "big" sporting goods place near where I live doesn't have some of the powders I use and it's a lot better than the Cabela's I visited recently. In my experience, some of the most versatile powders are:

Unique (44 Mag. cast bullet loads)
RL-15 (I uses it for 204 Ruger, 223 Remington, 375 H&H Magnum and it can be used for others)
Varget (I use it for 30/06)
H110 which is the same as Winchester 296 (500 S&W Mag. but good for many others)
H4831SC (300 Win. Mag. & 378 Weatherby)
RL-22 (25/06 & 7mm Rem. Mag.)
Titegroup (45 Colt)

I think you should probably decide on one brand name and then try to keep a fairly full lineup of that brand. The brand I would pick would be IMR or Hodgdon; probably the latter. Whatever brand you pick even if not Hodgdon, you should stock Varget as it's quite popular.

Vihta Vuori makes good powder but it's a niche product, it's expensive and hardly anyone uses it. Norma is even more obscure. Ramshot powders are economical but not many use them either and thus far none have been my go to powder for anything.

If you're going to stock powders, you'll also need to stock primers. Federal primers are quite popular but in the recent Obama scare, became almost impossible to get. CCI primers during that time were the most available around here and work well for me.

By the way, if you want to save on HAZMAT fees, you can order up to 48 lbs. of primers/powder. The 48 lbs. is the weight of the components and not the total weight of the box which will probably be at least 10 to 15 lbs. more than that. If you choose wisely and have a reasonably busy business, I doubt you'd have a lot of trouble selling 48 lbs. of components over several months. You could also poll you customers to find out what their preferred components were or even share HAZMAT fees with them if they wanted something special.

 

[natgas]

I'm partial to Clays for pistol; I load about 1000-1500 per month; strictly for target/range

 

[MoBoost]

I think you should probably decide on one brand name and then try to keep a fairly full lineup of that brand. The brand I would pick would be IMR or Hodgdon; probably the latter. Whatever brand you pick even if not Hodgdon, you should stock Varget as it's quite popular.

That's a great idea - a full line up of at least manufacturer will do it!

 

[ripnbst]

I dont load yet as I am still firing for brass but when I do I plan to start with Hogdon H4350.

 

[b52fizzle]

Have to throw a vote for unique and H4895, pretty versatile use em for loading several calibers. Not likely that I'll be in your neighborhood, just saying what I use and that they serve for beginning reloaders and just everyday reloading

 

[Yo2slick]

Pistol:
TiteGroup
Accurate No 5
Accurate No 7

Rifle:
H4895
Varget
BL-C(2)

 

[DRC458]

What's your predominant customer base? I suppose a lot of your customers shoot competition and, if so, cater to their needs. I load for a ton of calibers, but don't shoot competition any more. I'm sure most of those folks shoot and load 9mm, .40, .45 and .223. I load .40 and .45 (not a lot), but no 9mm or .223; so what I use might have very little to do with what would move best for you. That said, I can second the motion on Unique, Accurate Arms #5, Varget and some of the others mentioned. Ask the folks who regularly walk in your door what they use and what they would like to see you carry. I would hate to see you tie yourself to just one brand/manufacturer.

 

[stroker-c10]

Hey Donald, I don't know if this would help, but if you made a big order through through power valley, I would be more than happy to pick it up and bring it to you whenever i pick up my winchester 74 to help you and the guys on the forum. Just let me know and then you don't have to worry about hazmat fees.

 

[aeropb]

Unique, Bullseye, WST, Titegroup