cheapest way to buy gun powder?

[blind ear]

What is usually the cheapest way to buy powder, primers etc ? I looked at mail order and the hazmat was rediculus. I don't have a local gunshop that carries reloading supplies. An hour and a half drive to the nearest one.
Thanks; ear

[tacklebury]

Watch for clearance online and save money by ordering powder, primers, blackpowder and solvents all at one time from one place.  Then you end up with one $25 hazmat fee for all and usually pricing works out.  I just got 3 lbs of FFFg shipped for 70 bucks by watching for a sale.

[45-70.gov]

make a list  and hit  gun show  once a year

[curteric]

There is a group of us that gets together and combines our orders. We can get 48 pounds of powder and primers on 1 hazmat fee from Powder Valley.

[calvon]

+1 on what curturic said. Buddy up and buy in quantity. Recently I bought 9 pounds of pistol powder and a brick of (5,000) primers and saved substantially over buying locally. And FedEx laid it all on my door step.

[blind ear]

Yes, while looking on the web I found a group in Mississippi. They are a couple of HRS away but it looks like my best option.
Thanks everybody. ear

[Ranger99]

make sure it's someone you know
and trust and can be found if things
don't seem copacetic.

[twoshooter]

+1 there. This is one reason I am trying to get the fewest number of powders that can produce acceptable loads in all of my calibers, not just the best or optimum loads. If I can get down to 5 or 6 powders then I can buy in 4 or 5 pound or more canisters instead of pound containers. Making group buys is a good way to go.

[Ranch13]

I order smokeless and primers from Grafs. They always pay the freight, and when you stop and think about the 27$ hazmat, that won't  get you 10 gallons of gas to go drive anywhere and pick stuff up.

[petemi]

I order smokeless and primers from Grafs. They always pay the freight, and when you stop and think about the 27$ hazmat, that won't  get you 10 gallons of gas to go drive anywhere and pick stuff up.

I too usually buy from Grafs.  When I need powder or primers, I make up a large order, perhaps 200 to 300 dollars.  The local dealers seem to want to get the full HAZMAT charge back on the first two or three one pound jugs of powder.  A 20 dollar jug locally is closer to thirty.  Also, they never have everything I want, so I save gas, time and money and order on line getting everything I want at one time without hassle.

Pete

[Lloyd Smale]

I do alot of business with powder valley

[Old Syko]

Volume is the key.  Never buy less than the maximum allowable shipment if using UPS.  Never buy less than a full skid if using freight shipping.  In doing so you will spend as little as 1/3 per volume of most any item.  I still use stuff that is over 50 years old sometimes.  It doesn't go bad.

[Land_Owner]

Birthdays, Christmas, Father's Day, maximize for least impact, buddy up, and suck it up are the only ways that I can think of...there may be more.

[helotaxi]

What is usually the cheapest way to buy powder, primers etc ? I looked at mail order and the hazmat was rediculus. I don't have a local gunshop that carries reloading supplies. An hour and a half drive to the nearest one.
Thanks; ear

How much gas do you burn on that 3 hour round trip?  I'm in pretty much the same boat since the one local shop is way too proud of his limited stock.  I'll buy a pound of powder from him from time to time, but once I've found a powder that I like enough to buy in any quantity, I'll suck it up and order several large jugs at once and add in some primers while I'm at it.  The price difference and lack of sales tax more than makes up for the HAZMAT fee and shipping for me.  The break even point is about an 8# jug of powder or 10k primers.

[blind ear]

Thanks for all the reply's, all good points to consider. I will keep watching and learning. Thanks, ear

[Grumpybear]

I'm glad you asked this question. I would never have thought to ask.
 
I went and looked on the 2 site mentioned and both had good prices. For 3 small cans of powder I can break even on the hazmat charge and shipping. I guess its time to rethink my purchasing plan on powder and start saveing some money. Then I'll have to spend on brass. 
 
Grumpy