Black powder availability

[Jim C]

"Black powder is difficult to find around here so pyrodex is what I have which is why I posed the question."

I see that statement made a lot here on the forum. It's the same around here as well and most other regions too because of the strict regulations and red tape the gov't has placed on brick and mortar retail establishments for the storage of BP in the not too distant past. The retailers just simply do not want to deal with the red tape involved any longer. Just an FYI though....BP is always available online somewhere. Most of the time several different places always have it. I get mine from Graf&Sons. It's the cheapest place I can find at $16 per pound. Before they will ship it to you you must either mail or fax them a copy of your drivers license or valid state issued ID. Next thing....there is a gov't imposed hazardous material handling fee of $28 per shipment. It doesn't matter if you buy one pound, or the legal limit of 50 lbs, the fee is the same for each shipment, $28. For that very reason I always buy at least 5 or preferably 10 pounds or more at a time when I do buy so as to keep from having to pay $44($16 for the pound of powder plus $28 hazmat fee) for one pound of powder. Just thought I'd put this out there because I hate to see you guys be deprived of real BP when in reality, there is just no reason to be. Now place an order and make REAL smoke :grin:
BTW, when it is delivered to your address it must be received and signed for by a legal adult 21 or older.

 

[Billnpatti]

You can usually find it at events that are sponsored by NMLRA. There are also state and regional matches where it is sold. I am so very glad that before we moved from Indiana, I bought a bunch of black powder and caps at Friendship knowing that I would likely have a much more difficult time finding both powder and caps here in Texas. Also, when I was working, I had access to a lot of lead shipping containers in which we received nuclear isotope material. I stockpiled lead when I could and now I am expecting all of it to last as long as I am still able to shoot. I'm getting pretty long in then tooth so my final shoot may not be all that far off. "Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.".....or something like that.

 

[jfaldo]

Powder Inc is $16.20lb for Goex in 25lb lots and this includes shipping and hazmat. KIK is $14.20lb in same lot size. Never shot KIK but hear from guys that do that it's pretty decent powder. I have a few pounds that I've been wanting to try in one of my cartridge guns but haven't got to it yet. I always buy my powder in 25lb lots. I can use this much easily in 2 shooting seasons. Even if you don't use that much it never goes bad and the prices are just going to keep going up. As long as where you live allows you to store this much it's the best way to buy powder.

 

[Jim C]

As long as I can still get Hornady swaged balls for $8 per hundred/.40cal and $11 per h/.50 cal I'm not going to worry too much about that because with the start up cost along with labor involved in casting just doesn't make it worth it quite yet, but just like everything else these days I'm sure that's gonna continue to change for the worse as well. Not being negative, just simply tellin' it like it is, that's all.

 

[Jim C]

The price I quoted is for Goex. It's the only brand I've ever used in my 40 yrs of ML'ing. Believe it or not, some places can be as high as $25 and even MORE per pound! The reason I like Grafs is because they will sell you any amount you want up to the 50 lb limit, same price per lb, no minimums.

 

[jfaldo]

I had purchased powder from them some years back. Haven't looked at them in many years now. Will have to visit their site and see what they got going on.

I usually buy 50lbs at a time when I order powder. I will order 25lbs 1F and 25lbs 2F. BTW I did have a UPS driver leave a case of powder sitting on my doorstep one time with no one home. Luckily I lived out in the middle of nowhere so it was safe from sticky fingers.

 

[Jim C]

BTW I did have a UPS driver leave a case of powder sitting on my doorstep one time with no one home.

Heck, they're so stubborn about it here I can't even get them to deliver it to an alternate address if something comes up that causes me to be away on delivery day. If I'm not home to receive it they absolutely will not leave it.

 

[jfaldo]

As glad as I was to get my powder I did think it was a little careless on their part.

 

[wpjson]

After reading on this forum that I had to ask at the counter for real BP, I did just that at a couple of places. Found one that has it locked up in the back room. Pricey but available.

 

[Jim C]

I know, it behooves me why no one that sells it advertises the fact :idunno: Maybe there's a law against that as well :idunno:

 

[Rick Boylan]

I guess I count myself lucky that the Bass Pro store here sells Goex by the pound. You must make sure you ask the right guy or everyone else will tell you they don't sell it there.

I found out that the manager of the archery area is the one to go to. It's a bit expensive at $26.00 a lb but I can get it locally.

 

[Silky921]

Have found it at 2 bass pro's as well. It was in the back and just had to ask for it.

 

[Zonie]

I know, it behooves me why no one that sells it advertises the fact :idunno: Maybe there's a law against that as well :idunno:

There's no law against advertising that black powder is for sale by some company but let's admit it, the number of people who would be interested are a very small proportion of the shooting community.


In my city the people who use a lot of black powder know that Thunderbird Cartridge Co. carries it. Some of the muzzleloaders who live here also know about Thunderbird.
Advertising would just pour money down a rat hole.

A number of years ago there was another company here that carried black powder but they went out of business. Bear in mind, Phoenix has a population of over 1,500,000 people. Throw in Tempe, Scottsdale and Glendale and it's over 2,000,000 people living within 35 miles of Thunderbird's location.

We also have a Cebelia's and Bass Pro in the area but I don't know if they carry black powder.

 

[Jim C]

"the number of people who would be interested are a very small proportion of the shooting community."

Excellent point, didn't used to be like that way back when I first started makin' smoke. To put it another way, we are a dwindling/dying breed, I'm afraid
Most folks these days are into those gawd awful(I hate to even type the word!) Inlines! They are :youcrazy: ......Just kiddin'.....a little.....to each his own I guess.

I can get it locally at Cabela's but just like Bass Pro, they want almost twice what I pay for it at Grafs. They are :youcrazy: TOO! Used to be able to get it just about anywhere though, not too long ago..

 

[Billnpatti]

When I got my first muzzleloading rifle, a T/C Hawken kit, back in sometime around 1970, I was able to buy Goex black powder locally for $5 a pound. I bought my Hawken kit at a gun show in Houston and I bought my black powder and muzzleloading supplies at Rebel Arms in Pasadena, TX. T/C no longer makes the Hawken, Rebel Arms went out of business and powder as selling for a long way from the original $5 per pound that I used to pay for it. Those days are long gone.

 

[Jim C]

Yep, same as you I too started this game in the early 70's and have witnessed the decline as well. Back then Dixie GW's catalog was as thick as a metro Atlanta phone book. It was my BP "bible" LOL. They offered just about every type and model of rifle pistol and shotgun imaginable. I bought my first ML from them, a CVA Kentucky Rifle kit in '74... Price - $69. Today they are merely a skeleton of the co. they were back then. My my how things have changed :shake:
Especially since Turner Kirkland passed away.

 

[fire-n-brimstone]

This is the reason we need to take younguns under our arms and teach them. I want to start a program locally for our youth to learn to shoot not just the holy black but all guns. the problem is funding to get rifles to do it. the muzzleloaders are so expensive nowadays that is very price prohibitive.


Andy

 

[Rick Boylan]

The way I can, somewhat, justify the markup of cost by Bass pro is that I'd have to pay hazmat fees and shipping anyway, so if they have to store it in a special safe and pay licensing to sell it, then I'm OK with paying a bit more for the convenience of them having and selling it to me.

I'd wined up paying that money to one or the other.
And buying it from the local store will, hopefully, keep them selling it so I don't have to start ordering it online.

 

[Jim C]

I agree. :bow: I am into that as well within our local sportsmans club. We work with the 4H youth small arms program. Although we don't have any kind of organized BP muzzle loading activities at present, other than NMLRA BP cartridge rifle silhouette matches, I am beginning to try and remedy that, on the muzzle loading end of it, as well, and yes, it is ALL cost prohibitive, but we must at least try, and do what we can.

 

[Jim C]

I do understand your reasoning there, but, on the other hand, if you buy five lbs at one time from Grafs you are saving a full 50% over the cost of each lb of powder purchased at Cabela's or Bass Pro. That is a considerable amount of money even if you only burn 5 lbs a yr. If you only burn a lb or two a yr it won't matter too much, but then again, also, I like to stay stocked up because the way things are these days you just never know when you'll wake up one day to discover that you can no longer get powder and caps at all. Just my opinion on it all.