Ah, the old group buy...

[Steve Koski]

These seem to work best for a particular club or area. An IPSC or bowling pin club can buy 100k bullets if 10-20 guys get together. Vendors will often give distributor pricing for a big order like this, and truck freight brings it to one guys house for much less than standard freight Then it gets passed out over a week or two.

Group buys that are distributed across the country seem to be hamstrung by the re-shipping cost, which can eat up some or all of the benefit of the group buy. Especially since gunpowder and primers require hazmat fees, and bullets are so damned heavy.

[MullahElRon]

Oh man, I want in! Who do I send my money to so it can be tied up for 6 months to a year while me and my forum buddies harp about it in a 138 page thread, after which we'll start another 100 page thread going back and forth on the merits of a fraud investigation versus giving the dude some more time because some guys are starting to see some of their stuff...Yeah, I'm in!

[MakeMineaP99]

The best way to buy powder and primers is on a skid and have it shipped LTL. If you have a dealer account with Grafs, they will give you dealer and quantity pricing.

[Steve Koski]

Oh man, I want in! Who do I send my money to so it can be tied up for 6 months to a year while me and my forum buddies harp about it in a 138 page thread, after which we'll start another 100 page thread going back and forth on the merits of a fraud investigation versus giving the dude some more time because some guys are starting to see some of their stuff...Yeah, I'm in!
Exactry!

It's best if you can "get your hands on the rascals" by doing this with a local club with guys you see every week/month. If you send money to "some dude on the internet" to run a group buy, you're taking an awful chance.

[bhawkeye]

The best way to buy powder and primers is on a skid and have it shipped LTL. If you have a dealer account with Grafs, they will give you dealer and quantity pricing.


I agree - but you need to do it by yourself - or with a couple of close friends. Otherwise you'll piss away more time & energy than any savings are worth.

And, as others have pointed out - the "group buys" can easily turn into higher cost than doing it yourself, if you're not careful. :dupe:

[craig110]

Since the consensus seems to be that internet group buys are bad ideas (to which I agree, even without having participated in one), would it make sense to remove this category from GP? If they rarely work out well, perhaps we don't even want to get new reloaders thinking in this direction.

[bhawkeye]

For components, I think they can work well for a small group of geographically co-located folks & this is worth looking for - just don't hope for big savings. So I wouldn't close this section. I just expect it to be used mainly for coordinating local groups - I wouldn't expect GP-wide buys to be much good, at least on components.

Some reloading gear buys, however could benefit a larger group. :seeya:

[Anvil]

Well, I don't know if they are a bad idea. Maybe if we made a big purchase from one of our forum members.

Take for example if there was a need for 100,000 cast bullets and FreakShow was gonna fill the order but he needed all the purchase money at one time to get a wholesale rate on his raw materials then it might make sense.

What I think we need is a list of professionals that work in any given field... like we all know Craig110 is an lawyer, Steve Koski is in insurance sales and I'm a police officer and Thorn does commericals.

If we had a go-to list of what we all did then as the needs arise we can come to our own but we don't have a member professional index yet. We should.

[MakeMineaP99]

Craig,

Three buddies and myself ordered a skid of powder and primers from Grafs last month. It took a lot of time coordinate everything with Grafs, with out of stock products and delays, but it went smoothly overall. We'll be doing it again later this year or early next year, I should have enough primers for a while.

[gwalchmai]

I went in on a surplus powder buy with a few semi-local guys over at castboolits.com last year. "Dave" honchoed the deal and all I had to do was send him a check and meet at Waffle House to pick up the powder. Worked out great for me, mostly due to Dave's hard work.

Koski, I figured you could buy up a meeyun rounds of .45 FMJ, front them to all of us and I could pay you with a custom primer tube rack.

[Pitmaster]

Craig,

Three buddies and myself ordered a skid of powder and primers from Grafs last month. It took a lot of time coordinate everything with Grafs, with out of stock products and delays, but it went smoothly overall. We'll be doing it again later this year or early next year, I should have enough primers for a while.

FWIW, I'm going to Kansas City late next month and planning to pick up an order at Midway to save shipping. If interested let me know.

[MakeMineaP99]

FWIW, I'm going to Kansas City late next month and planning to pick up an order at Midway to save shipping. If interested let me know.

Will do. I'll PM you a little later.

[craig110]

What I think we need is a list of professionals that work in any given field... like we all know Craig110 is an lawyer, Steve Koski is in insurance sales and I'm a police officer and Thorn does commericals.

If we had a go-to list of what we all did then as the needs arise we can come to our own but we don't have a member professional index yet. We should.

In general this is a good idea, but as to me, don't forget that lawyers have to be licensed in the state in question or else they can't give legal advice. Even if there was such a list, then, I couldn't give advice to anyone who wasn't in Massachusetts and, presuming I passed the bar a few weeks ago, New Hampshire in a couple more months when I'm sworn in there. :( The notion of a nationwide bar exam comes up every now and then, but I don't see it on the horizon.

[MakeMineaP99]

I work in the conveyor business as a mechancial engineer, I'll post my bio in the introduce yourself a little later.

If you all need help with belts, bearings, drives, anything other than controls (know a bit about PLCs), I'll be glad to help.

[Pitmaster]

I'm a social worker/family therapist. I highly doubt if anyone here needs advice from me. OTOH, your :crazy: significant others...

[gwalchmai]

I'm a professional primer tube rack manufacturer.

[MakeMineaP99]

I'm a social worker/family therapist. I highly doubt if anyone here needs advice from me. OTOH, your :crazy: significant others...

And you own a firearm?

I'll be in IN the first in April, if everything goes well (aka work let's me take a week off). Up for a drink?

[Bush Pilot]

Well, I don't know if they are a bad idea. Maybe if we made a big purchase from one of our forum members.

Take for example if there was a need for 100,000 cast bullets and FreakShow was gonna fill the order but he needed all the purchase money at one time to get a wholesale rate on his raw materials then it might make sense.

What I think we need is a list of professionals that work in any given field... like we all know Craig110 is an lawyer, Steve Koski is in insurance sales and I'm a police officer and Thorn does commericals.

If we had a go-to list of what we all did then as the needs arise we can come to our own but we don't have a member professional index yet. We should.

I'm involved in the adult film industry, usually in the first row or two.

[Oreo]

I've participated in a few GB's. A couple went extreamly well. One was a major disaster where a trusted merchant took off with thousands of dollars of people's money (about 25 of us for a $10-15,000 gb) Most of us did get our products well over a year later but a few were left short-handed even in the end. We had become such an angry lynch mob he had to close up shop & go out of business by the time it was all said & done.

I learned the lesson the hard way... GB's are great, but there's no such thing as a "trusted merchant" for more then a $100 deposit or so. At least if I go to the crap-ass big-box store I know what kind of screwing I'm in for ahead of time.

[mbat]

Just poppin in to say I made the trip.

Thanks for the invite gents.

[mbat]

What I think we need is a list of professionals that work in any given field... like we all know Craig110 is an lawyer, Steve Koski is in insurance sales and I'm a police officer and Thorn does commericals.

If we had a go-to list of what we all did then as the needs arise we can come to our own but we don't have a member professional index yet. We should.

I am in NE Ohio. Mechanical/Industrial engineer (not a great one) Work with precision measurement and statistical analysis/improvements, but I like the design & fabrication stuff the most.

[kevinm]

I'm in sothern indana and a Pipe welder .

[kevinm]

And i do decals and sign on the side.

[Coloradoglocker]

For all of you contemplating retirement some day, I'll be glad to tell you how sweet it feels. After 41 years in Government Contracting with Lockheed Martin Corp., I called it quits at the end of the year. Retirement is great! I recommend it highly to you all.

[hugginsvilleH&A]

I want to play,, I have been a A&P mechanic with a major airlines now for 22 years and also a heating and air conditioning contractor with the state of Georgia for the last 4 years,,,,

[Seafarer12]

I work in the conveyor business as a mechancial engineer, I'll post my bio in the introduce yourself a little later.

If you all need help with belts, bearings, drives, anything other than controls (know a bit about PLCs), I'll be glad to help.


If you want to know about controls give me a holler. Power Plant Instrument Control and Electrical Tech.

[jawjaboy]

Howdahell I miss this thread? :shocked: This be good stuff.

[cvfl]

Corporate strategist and computer geek here in DFW.

Do a bit of it all on the side - certified VTwin mechanic, plumbing, electrical, some automotive, home alarms, home automation...

Would love a TX group buy - I can setup a camping trip to pickup my stuff from about anywhere. Providing it's arranged by someone who's been around awhile that I trust - or recommended by the other regulars.

[craig110]

Howdahell I miss this thread? :shocked: This be good stuff.

Ah shucks, you found us. We thought that by hiding this under a "group buy" title that it would stay hidden. :coolgleamA:

[cvfl]

I'm involved in the adult film industry, usually in the first row or two.
Right in front of Pee-Wee Herman?

[Steve Koski]

And George Michael.

[BigSlick]

I'm a minstrel for demigogues of a bygone era.

Work part time as a wanna be nerd

But, gimme a couple weeks, I a be a minstrel for demigogues of a bygone era wanna be nerd wit two week experience :thumbsup:

[RustyFN]

If you want to know about controls give me a holler. Power Plant Instrument Control and Electrical Tech.
We have a lot in common. I'm a Master Electrician with a big back ground in controls and Allen Bradley PLC's.
Rusty

[MakeMineaP99]

Oddly enough, Rusty, working with conveyor thus far, I haven't learned a thing about controls, but I'll tell you all about tracking a belt.

[Warhorse]

Right in front of Pee-Wee Herman?
:rofl:

[Seafarer12]

We have a lot in common. I'm a Master Electrician with a big back ground in controls and Allen Bradley PLC's.
Rusty
Cool, I mess with AB plc's a little bit but I mainly deal with GE Mark 6 controls and Foxboro DCS. Look at the ladder logic for a gas turbine startup and you will miss the days of good old plc logic.

[Jerry Snyder]

I would be interested in a group buy for Texas if anyone orders bullets from Montana Gold.

I am an Engineer for Toyota, been with them for 29 years this summer.

JS

[mitchshrader]

i am a semi retired semi geek usetabe hippy ron paul token republican for the duration kinda guy. ;)

i hate everybody equally, as long as they're americans. if they ain't i hate em extra.

bah humbug is my state bird. i quiver between surly curmudgeon and ranting geezer on the gadfly scale and live on the buckle of the bible belt cause they DESERVE me as fair punishment for their sins. :)

the chance of me gettin' in on a group buy is exactly as good as me finally finding some 180 grain .358 hard cast RNFP GC floating around ALREADY MADE at anything not a kings ransom and 2nd mortgage kinda price.

[Steve Koski]

i hate everybody equally, as long as they're americans. if they ain't i hate em extra.

Now that right there is funny, I don't care who you are!

[MONTEGOD7SS]

I am sure Freak would be around soon enough for this one, but is this what you are talking about?

http://www.freakshowbullets.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_42&products_id=62

[GLOCKENNBOOMER]

Done just to annoy Mbradst.
I am the JACKASS in question.
Moo-hahaha, moo-hahaha, moo-hahahaha

[AlPackin]

:animlol:

[Anvil]

A thread starts as a group buy and this is the direction it takes!

<stands>
Hi, I'm Tim. I've been in law enforcement for 8 years and I like guns. I've got a family and am very oppinionated. I spend too much time on the computer and love Arby's roast beef sandwiches with coke. I know nothing about conveyor controls, minstrels or micheal jackson.

<sits>

[MullahElRon]

Minstrels are cool, sad to see em' 'bout died out. The new clowns and thugs just ain't got the style, talent or panache.

[Crazy4nitro]

I'm an Aircraft Mechanic for a Major Airline that Probably handles about half the stuff that comes to your door.

So what are we Buying?.....

'Nitro

[MullahElRon]

Lead futures? Brass monkeys? Chicken feed?

[mbradst]

Done just to annoy Mbradst.
I am the JACKASS in question.
Moo-hahaha, moo-hahaha, moo-hahahaha

I was gone for a few days so I missed your post, Gboomer. Nice:cornut: