I don't complain often, but......

[ljnowell]

.......This time I am a little unhappy. I ordered from Powder Valley last monday. A relatively small order, but still, over 350 dollars. It took less than three days for them to send me a shipping number, but it wasnt really shipped until friday, and finally got here today. That part really didnt upset me, I mean, the shipping cost was still reasonable, less than 20 dollars.

The part that tweaks me a little bit is the way it was packaged and/or handled. I shoot 4x as many large pistol primers as small, so I only ordered 2K small primers(to put with my stockpile). When I opened the big box(in which there were two smaller boxes, one with 10lbs powder, the other with 7K primers) small primers were everywhere. The smaller box within was packaged so as to allow the different boxes of primers to move around and 3 packs of 100 primers were completely open and spilled throughout the smaller boxes of primers and in the big box. I had to go through all of the smaller boxes to find the loose primers and in the end I couldnt find over 20 of them(23 to be exact). I also have to question how good the ones I picked up with my bare fingers and clunked around in there loose are. I guess I will load those first with target loads.

Either way, I did get a fair price on powder and primers, so I guess it could have been worse. Have you had this experience with powder valley?

 

[jcwit]

I also have to question how good the ones I picked up with my bare fingers and clunked around in there loose are. I guess I will load those first with target loads.

You should have no problem whats so ever with the loose primers, remember many folks prime with a hand primer one at a time as using a Sinclare or K & M priming tool. As long as you didn't just get done changing your oil in your P/U and not washing you should be fine.

Do not take that last statement to heart.

 

[wild willy]

They must have got someone new in the shipping department my orders are always packed very well

 

[ljnowell]

I am not going to call and complain or anything, I was just wondering if this is something that seems "normal" or if this is not a common thing. I know how UPS can treat packages, so I wouldnt immediately jump up and blame Powder Valley anyway.

You should have no problem whats so ever with the loose primers, remember many folks prime with a hand primer one at a time as using a Sinclare or K & M priming tool. As long as you didn't just get done changing your oil in your P/U and not washing you should be fine.

Do not take that last statement to heart.

As far as those primers, I figured it would be OK. I am one of "those" guys that bucks the trend and loads his own defense ammo. For that reason I make it a point usually not to touch the primers. I dont think its a big thing though, like you said, many people do it by hand, I will just make sure to use those for target practice.

 

[jcwit]

Oh, so now we know, you're one of "THOSE".

 

[rfwobbly]

Received my PV order yesterday without a single problem.

 

[TonyAngel]

I just placed my first order with Powder Valley on Sunday. I had no idea that they took that long to ship. What you described is not bad (in terms of shipping delay) but there are places out there that ship the same day or the day after you place the order. I was kind of hoping to have my order for the weekend, but Maybe I shouldn't count on it.

Come to think of it, all I've received from them is an automated response.

 

[Mal H]

ljnowell - Actually you should call them, not necessarily to complain but to inform them that the packaging was less than good. The management of companies with a good reputation, and PV is one of them in my opinion, want to keep that reputation good and they need to know when something starts to slip in quality. Yours may have been a single glitch among thousands of packages shipped, but they need to know.

 

[Walkalong]

Yep. They will probably appreciate the heads up.

 

[Wilburt]

I've loaded a lot of primers that I've touched by hand for one reason or another. All have gone bang. I would load in defensive ammo without reservation. However, if I had cleaner or oil on the hands, that is a different story.

If it makes you feel better, use em for target.

 

[Walkalong]

I handle primers all the time. When I shot Benchrest I handled each and every one to put it in my Sinclair hand primer. Never a problem. They are sealed. It is hard to kill them.

 

[ljnowell]

ljnowell - Actually you should call them, not necessarily to complain but to inform them that the packaging was less than good. The management of companies with a good reputation, and PV is one of them in my opinion, want to keep that reputation good and they need to know when something starts to slip in quality. Yours may have been a single glitch among thousands of packages shipped, but they need to know.

I think you are right. I dont have a problem with them, as they do sell at a good price and shipping was very reasonable. I do think I will call though, and let them know so that they look at the shipping of such things a little better, as I plan without doubt to order from them again. I guess thats why I come to the High Road, for good advice. Just dont let the word get out.

I handle primers all the time. When I shot Benchrest I handled each and every one to put it in my Sinclair hand primer. Never a problem. They are sealed. It is hard to kill them.

I've loaded a lot of primers that I've touched by hand for one reason or another. All have gone bang. I would load in defensive ammo without reservation. However, if I had cleaner or oil on the hands, that is a different story.

If it makes you feel better, use em for target.

I'll take your word for it fellas. Its one of those things that I always try to not do, but realistically some people do it all the time. I'm not gonna let it bother me.

 

[SSN Vet]

just opened my box from Powder Valley an hour ago...

packed up snug...

no problems...

I'm surprised the individual primer packs spilled. Usually they are taped at both ends.

 

[buck460XVR]

I got a delivery from Midway about a week ago. There were 500 .357 Noslers that had busted out of their cardboard prison and were running loose amid the boxes of .44s and .45s that were still intact. Apparently the guy in packaging thought the soft pistol case included in the order was all the packing material needed. The package weighed 44 lbs and was sent UPS. It looked like it had been rolled all the way to my house. The UPS driver apologized for the condition of the package and gave me a damage form in case anything was wrecked. Took me a while, but I rounded up all 500 of them little buggers........

 

[medalguy]

I just received a carton with 2 boxes of 1,000 each Rainier .45 230 gr bullets in each box. Guess what the extra space was fileld with? Foam peanuts! Foam peanuts don't work fro more than, say, about 2 milliseconds when they are cushioning 40 pound boxes of bullets. Oh well I was going to mix them all together anyway.....

Do call PV and let them know about your shipping problem. I owned my own company for many years, and unless you hear from your customers about problems, trust me, you assume everything is going well. They will appreciate the heads-up.

 

[jmorris]

Foam peanuts don't work fro more than, say, about 2 milliseconds when they are cushioning 40 pound boxes of bullets.

I remember when the ATV guys filled tires with them (in the Baja 1000) to keep from having to stop for a flat. They worked great for a mile until they turned into dust an became a huge counter balence.

 

[Scrapperz]

They should have made sure those primers were secure. There's really no reason for this as it does not take that much time to do, besides with the way shippers handle packages loose primers are not something you want rolling around in a box with 10lbs of powder.....what if they went off.

I just ordered some yesterday for the first time, I'll let you all know how I made out.

 

[ljnowell]

Well, i have tried to call via telephone, but the line is either busy, or isnt answered. I will try again later to let them know about it.

 

[jfdavis58]

I've made many orders with Powder Valley; a couple got really screwed-up. It's a matter of volume and work-load. They are slammed on even a slow day.

And their telephone is just as overworked!

They do however, ALWAYS make things right. Note the time zone difference from yourself to them and call right when they open, mid morning or just after lunch (for them) about 1:15PM. Make sure you got all the paperwork and a pad and pen to take a few notes-they talk very fast.

PV is one of the few places that will take your word for something and act on it. I received some poorly sized bullets and had to return them. The replacements arrived the day after I shipped the bad ones so I know they shipped replacements based on the telephone call and not on actual arrival of the bad bullets.