The Great Black Powder hunt again...

I'm not in a club but if I was I would suggest this in a club meeting:

Members buy into a club supply of BP, with a minimum total buy-in to support the minimum purchase of 25 total lbs. One person makes the purchase and the bought-in members are allocated their paid ration of BP in 1 Lb increments. You may want to set limits but it's not really necessary.

The catch: The BP remains in the possession of the designated buyer (Preferrably a club officer) so that it's never actually transferred to the individual's possession. However, the individual's allotment is reserved for only their use at club sponsored events or, if the club is sponsored by a range, then at the range where they can use it when they are there. Basically, the alloted ration never goes home with the individual that put in his/her money for the bulk purchase.

That would keep it legal, inexpensive and consistent.
 
Scooch, that arrangement wouldn't work at a monastery. Pretty impractical.
The law does allow clubs to maintain powder magazines and sell powder. It requires an investment, management and diligence to security but it works for some clubs.
 
Members buy into a club supply of BP, with a minimum total buy-in to support the minimum purchase of 25 total lbs. One person makes the purchase and the bought-in members are allocated their paid ration of BP in 1 Lb increments. You may want to set limits but it's not really necessary.

The catch: The BP remains in the possession of the designated buyer (Preferrably a club officer) so that it's never actually transferred to the individual's possession
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Legal, but unnecessarily cumbersome.

It is legal for a group of people to participate in a bulk purchase and have the powder distributed amongst the members based on their participation. There is no need for 'the club' to maintain possession or storage facilities. The key is that the members must pay in advance of the purchase - no 'buying in' afterwards. All the powder purchased must be spoken for in advance. Once the powder is delivered to 'the club' - which may be nothing more than one person designated to act for a group - the members take delivery from it. 'The club' cannot realize a profit nor charge a fee for the service.
 
Rifleman, Mykeal;

Aren't your descriptions exactly what I described as well?

Anyway, it seemed like a decent solution for buying in bulk and distributing within the letter of the law (if anyone truly wanted to be as tedious as all that). Personally, I probably wouldn't go for it either unless that was the only alternative.

I have not given the issue much thought, as BP seems to be easy to find/buy in Texas.
 
Scooch said:
Aren't your descriptions exactly what I described as well?
Click to expand...

No, your description included a catch which prevented the actual transfer and ownership of the powder to the pre-paid purchaser.

That catch makes it appear that a pre-pay arrangement to split powder is somehow illegal or you wouldn't have developed the catch.

In fact, the catch is unnecessary since a pre-pay arrangement to split powder is not illegal.
IIRC there was an ATF opinion that indicated such, possibly on another forum.

If given a choice, no one would want to participate in a pre-paid powder buy that included such a restrictive catch as that.
Some clubs have a powder license to supply their members with powder at a small profit.
And other clubs have an FFL to supply their members with guns at a small profit.
 
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I see. As I have reviewed the ATF policies, it appeared that transfer to others could only be done as a sale at the time of transfer and by a licensed dealer. The policy is very sensitive to who buys it and what their intention is for its use. However, and as you and others have pointed out, a pre-pay agreement is OK. In my original statement, the (discovered unnecessary) catch was based on the need to keep the possession of the powder to a single individual to avoid the ownership transfer to another without the proper licensing. It would be no different than having your friends chip in on a keg of beer that you'd all drink together, provided each gets a rationed amount based on their contribution.

As I had said before, it's seems like more hassle than it's worth.

And just for the record, friends don't pay for beer at my house.
 
Arcticap - Thanks for the clarification.

Scooch and Arcticap - I don't see the hassle you refer to. Pay the guy, pick up your powder. The only difference between that and a retail buy is that you pay in advance. Kind of like what you do when you order something from a catalog or internet site. What's the 'hassle'?
 
Articap, I think I over complicated it in the interest of keeping it more legal than just legal or barely legal for that matter.
 
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