Why not trade bullets?

I

Irish80prf

New member
Ok I was just thinking about how when I'm doing load development, I hate buying 100 rd pack of bullets that may or may not work. So I got to thinking and this may already exist or been talked about but I couldn't find it. Why don't people trade around bullets among members to try in their different calibers.
Lets say I'm loading for my .243 and I want to try a 105 grain a-max and another member would like to try the 65 grain v-max that I have such good luck with. Why can't there be a section for bullet trades for load development. I don't probably need 100 bullets, a lot of times 1/3 of that would give me an idea if my gun likes 105 grain bullets. I know it could be done in the buy, sell, trade section but I think it would get lost among all of the other items. I don't know I was just thinking about it and wondered if anyone else thought this would work.
 
Actually, this is one of the areas of the site where the mods allow swapping and buy/sell posts on their own for exactly the reason you stated. I don't think it's advertised, but it's allowed. I think your idea is a decent one, especially if you can package bullets securely so they won't get damaged -- but still mail them first class and thus, affordable.

Alas, I do not have any .243" slugs to swap but might do something in handgun calibers.
 
I'm getting ready to start reloading .38 special and I am going to be picking up some kind of bullets/slugs but I don't know what yet. I have to go get my dies, brass, powder and all that good stuff this weekend. Yeah I just think it would give people the opportunity to try several different bullets for the same price. each person pays shipping on x amount of bullets that they decide on. I think packaging would be really easy. Save some of your old bullet boxes you aren't using and ship them in that wrapped in a plastic Ziploc bag with no room to move. Call the area bullet swap or lead exchange or component corner.
 
It doesn't matter how you box them... there's a thresh hold for first class due to weight and bullets are (obviously) some of the heaviest things we can ship. So you end up quickly going to the flat rate priority mail boxes and your cheap handful of bullets get $4.85 added to the price of them for even the smallest box.
 
I've often had the same thoughts! I'm looking to try some heavy-for-caliber .22 bullets...65 grains and up.
 
I've written Hornady, Speer, and several others on a number of occasions asking them to make "sample packs" that have 10 bullets of several different types in a 100 bullet pack.

I never hear back
 
jinxer3006 that's kind of a cool site thanks. I think you could still ship smaller rifle bullets for a reasonable price but if you go up into the 200 grain plus bullets it would have to go to the flat rate shipping boxes. It looks like I could ship 30 60 grain v-max bullets for around $2.
 
I kinda like the idea, in fact, I have some 7mm that my launcher does not like. Peetzakilla was interested in them, so I am sending them out to him in hopes they will work in his -08. Sorry it has taken me so long peetza but they are coming.

howlnmad
 
I might send this thread to the suggestion page and see what they think of it. Heck the worst they will tell me is it's a terrible idea and it'll never work. Keep em coming guys I want to know what you think or if you would be interested in something like this. I would be a lot more willing to go out and try new bullets if I thought someone else would trade for them if they didn't shoot well in my bang stick.
 
While we're on this sample pack subject, anyone know if any of the powder companies do any sample cans. That would be nice too. I wouldn't want to do any powder trading, the haz-mat fees would make it useless.

howlnmad
 
Hodgdon used to sell a variety pack in like 4 ounce cans a few years back. Didn't so as well as they thought so they discontinued them. A guy might be able to buy a buttload of powder from them and repackage them but the logistics and permissions involved would be hard pressed to make it profitable unless you could convince Hodgdon to supply the labels and cans for you, then buy the powder in bulk (as in a dozen 45lb drums at a time) and repackage for redistribution to dealers. Going direct to consumer would be too expensive unless you could buy the powder for dirt cheap and price it as all fees included.

I know Ramshot powder (and Accurate) can be had in bulk at OEM prices for about $10/lb plus freight. Buying 1,000 pounds or more at a time will get you closer to $8.50/lb free freight but then your packaging and labeling, QC, etc will ruin most margin.
 
I have some 243 Sierra bullets and no 243 gun

WHatcha' got in 22, 30, 45/70, 44, or 45?

Also I have tons of cast lead bullets in a lot of styles in 358, 430, 452, 460
It would be cool to try some different styles
 
Sevens I forgot to respond to your comment about swapping, selling and trading in this forum. I do remember hearing that just a few days back and I think it is great that they let people do that. My thinking was if there was a sub forum in this section, it would help reduce the amount of threads posted on the main reloading page. It would also help people know that trades were welcome and it would get people to start trying new loads that they never would have before. I think it would just be another great tool that TFL could offer.
 
Edward429451 I have some .224 Hornady V-max bullets in 60 grain that I wouldn't mind trading 30 or so for about the same amount of those .243 bullets. What weight and style are the sierra bullets.
This is what would be nice I've just started reloading for my .243 and the 65 grain v-max work so well I really don't want to get away from buying them and I don't want to go drop $20 on something that might not work near as well.
 
I don't see any reason why someone couldn't start a continuously running a bullet trading thread in the buy/sell/trade forum. There was the PIF thread a while back. That seemed to work well until people got crazy on the "rules". If the intentions are well laid out from the first post I don't see why it wouldn't work just fine.

Git 'er done!
 
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