Where to buy reloading supplies in North East Connecticut?

eboos

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I live in Thompson, CT, and yesterday I drove all the way to Cabelas in East Hartford simply because I was running out of primers. That was a day killer. Are there any local shops in the Killingly, Woodstock, Putnam, Thompson area that carry primers and powder?
 
Its about 45-50 minutes from you but Center Sports in Columbia carries a decent supply. I used to drive there instead of Cabellas, about the same time for me but a much nicer relaxed drive.
 
Yes, ammo, powder, primers, all things reloading... Made a few trips there from Norwich when I lived there...Bad thing is half their stuff isn't price marked,
Center sports is good place also, tho not as big an inventory,
 
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Bullseye in Woonsocket, RI is closer than D&L. D&L has a lot more powder and primers but seems to lack much in the way of bullets compared to Bullseye. Go to Bullseye first. If they don't have what you need, on to D&L. Stop at Heritage on Post Road on the way. After D&L hit Frank's other shop and finally Foster Bear in Foster, RI. Lots of stuff in RI. [grin]
 
Try D&L in Warwick, ri... nothing that I know of in the quiet corner

Definitely D&L. The amount of components they have is incredible.

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Bullseye in Woonsocket, RI is closer than D&L. D&L has a lot more powder and primers but seems to lack much in the way of bullets compared to Bullseye. Go to Bullseye first. If they don't have what you need, on to D&L. Stop at Heritage on Post Road on the way. After D&L hit Frank's other shop and finally Foster Bear in Foster, RI. Lots of stuff in RI. [grin]

Buying bullets at gun shops is a waste of money and time IMO. Way better deals to be had online. Unless you don't shoot/reload much and buying bullets by the 50 or 100 count is a lot for you....even the bulk plated bullets that shops will sell are still more $ than online with shipping. There are so many vendors selling bullets online it's crazy. A lot more options online.

Just my $0.02.
 
Buying bullets at gun shops is a waste of money and time IMO. Way better deals to be had online. Unless you don't shoot/reload much and buying bullets by the 50 or 100 count is a lot for you....even the bulk plated bullets that shops will sell are still more $ than online with shipping. There are so many vendors selling bullets online it's crazy. A lot more options online.

I totally agree. I order from *blankity blanks*, and they arrive in two days. Free shipping if you buy the flat rate packages. 500 rounds of .45 for $52.50 shipped. $0.105 per round. Could be less if ordering larger quantities.
 
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Can try Big Bear on rt 44 in Gloucester,RI. Decent prices. Relatively new ownership
 
Bullseye in Woonsocket, RI is closer than D&L. D&L has a lot more powder and primers but seems to lack much in the way of bullets compared to Bullseye. Go to Bullseye first. If they don't have what you need, on to D&L. Stop at Heritage on Post Road on the way. After D&L hit Frank's other shop and finally Foster Bear in Foster, RI. Lots of stuff in RI. [grin]

Bullseye reloads for retail sales also, so his supplies sometimes go to himself. Ask is you don't see something you want. Most of the time if it's not out he doesn't have it, but sometimes he does.
I personally only buy powder and primers locally and order the rest.
I also go to NH quite often so I hit Riley's when I'm there.

D&L and Heritage are probably the better places in RI to buy reloading supplies. Competition Shooting supplies in Pawtucket used to have tons or reloading supplies. When the supply was drying up during the Obama days I stopped going there so I don't know how his supplies are anymore.
 
Bullseye in Woonsocket, RI is closer than D&L. D&L has a lot more powder and primers but seems to lack much in the way of bullets compared to Bullseye. Go to Bullseye first. If they don't have what you need, on to D&L. Stop at Heritage on Post Road on the way. After D&L hit Frank's other shop and finally Foster Bear in Foster, RI. Lots of stuff in RI. [grin]

I had gone to D&L several times, and I love that place. Went to Bullseye today and was charged $38.00 for CCI small pistol primers and $26.00 for a pound of Titegroup. Ouch!
 
You could call Foster Bear on Rte. 6 in Foster RI. I haven't stopped there in a year or two but he had reloading supplies when I'd occasionally stop in. I've bought ammo there with no problem, so he even sells to Mass inmates. I was picking up Swiss and Swedish Mauser food (PPU) when I used to stop in there.
 
You could call Foster Bear on Rte. 6 in Foster RI. I haven't stopped there in a year or two but he had reloading supplies when I'd occasionally stop in. I've bought ammo there with no problem, so he even sells to Mass inmates. I was picking up Swiss and Swedish Mauser food (PPU) when I used to stop in there.

Your closet probably has more than Foster Bear. I'm talking about your shoe closet.

His supplies, including firearms have been drying up for years. I used to go there all the time, now I keep driving even if I'm going right by.
 
I had gone to D&L several times, and I love that place. Went to Bullseye today and was charged $38.00 for CCI small pistol primers and $26.00 for a pound of Titegroup. Ouch!
It's better than paying $20 hazmat fees if you're just looking to pick up a pound of new powder or a few hundred primers. I think his prices for reloading components are reasonable.

The only issue I have with Paul's pricing is his used guns are way, WAY too high. I could actually win an auction on GB, pay the shipping, his FFL fee, and buy a box of ammo and it'd still be less than a similar used gun he has.
 
So eboos, on the way to Foxwoods I go through a nice little place called Oneco. How is Oneco pronounced? Is it On eco, O neco or my preference: One co. I have this same dilemma when I get chicken from Pope yes. [laugh]
 
Re buying online.

As a CT resident, there is no reason the OP shouldn't buy bullets online, unless he just wants to support a LGS, which it doesn't sound like since he went to Cabellas. No reason. With USPS flat rate boxes bullet companies can ship 3000 9mm bullets for $13!!!

Primers and powder are a slightly different story. You always get wacked with the $25 hazmat fee. So for someone buying small quantities, it may be a disqualifier. But then again, what did the OP spend driving from Putnam(ish) to East Hartford and back? Well, its a 90 mile round trip, so if you figure in maintenance and depreciation of a small, basic car then you are at about $30

One other thing. My local Walmart in Old Saybrook, CT has primers for about $3 per 100.

Don
 
Re buying online.

As a CT resident, there is no reason the OP shouldn't buy bullets online, unless he just wants to support a LGS, which it doesn't sound like since he went to Cabellas. No reason. With USPS flat rate boxes bullet companies can ship 3000 9mm bullets for $13!!!

Primers and powder are a slightly different story. You always get wacked with the $25 hazmat fee. So for someone buying small quantities, it may be a disqualifier. But then again, what did the OP spend driving from Putnam(ish) to East Hartford and back? Well, its a 90 mile round trip, so if you figure in maintenance and depreciation of a small, basic car then you are at about $30

Yep. I would never buy bullets at a shop. Mostly because they don't sell the polymer coated bullets I use and the prices will never beat online vendors.

I only buy primers/powder online if I have a decent order to offset hazmat and shipping. Many times I'll just go to cabelas and buy them.
 
Agreed. I pay $191 for 3500 9mm coated bullets shipped to my house.

I love the coated bullets. They run fine in my Glocks and are as smoke free as FMJs. There is no reason to use anything else for punching paper or ringing steel.

The same goes for their .45 ACP bullets. Cost is $180 for 2250 coated 200 gr SWC bullets. They run great in my 1911s.

Re primers and powder, the key is to have cash on hand for when deals come around and to buy big when they do.

I found 30K primers when a friend of mine decided to get out of reloading. I paid $20 per thousand. I vac packed them in packages of 1000 with oxygen absorbers. The seller was even kind enough to let me keep them in an outbuilding on his property.

If I need something specific, one of the largest national mail order suppliers of reloading supplies in the country is in CT. I drive within 5 miles of them when I go from CT to MA. They have been kind enough to let me pick up items there, thus avoiding the hazmat fee. They even give me an extra discount because their prices include shipping and this cost is avoided when I pick up.

Recently Walmart had benchrest rimers for $3.40 per 1000. So I cleaned out the case. They also got vac packed and are stored at my friends house.

The bottom line is that if you buy when you need, you are losing out on half the benefit of reloading. The key is to stock up when the "getting is good". Since Sandy Hook, I've never been at a loss for ammo and have never paid more than the equivalent of $5.30 per box of 9mm and $6.50 per box of .45.

You can get the costs down to about half that if you scrounge lead and make your own bullets, but I don't have time for that.

Don
 
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Have not been in several years but Heritage gun and coin was the go to shop in that general area when I could travel easily. I would go from Plymouth Ma the savings was worth it.
Back then you could call and make sure they had what you wanted and on large orders would hold it for you.
Funny there is not to many recomendations for CT stores.

Also a good day trip planned to go to NH (which I have always done since a kid with my dad) can save you some cash and you can go see other places on the way.

Ordering on line is your best option ....if your just buying a 100 primers and a pound of powder your going to pay more.
Find 3-5 reloaders you know and get a mini group buy going. This has been my best thing to do. Can save hundreds doing this.
Our last little group buy for 100,000 primers and 150lbs of powder saved us about 35% over buying at any shop locally.
 
Re buying online.

As a CT resident, there is no reason the OP shouldn't buy bullets online, unless he just wants to support a LGS, which it doesn't sound like since he went to Cabellas. No reason. With USPS flat rate boxes bullet companies can ship 3000 9mm bullets for $13!!!

Primers and powder are a slightly different story. You always get wacked with the $25 hazmat fee. So for someone buying small quantities, it may be a disqualifier. But then again, what did the OP spend driving from Putnam(ish) to East Hartford and back? Well, its a 90 mile round trip, so if you figure in maintenance and depreciation of a small, basic car then you are at about $30

One other thing. My local Walmart in Old Saybrook, CT has primers for about $3 per 100.

Don

Buying bullets was never a problem. I have a supplier that sends them to me in 2 days for a very fair price. Since the quantity of powder and primers never seemed high enough to justify paying hazmat and shipping costs, I hadn't considered online vendors for those, but I am starting to rethink it.
 
Buying bullets was never a problem. I have a supplier that sends them to me in 2 days for a very fair price. Since the quantity of powder and primers never seemed high enough to justify paying hazmat and shipping costs, I hadn't considered online vendors for those, but I am starting to rethink it.

Check out XXXXXXXXXX, midwayusa.com, Grafs and XXXXXXXXXX. Even cabelas.com has deals sometimes.

***Mods - this is for a CT resident. None of these will ship to MA as is, so please don't delete this.

Don
 
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