We have Bass Pro, Academy, Dicks, and of course Wal Mart. I prefer the local gun stores as my first choice, then online. I seem to get better service that way.
Bulk Online Buying
- Thread starter ZED
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ZED
.410
I have yet to find a good mom and pop gun store I can support. A few ranges have ammo but price is like double to capture the range shooters needing ammo.
cmcdonald
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We have Cabela's and Bass Pro in limited quantity in Canada...geographically speaking we're an extremely large country with only 40 million people. Makes everything more expensive for all kinds of reasons. I have to say that I can often (not all the time) find ammo cheaper in smaller LGS's than Cabela's. Why? I can't say exactly except I suspect that along with other big international retailers they either think we're all rich or mostly stupid and/or lazy.
It's one of the main reasons Target failed miserably up here and went bankrupt and slunk back across the border. Canadians travel quite a bit. We travel a lot to the US. We USED TO take advantage of significant lower pricing in places like Target, Costco, Walmart etc. Prices in stores close to the border have been steadily rising for years and a weaker CDN dollar does not help.
Target stores located near the Canadian border obviously saw lots of sales and figured it would be a good idea to move into the Canadian market. Canadians expected the typical US Target store in Canada. What we got was some abortion of someone's "good ideas" and products that were overpriced and largely not in demand. It flopped hard and fast. But we have alternatives here like Walmart which generally tend to have better prices anyway. So nobody missed Canadian Target when they crashed and burned.
Cabela's and Bass Pro have very little competition anymore...captive audience I guess. I've noticed prices steadily rising since Cabela's opened locally here in 2016. We used to have Wholesale Sports (love 'em or hate 'em) and they did pretty good at keeping prices down and gave Cabela's a run for their money...for awhile. Cabela's is a juggernaut and just finally took like 80% of the market...that would be my guess. Mostly small and a very few medium size (regional) businesses occupy the remaining 20%.
I said in another ammo thread here awhile back that I haven't bought more than a few boxes of ammo out of a store in the last several years. I've bought bulk locally from other guys wanting to lighten their personal stash.
It's one of the main reasons Target failed miserably up here and went bankrupt and slunk back across the border. Canadians travel quite a bit. We travel a lot to the US. We USED TO take advantage of significant lower pricing in places like Target, Costco, Walmart etc. Prices in stores close to the border have been steadily rising for years and a weaker CDN dollar does not help.
Target stores located near the Canadian border obviously saw lots of sales and figured it would be a good idea to move into the Canadian market. Canadians expected the typical US Target store in Canada. What we got was some abortion of someone's "good ideas" and products that were overpriced and largely not in demand. It flopped hard and fast. But we have alternatives here like Walmart which generally tend to have better prices anyway. So nobody missed Canadian Target when they crashed and burned.
Cabela's and Bass Pro have very little competition anymore...captive audience I guess. I've noticed prices steadily rising since Cabela's opened locally here in 2016. We used to have Wholesale Sports (love 'em or hate 'em) and they did pretty good at keeping prices down and gave Cabela's a run for their money...for awhile. Cabela's is a juggernaut and just finally took like 80% of the market...that would be my guess. Mostly small and a very few medium size (regional) businesses occupy the remaining 20%.
I said in another ammo thread here awhile back that I haven't bought more than a few boxes of ammo out of a store in the last several years. I've bought bulk locally from other guys wanting to lighten their personal stash.
ZED
.410
I used to love going into Cabella's before the juggernaut Bass Pro swallowed them up. It's so expensive now. I think going to shows and doing a little dealing is the best bet. You are right Cabella's/BP have the market and they act like it. LOL.
What part of Canada are you in?? spent many vacations in Vancouver and Toronto. Loved both cities. What is the quirkiest law you have when it comes to guns and ammo?
What part of Canada are you in?? spent many vacations in Vancouver and Toronto. Loved both cities. What is the quirkiest law you have when it comes to guns and ammo?
cmcdonald
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I'm in southwest BC, just outside Vancouver. Soon to be much further from Vancouver...I hate it here. Can't wait to make a permanent home out in the "sticks"...(sticks being electric, gas, running water, etc....LOL just a whole lot less people). Most people don't realize that Metro Vancouver by population vs land size is the most populous area in Canada. Everyone assumes Toronto is busier because it's bigger. We have huge infrastructure needs (highways & arterial roads, bridges, etc) that government has been trying to catch up on for 3+ generations. It's so congested here...did I mention that I hate it? LOL! This area has grown so much over the last 40 years I hardly recognize it...no wonder my 86 year old Dad hasn't recognized it for several decades. The growth and urban sprawl here is incredible.
Anyway...Canadian gun laws...sigh...man I could go on!! We have a book full of stupid & quirky gun laws called the Canadian Firearms Act that is written right into the Criminal Code of Canada. In short, that means that even paperwork violations are indictable offences. The biggest problem with our firearms laws is the firearm classification system with which unelected bureaucrats (RCMP) can criminalize lawful gun owners with the stroke of a pen. They do this much like your ATF tries to do...with "regulation". Regulation that is just a law in disguise of name only. They use technicalities in wording to obfuscate and frustrate legitimate folks into giving up on the arduous processes and paperwork, they use excessive verbiage to frighten uncommitted, potential firearms owners from even starting the process of owning a firearm legally. (Much like anyone reading this long winded diatribe...LOL!!)
The firearm classification system is so broken and I don't think it was ever intended to actually work anyway. But the system groups firearms together often by name and look rather than actual function. Every gun owner knows that function is the only measure that actually matters. But try telling some hysterical gun grabber that the Mossberg 715T isn't an AR15...good luck with that. One classification that truly bewilders me is the Franchii Spas 12...because it is both a pump & an autoloader it gets a PROHIBITED classification. Both pump shotguns and autoloaders are currently NON-RESTRICTED. Meaning as long you have a license you can go to a gun store pick one off the shelf and go home with it...use it in the bush or wherever discharge of firearms is permitted. No problem. $h*t like that annoys the hell out of me. It is so damn illogical.
Most of our ammo laws are okay so far. You need to show a valid license to buy ammo, but we have few restrictions on it. No flechettes for shotguns or explosive or incendiary rounds (dragons breath) allowed. But armor piercing is fine as long as it's not for a handgun...LOL!
In the end though, the total effect on lawful gun owners is the same...hoops to jump through, threats of fines, firearm confiscations, prohibitions and ultimately legal charges if you violate not only the law but the "regulations" as well.
Oh and I forgot to add that we constantly have to endure numbskull after idiot when it comes to politicians and gun control advocates spouting off their constant willful ignorance and mis/dis-information foisted on the public like gospel truth.
Anyway...Canadian gun laws...sigh...man I could go on!! We have a book full of stupid & quirky gun laws called the Canadian Firearms Act that is written right into the Criminal Code of Canada. In short, that means that even paperwork violations are indictable offences. The biggest problem with our firearms laws is the firearm classification system with which unelected bureaucrats (RCMP) can criminalize lawful gun owners with the stroke of a pen. They do this much like your ATF tries to do...with "regulation". Regulation that is just a law in disguise of name only. They use technicalities in wording to obfuscate and frustrate legitimate folks into giving up on the arduous processes and paperwork, they use excessive verbiage to frighten uncommitted, potential firearms owners from even starting the process of owning a firearm legally. (Much like anyone reading this long winded diatribe...LOL!!)
The firearm classification system is so broken and I don't think it was ever intended to actually work anyway. But the system groups firearms together often by name and look rather than actual function. Every gun owner knows that function is the only measure that actually matters. But try telling some hysterical gun grabber that the Mossberg 715T isn't an AR15...good luck with that. One classification that truly bewilders me is the Franchii Spas 12...because it is both a pump & an autoloader it gets a PROHIBITED classification. Both pump shotguns and autoloaders are currently NON-RESTRICTED. Meaning as long you have a license you can go to a gun store pick one off the shelf and go home with it...use it in the bush or wherever discharge of firearms is permitted. No problem. $h*t like that annoys the hell out of me. It is so damn illogical.
Most of our ammo laws are okay so far. You need to show a valid license to buy ammo, but we have few restrictions on it. No flechettes for shotguns or explosive or incendiary rounds (dragons breath) allowed. But armor piercing is fine as long as it's not for a handgun...LOL!
In the end though, the total effect on lawful gun owners is the same...hoops to jump through, threats of fines, firearm confiscations, prohibitions and ultimately legal charges if you violate not only the law but the "regulations" as well.
Oh and I forgot to add that we constantly have to endure numbskull after idiot when it comes to politicians and gun control advocates spouting off their constant willful ignorance and mis/dis-information foisted on the public like gospel truth.
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ZED
.410
I had to read this 3 times to absorb it all. HAHA. I hope your not going to a little cabin far away and start writing a manifesto. Oh wait you did say it will have water, electric . " Whew". This is one brilliant post I must say. I have to ask what is your profession? I watch a few youtubers that live way north of the city and its quite enjoyable. They are off the grid but with many amenities. Clean living. It's stunningly beautiful up that way. When you finish building your cabin I need the first INVITE. HA
Can you cross the border and buy a weapon in Seattle or any other country and bring it home?? or mailed home??
How are the gun shows in your area?? We have them almost every weekend within 100-200 miles. Next weekend we have 2 shows 10 miles apart. Lots of Coins, Jerky, Candy, Dinars oh and many many guns. HAHA
Thanks again for that awesome response.
Bobster
.30-06
I'm not trying to be a Fudd here but the short answer is NO. A US FFL would not sell to a "foreigner" for fear of running afoul of ITAR regulation UNLESS they were registered as an exporter then the Canadian would have to be able to be able to "import" it and I'm not sure what type of bungy jumping that involves.
Of course, a buyer and seller could be involved in an (illegal) under-the-table transaction and no one would ever know. I'm sure this happens all the time with criminals from Seattle selling guns/ammo to criminals from Vancouver. But they are certainly NOT mailing them...
cmcdonald
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LOL! No manifesto for me brother! Just want some peace and quiet, clean air and water. Oh and hunting from my back door would be good too.
Cabin is already built...its been in the family for nearly 50 years and the wife and I gladly took it over a few years ago. We did a full gut renovation this past year. Pricey but worth it. Real estate values are absolutely bonkers here...it is a crisis for a very many people and families. We're extremely fortunate to own property and have no mortgage. We may yet sell and move even further out when we can, there are so many pretty places to choose from. For now, we're still tied to town with family obligations.
My profession? LOL! I've been many things over the last 30 years, but mainly in the transportation and construction fields. Spent more years than I wanted too breaking my body at work and even more riding an office chair that were even more unfulfilling. I've been told that I'm blunt...LOL! I don't play office politics well and I can't tolerate being a stooge either. I had a few owners and presidents tell me I shouldn't be so direct and be more diplomatic. I'd just tell them I don't know any other way and I will not tolerate lying or being lied to. That's always a deal breaker for me, no matter how much money is on the table. I have no reserve for BS...ate way too much of it when I was younger. What I always found disappointing was how many businesses and business owners are willing to lie and tolerate BS and shady deals as long as they're making money. It was never worth it to me. I value being able to look myself in the mirror and sleep at night. And, believe me I do...I sleep like a damn baby!! LOL!
Gun shows are not plentiful here at all unfortunately, only a few a year. And, are all subject to the same firearms regime as buying in a store, meaning license checks are required. It wasn't always that way, but under Turdo they made it mandatory to run a license check for every firearm purchase/transfer. Before all you had to do was show your license and you were good to go. That is for non-restricted transfers only...restricted (handguns, AR's, etc) and prohibited transfers require special paperwork and a higher classification license. New Prohibited class licenses are not even issued anymore. A prohib license will allow you to purchase and possess full auto's and a whole host of hardware not available to 99.99% of the population. You literally have to buy an existing firearms business that is prohib licensed and qualify for that license in order to claim the business as your own.
I'm not trying to be a Fudd here but the short answer is NO. A US FFL would not sell to a "foreigner" for fear of running afoul of ITAR regulation UNLESS they were registered as an exporter then the Canadian would have to be able to be able to "import" it and I'm not sure what type of bungy jumping that involves.
Of course, a buyer and seller could be involved in an (illegal) under-the-table transaction and no one would ever know. I'm sure this happens all the time with criminals from Seattle selling guns/ammo to criminals from Vancouver. But they are certainly NOT mailing them...
100% Bob. Buying cross border anything that practically resembles a firearm part is a virtual no go with ITAR...including optics for crying out loud! You could attempt to bring it across yourself but at your own peril with CBSA... though I don't think it's worth the potential consequences.
There are a few firearms businesses (apart from the big importers that service most every gun store in Canada) that will go find you what you want south of the line and import it for you provided it meets Canadian laws and you've got the appropriate license. I've used these guys before https://www.irunguns.ca/ . The name is rather comical and gets some pretty humorous reactions online. It can be a bit pricey but it sure beats the two alternatives...1) not getting what you want or 2) getting caught smuggling...I'd venture that both kinda suck. LOL!
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I ordered a 250 package of Winchester 2-3/4" Super X 00 Buck Shot 12 ga. from Velocity Ammunition Sales. Very competitive price and reasonably fast delivery, considering the holidays.
At the time they did not have the Sub-sonic 7.62 x 51 that I'd been looking for, so I got that through SGA. All the good things said about them are true.
I did find some Federal 00 buck Flite control through Lucky Gunner. That was more for availability rather than a rock-bottom price.
At the time they did not have the Sub-sonic 7.62 x 51 that I'd been looking for, so I got that through SGA. All the good things said about them are true.
I did find some Federal 00 buck Flite control through Lucky Gunner. That was more for availability rather than a rock-bottom price.
Daryll
.270 WIN
You guys are lucky in several ways.....
Here in the UK ammo cannot be shipped to your door, you can't even order directly from the importers/wholesalers.
You can only buy ammo (and primers) from gunshops, who obviously put their cut onto the price.
(Factory ammo is very expensive here, so many people reload.)
Even reloading components are limited in being shipped. Lead and brass is ok, but powder has to be shipped by specialist "Hazarous material" couriers which are damned expensive. Even the gunshops have to order in bulk to make sure the profit they make will cover the costs of shipping.
Here in the UK ammo cannot be shipped to your door, you can't even order directly from the importers/wholesalers.
You can only buy ammo (and primers) from gunshops, who obviously put their cut onto the price.
(Factory ammo is very expensive here, so many people reload.)
Even reloading components are limited in being shipped. Lead and brass is ok, but powder has to be shipped by specialist "Hazarous material" couriers which are damned expensive. Even the gunshops have to order in bulk to make sure the profit they make will cover the costs of shipping.
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Bobster
.30-06
The same rules apply here, as well. (sort of) We can't ship ANY kind of "flammables" or "explosives" through the USPS (the mail). One could ship a small quantity of ammo, say a few rounds or maybe even a box but if "caught" in the system they are just going to toss the package and you'll never hear about it again. Something nefarious or illegal they'd probably send the FBI to the return address. In most cases the package will be delivered no harm, no foul. The sheer volume of mail will often let such packages through. A kilo of cocaine will probably be picked out and flagged but a couple joints well sealed will likely make it through the sniffers. (no, I'm not hinting for anyone to send me any dope...
)UPS and FedEx will ship quantities of ammo, powder or primers but it has to be marked as hazardous, shipper and shippee clearly labeled and will require a signature by someone 18+. Shippers used to attach the label "ORM-D" (Other Regulated Materials-Domestic transport only) but now they use the diamond with black on top and bottom which pretty much means the same thing. My daughter got a shipment of perfume with that label and I'm like "what kind of ammo is this?" because the box was so light.
One extra cost is the requirement for a signature when received.Interestingly, a citizen can send a long gun in-state through the US Mail to another legal citizen as long as state law allows it. It has to say "Return Service Requested" and Signature Confirmation is required which means you are probably shipping "Priority" at extra cost. Recipient must be 18+ (or 21 if the state requires it). To confirm, I posed this question to a "suspect-looking"
clerk at the Post Office knowing the answer already. As anticipated, she blatantly said "NO, you can't do that" so I insisted the Postmaster clarify the rules to her, which he did. The rules ARE easy enough to look up... Handguns in/out-state and long guns going out-of-state still have to be sent FFL to FFL.PS: inert reloading components such as brass and bullets are not regulated...
Bobster
.30-06
PPS: as mentioned in the middle picture above, you CAN mail a gun to yourself "in the care of" someone living there if you will be using it for hunting or competition. I don't know if it would be easier just declaring it when you check in on the plane. I know people that compete out of state and fly there with their guns. Of course a gun lost by the airline could result in a DQ at the match...Interestingly, a citizen can send a long gun in-state through the US Mail to another legal citizen as long as state law allows it. It has to say "Return Service Requested" and Signature Confirmation is required which means you are probably shipping "Priority" at extra cost. Recipient must be 18+ (or 21 if the state requires it). To confirm, I posed this question to a "suspect-looking"
jxring
.22LR
All,
I used to be legal to "carry on" flights anywhere (former USBP, we were the original "air marshals" 1970s , border to border (N, S, E, & W), look it up. Now I am retired and just declare it and fill out the form. The person needs to declare it at the check in counter (in front of everyone behind you (?) and demonstrate that it is unloaded (?)). That piece of luggage is specially marked and sent to recover at the secured freight area at your destination. It does not go on the regular baggage carouse (cannot)l.! I have done this years before arriving and departing (here in CA), and (coming back from Afghanistan) to ATL as a contractor and have not had issues but of course, I have had my retired credentials on me as my proof (thank you to my federal uncle). Call ahead with the carrier but I am sure anyone can do this. If they decline or give you BS, choose another carrier. My two cents worth.
JX
I used to be legal to "carry on" flights anywhere (former USBP, we were the original "air marshals" 1970s , border to border (N, S, E, & W), look it up. Now I am retired and just declare it and fill out the form. The person needs to declare it at the check in counter (in front of everyone behind you (?) and demonstrate that it is unloaded (?)). That piece of luggage is specially marked and sent to recover at the secured freight area at your destination. It does not go on the regular baggage carouse (cannot)l.! I have done this years before arriving and departing (here in CA), and (coming back from Afghanistan) to ATL as a contractor and have not had issues but of course, I have had my retired credentials on me as my proof (thank you to my federal uncle). Call ahead with the carrier but I am sure anyone can do this. If they decline or give you BS, choose another carrier. My two cents worth.
JX