GS Custom bullets?

10 August 2001, 11:26

<Santa Claus>

GS Custom bullets?

I was wondering if any of you guys have had problems getting these bullets. I ordered some over 3 weeks ago, and paid for airmail and have not received them yet. I sent an e-mail to Gerard, but have not heard back. Does it take this long to receive them after paying for air mail? I thought it would be a shorter period of time..

10 August 2001, 13:10

Santala

South Africa is South Africa. It took me a while to receive my first shipment also. However, the hold up was not on Gerard's part but, the postal service in South Africa. The stamps were all made the day after I ordered but there was a delay in shipping.

It should only take 7 to 10 days, if all was well in South Africa, to receive a shipment.

Gerard is a very nice gentleman and will take care of you.

Good Hunting
Steve

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Every man dies, but not every man really lives!!

10 August 2001, 13:10

<BigBores>

Sometimes customs can be slow to get through. I would bet that's where the hold up is. It is very hard to predict how efficient customs is from week to week.

10 August 2001, 13:51

<Don G>

Gerard seems to be out of pocket for several days at a time (I think it's about half hunting and half gun shows.) He always answers eventually, though. Send him a courtesy copy of your email, as the recent worms and viruses took a toll across the world, and he may not have gotten it.

I think he says allow two weeks for air mail and four for surface. I always get surface and they show up within 3-6 weeks. Once they had a mail strike and it took two months.

This is Africa, after all.

One thing I'm absolutely convinced about is that Gerard will make it right.

[I have tried sending Gerard an email overnight - about my bullets and yours, and I can't even get past my RoadRunner mail service. Apparently Africa is not the only place with problems right now. I'm getting a "server disk full" error, a pretty good indication of a worm or virus.]

Don

[This message has been edited by Don G (edited 08-10-2001).]

10 August 2001, 14:58

<Santa Claus>

I had just heard great things about Gerard, and decided to order some bullets. I just find it tough to accept paying extra for service and not getting any.. We'll see what happens though, maybe it will be worth it all. I was hoping to get these in time to workup loads for an upcoming hunt, but now it is going to be tough..

11 August 2001, 00:05

<Don G>

Santa Claus,

I would bet money that Gerard has done everything within his power to get you the bullets.

Re-read my edited post above -- I can't even get email out of Cincinnati right now!

Don

11 August 2001, 01:59

<R. A. Berry>

Santa Claus,
I would echo what Don G says about GS Custom bullets, regarding the quality of the product as well as the good intentions of their shipping efforts. I cannot guess what goes on with customs and postal employees in RSA.

My first order of GSC "machine tooled parts" got caught in that two month delay by a postal strike. The latest arrived after about 3 weeks wait.

The hunting season has put a crimp in activities lately, but Gerard seems to be on top of things. Hang in there, the GSC product is well worth the wait. Hopefully a domestic U.S. supplier will be arranged someday. However, this undoubtedly would raise the price through a middleman's cut. Curently the GSC "parts" are a fantastic bargain after the Rand/USD conversion, and the minimal shipping charges.

The CNC machined HV and FN bullets are marvels of new technology. They are all they are claimed to be. GSC offers a bigger variety of calibers and weights than any other manufacturer in the world, and the list is still growing. Once you have tried them you won't want to use anything else.

I have no special interest in bullets other than wanting to use the best that I can find. I just hope Gerard doesn't get the big head and start jacking up the prices.

Has anyone heard anything bad about GSC from a credible source? I haven't, only good. RSA ought to be bending over backward to help GSC improve their economy a bit.

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Good huntin' and shootin',
RAB

11 August 2001, 08:46

Gerard

Santa,
Sorry about the delay getting back to you. Yesterday was a public holiday here and today was my first opportunity to try to chase down your parcel. I will have a report from the post office on Monday early, and if there is any indication that they have lost track of the package, I will lodge a claim and ship a fresh one immediately. As I mentioned on the Big Bores forum, we lose about two to three out of a hundred. Some eventually make it back, mostly pretty stuffed and beaten up, and some just disappear. This is not a problem confined to SA, as I have had airmail from Austria take four weeks on backup spares for one of our lathes. That it is more prevalent in Africa, I have no doubt. I can only apologise and state that I did not vote for them. The up side of the situation is that sometimes both parcels arrive at destination.

Sometimes I get snowed under with e-mail. Currently we get average forty or so a day. Some I pass on, but about half are usually technical in nature and I reply personally. It only takes a day or two to get behind and then it takes a couple of days to work through the backlog. On our site I ask for two days for replies but I should really change that to four, as it sometimes stretches to that. Your understanding is appreciated.

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Gerard Schultz
GS Custom Bullets

[This message has been edited by Gerard (edited 08-11-2001).]

11 August 2001, 18:26

<ss8541>

quote:
Originally posted by Santa Claus:
I had just heard great things about Gerard, and decided to order some bullets. I just find it tough to accept paying extra for service and not getting any.. We'll see what happens though, maybe it will be worth it all. I was hoping to get these in time to workup loads for an upcoming hunt, but now it is going to be tough..

>>>>>
>>>>>It took 3.5 weeks to receive my first order and I got worried, but it did arrive and the bullets are unbelievable. I have been using the 130 grain 7mm HV. I can shoot it at 3800fps+ and get 3-shot groups in the teens. Unbelieveable. Gerard has been very helpfull to me on everything from starting loads to recomending the propper drag curve. I have since ordered more bullets and I will shoot these in everything I can for big game.
Vince

11 August 2001, 18:58

<Santa Claus>

Thanks for replying Gerard, We'll just have to wait and see when they decide to deliver..
If I have anymore questions I will e-mail you..

13 August 2001, 14:03

Atkinson

Santa C.
I suggest you just set back and forget it until they arrive..Thats what I do! but I have delt with the African Gov more than most and all africans have a saying for Americans...Relax, now your on African time.

When dealing with African Gov. installations ( examp: RSA Postal Service )now under the command of an all black gov. things tend to move at different beat. A culture with no understanding of time or expediancy...really not a bad concept once you get used to it.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

14 August 2001, 03:37

Dutch

I'm one of those that had a lost postal package, and even the second one took over two months to get to the U.S. But, it's here, and in time for moose and antelope season.

Aggravating, yes, but Gerard is doing all he can do. A U.S. distributor might increase cost, but once you include the costs of tracking packages, and management time spent on logistics, I would put my bet on the side of no additional costs. FWIW, Dutch.

16 August 2001, 15:09

D Hunter

Does anyone know the current exchange rate to rand from USD's? THanks "D"

16 August 2001, 15:34

Santala

D, I just punched it in on the GS Custom's currancy converter and it came up $1 to 8.48Rand

Good Hunting
Steve

26 August 2001, 10:33

<Santa Claus>

Gerard did you check for the parcel? We are up to 6 weeks now..

31 August 2001, 11:33

<Don G>

FYI, I am posting an email I received from Gerard today -- maybe there's hope for quicker delivery in future.

Hello Don,
I have been out of town on business for a while and now it's catch up time
again. Your parcel was amongst the last sent via the regular government
postal system. We are now making use of a privatised postal system that
handles mail internally up to the customs depots in Johannesburg or Cape
Town. Rochï¿½ sent you a replacement the day he received your e-mail via our
new post office (appropriately called Hunters Retreat) and it will be
interesting to see how long it takes. Thus far ( almost six weeks) we have
not had a single problem with parcels routed through them. We abandoned
searching for parcels sent via SA Post if they are overdue and simply resend
and lodge a claim. I will catch up more later.
Regards
Gerard
Expand your mind, include GS Custom HV Bullets.
http://gscustom.co.za

Don

01 September 2001, 19:29

Gerard

Santa,
Getting tracking info from these guys is like pulling teeth but on Thursday I was told that your parcel cleared SA customs out of SA on July 30th. It looks like, for once, I can't blame SA Post. If you do not have it yet, a new one is on it's way on Monday. I wish there was more that I could do.

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Gerard Schultz
GS Custom Bullets

07 September 2001, 09:39

<Don G>

FYI,

I received my 30 cal HVs today. Surface shipment left GS Custom July 27, arrived Cincinnati, Sept. 6. I have had these take as little as three weeks - these took six.

Don

10 September 2001, 09:46

<AVMcGee>

I ordered some bullets back in July. I do not remember the day but my credit card was billed on 07/18/2001. I just recieved them yesterday(09/08/01). Being a postal employee I understand how things sometimes get delayed.
No complaining on my part just another satisfied customer.

Andrew V. McGee

10 September 2001, 10:03

<Phil R>

I purchased some .30 & .375 cal. bullets from Gerard a while back and I recall that it took about 3-4 weeks by air mail. Haven't shot any game yet with them, but I'm headed west to Wyoming on October 5th for mule deer and maybe elk if I can stay long enough(the 2 seasons don't overlap). My weapon of choice for this hunt is a Ruger Stainless #77 MKII in .30/.338 with Gerard's 160gr. HV/HP/BT Spitzers. Hope to have a story to tell when I return.

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Phil- Life Member NRA & SCI