My new employer is a large machine shop that has begun to expand into the firearms and ammo business. We have obtained all the licenses to make suppressors and full auto firearms.

Our newest venture included purchasing a loader from Ammo Load that can produce a round a second.

Thats the background, here is the question. They expect to use about 55lbs of 844 or TAC a day producing ammo. Who would I contact to secure that amount of powder?

We already have connects for the bullets and primed brass. The loaded ammo will be delivered locally. I just need to see about who to purchase from, and how to have a lot of powder delivered.

Any ideas or suggestions? Any links toward FFL regs that will affect us?

Contact the powder mfgs. Depending on the quantity, you may qualify for factory direct pricing/shipping. As far as the FFL regs, contact the BATF and get the info from the horse's mouth.

Have your purchasing agent contact the distributors and manufacturers. This is about a LOT of money. You need to get the best deal.
You will also need a safe place to keep it per the fire codes.
Contact an attorney about the legal aspects.
Anything you get from the BATF get in writing.

I would start by contacting Western Powders in Miles city Montana. Great people to deal with they well have all your andwsers.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
Anything you get from the BATF get in writing.

+1, and remember, anything !

First, make sure whatever manufacturer license you have for the NFA stuff also allows ammunition manufacturing. I think it would, but I'm not an expert on that.

That much powder will require special handling. Check the local fire code for the requirements of that. Not following exactly the storage requirements is a huge potential liability issue and might not sit well with ATF.

LWD

Wouldn't the hazmat shipping surcharges be pretty high?

as i remember it from a few years back, gopher shooters bought 4831 direct from hogdens they transported it by truck and had to store is out of a populated area in a concrete building. i believe the county had to give them permission to store a powder magazine building. this was probably on a much larger scale than you will be using as they bought tons, but i thing the transport and storage will be the same

NUMBER ONE!
GET YOUR LOCAL FIRE MARSHALL TO APPROVE YOUR MAGAZINE!

HAZMAT should be a non-issue in terms of bulk powder.. its not much.

make certain your insruance covers it

then worry about your paperwork with government

THEN find a shipper .. the shipping paperwork is their's, not yours

and be SAFE

I agree with the contacting the powder manufacturers for the commercial canister powder,but the 844 is a government surplus powder and if you are going to purchase and use the huge amount you spoke of may be able to bit on it straight with the government. The places that sell surplus powders such as Jeff Bartlett, Pats Powder, Wideners, etc., bid on those powders. I would think that you could bit and get it cheaper then obtaining it from the suppliers I just mentioned, as they have their mark up too. Too bad it's not a 50 cal powder that you need as I could put you in touch with a supplier that is selling that surplus at $2 a pound.

Good luck in your adventure.

Grafs can sell you the big containers of some makes of powder. The really big ones.

Shipping by truck does not involve hazmat charges. That's only applicable to UPS and Fedex.