Folks-

I know this has been discussed many times on here but I've never heard a legimate answer that made sense. WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE OUTRAGEOUS NOSLER PRICING?????? I refuse to pay for them now. Yes, they are premium but good grief............Is it just plain greed or what? I know many that won't buy any more at the current pricing. Surely the bean counters can see this.

Many thanks

I can't figure it out. Obviously inflation is affecting everything, but Nosler's increases seem to have far outpaced Speer and Hornady. Sierra seems to have fallen in between them in price.

Why matters not, and there are certainly a lot of alternatives these days. I stopped checking SPS because they had so little in stock and blem prices were about the same as online prices of firsts.

EDIT: Just checked and saw that nothing’s changed at SPS, except that they had a lot of stuff for sale, still at high prices for blems IMO. I suppose if you can’t find the ones you want elsewhere, they are an option.

I guess I haven't bought much Nosler stuff lately, but the Sierra pricing sure has jumped the last year two

John Nosler had kids....those kids had kids...then those kids had kids...very few of whom seem inclined to get off the family gravy train. And last I heard none of them started at the bottom.

Maybe MD knows and just can't tell......LOL. It has to affect the company bottom line I would think. The only legitimate thing I can think of is they secured a military contract awhile ago ( and didn't tell anyone ) and production is dedicated to mostly that. I can't think of anything else. Oh well................there are other avenues but I really like ballistic tips and partitions.

Yup. I like to shoot MKs because they’ve always been so accurate, but $.52 each for .22 bullets?😱

I’m gonna stop looking for bargain bullets and just concentrate on shooting up what I have on hand, which is is considerable. Already paid for is cheaper than any sale price, and my pallbearers will appreciate it if I don’t take the leftovers with me……

Maybe they got their pricing philosophy from Sitka?

just wait till the new powder prices get caught up.. we're all going to be wishing it was just 50 bucks a pound
this was coming the other day from my local wholesaler

I quit buying new bullets at retail years ago, unless I see something I’ve really been unable to locate on the secondary market. If you peruse the classifieds of this site and others, all manner of projectiles become available at great prices.

.

A case of shotgun shells that used to be $52 are two years later $78...8 pounds of 4350 is around $400....$2000 SA shotguns....

And the Nosler kids aren't getting a penny of it.....

They have always been mighty proud of their cshit

Because there are dumbasses that will pay it ?

They had reason to be....

The days of a past decades pricing is long gone.....and it isn't coming back.

SPS just had 7mm 150 AB's for $33, 150 BT's for $26. Is that out of line?

I think you’re right there. Every time someone says something about inflation slowing down, I think, maybe, but we’re still stuck with where it took prices before.

I don’t think it’s crazy myself. It’s their 1sts that seem way outta line. But a bullet or 100 is still the least expensive part of my hunt.

Yep. Good deals sometimes

A box of 7MM 160 grain Accubonds was $75 at my LGS!! That's just absurd. Hornady bullets seem to be readily available and much much cheaper. I have ALWAYS used the 100 grain partition in my 243 and 6MM rifles but not when there $1+ apiece. I got some Barnes TTSX and will be giving those a try along with some Hornady BTSP.
Powder is just as bad. The LGS has Varget at $68/lb. I have three pounds that was $36/lb a year or two ago.

I just bought 300 150 gr. Hornady IL .308's @ 25.00 per hundred from one of my LGS's. They'll kill my deer every bit as dead as Noslers BT's or accubonds.

Absolutely

No need for big dollars to kill deer.

Was just in the local SW picking up some N555. Walked down the bullet isle, and sure enough, there's the boxes of NPT for $80 out the door.

Someone's real proud of those NPTs...

At that price, switch to Barnes TTSX. You'll never look back.

This ^.
Way overpriced compared to Hornady, been that way for the 20 years I've been handloading.

Nosler has and still does make good bullets but Nosler bullets are getting too expensive and sometimes hard to find in stock. i am switching to Hammer bullets their always in stock and price is not that bad . if you are just shooting smaller meat deer any good bullet works fine , but myself i load better bullets and wait for a chance on a decent buck my meat hunting days is over i let the family shoot the smaller deer.

If they sell all they make, then they priced them correctly.

There you go, defending Capitalism again.

I've always been a fan of Nosler bullets but they won't be selling any more to me at the current price point. There are plenty of other alternatives. I shoot older rifles so I'm not sure if the twist rates are favorable for the Hammer bullets but I might give them a try. I just bought 100 Hornady 6MM 95gr SST's for under $40.

I have got some good deals on Nosler match Bullets on SPS lately . If you check them often ,you would be surprised at what you find . When I find a good price I load up on that item . That includes bullets ,powder and primers .

For 50, plus shipping? Not too bad but not a bargin.

The only Nosler I have ever bought were blems from SP at $13/box foro180 gr Partitions and some 139Gr AB"s for $18/box. I won't be buying any more unless they get cheap again. I can kill just as many deer, elk, and pronghorn with cheaper C&C's

Yes...but...just because so far x-number of rich guys don't value their money, doesn't mean it's a sustainable business practice. Only so many guys willing to pay more than something is worth. Meaning, everyone else with a similar product is outselling them.

Sorta like the retards handing over double what stuff is worth at an auction or for toilet paper during covid

love the accuracy of the 120 & 150 BT's in my 7x57 & 280 respectively... local farm store offered a stiff 1 time discount for signing up for an in store rewards card... i loaded in @ $26 a box... only wish i'da bought all the 168 gn 308's for my oh-six... dang card company rejected me later, musta' gave em bad data... more than 1 way to skin a cat...

While the Hammers are always in stock ,at $82 for a box of 50 with tax and shipping still to be added they are up there. Want to try some of their .411 offerings in my 405 win, at $110 for 50 wanting might be as far as it goes.

So Ferrari is in danger of closing and isn't viable because Toyota sells so many cars? I'm not calling Nosler the Ferrari of bullets but absent seeing their books, we have no way of knowing what is/isn't a sustainable business practice for a company 76 years old. Just because there are cheaper options doesn't mean the more expensive option isn't viable. See every luxury brand - ever.

If they're selling all the bullets they make at 80 a box and HAVEN'T surpassed that in COGS - then it's likely sustainable until it isn't, at which point they'll move pricing down.

Those same cup n core bullets work on mature bucks just the same as on smaller "meat" deer.

Even a mature buck is only about 250# max. Hardly a large hard to kill critter.

I still have about 200, maybe more of the 140 Ballistic Tips for the 7-08 and have quite a few 90s for the 6mm.

No more than I shoot of the Nosler bullets in these guns I will keep buying some along the way.

Nosler can run things however they like. I can spend my money however I like. I will say that the Accubonds and Partitions are no longer worth the asking price in my book. $75-80 per 50ct for their 7mm or .30cal hunting bullets is too steep when compared to other options on the market, especially for my needs.

Sort of. Nosler is a cup and core bullet. Hornady is as well.

Toyota and Ferrari isn't really a good comparison because they are not competing, for most people.

And they're not luxury. When the partition came out they might have been. But I can get another bullet that does whatever theirs does now, for less. And they're available.

Agreed and how I see it. But I also am not going to declare Nosler dead because they're expensive either. Especially since I believe they're making bullets every day while shelves being empty. Means people are buying them and I doubt at compressed margins compared to peers.

If someone is giving $75-80 per 50 then that's their fault, not Noslers.

A little shopping will find those bullets cheaper than that.

I'm not picking on Nosler here, but the industry in general.

These companies are now mostly ran by pencil pushers (and sometimes foreign and domestic communists), that have no clue and don't care who put them in business and kept them there all these years.

We were already losing hunters and shooters in the good days when things were cheap. Once you add our current economy, with lots of young people broke, and being schooled and governed by clowns, these companies will end up with no customers. Us old guys will be gone soon and ain't coming back.

If they want to stay in business, it's gonna take work and sacrifice in these bad times to gain new hunters and shooters and keep them.

if they are selling all they make good for them...paying for seconds when I can find first quality cheaper doesnt work for me.
I have been able to get something from Hornady that worked for me thru the last few years of shortages andn a bit cheaper so will probably be going that route in the future

Whitetail bucks up at the border in Minnesota are bigger than most southern states , myself i don`t care to track bigger bucks much i like the big bang and speed of my 257 Weatherby mag. and bigger buck DRT. you go ahead a chase a wounded smart old buck , i have seen and heard what happens with a smaller cartridge rifle . yes my 11 yr. old grandson is kinda recoil shy yet so he has a smaller cartridge rifle but my daughter his mother who weighs 130 lbs. uses a 7 Rem. mag. recoil does not brother her , daughter also likes DRT too.

There's more than a few investors betting on copper prices going way up. Some are predicting triple current prices. Not good.

I disagree that only profligate rich folks buy Nosler or other premiums. Lots of ordinary people who value reliable performance from their bullets pony up, knowing that, as is commonly stated here, the bullet represents a pretty small part of the total investment in a hunt. I’m an old boomer on a fixed income, but I use good bullets to make meat, preferring two holes if possible and controlled expansion without excess meat damage.

Time will tell if their pricing is sustainable. They can always bring our a budget line for the disadvantaged, frugal, or merely cheap😜

Shop around. Some of the pricing stated here is due to vendor gouging.

A quick search showed .284 Accubond and .308 Accubonds for under $1.00 each. Not $75-80.

Okay say 300#. Still a small animal.

It's called shot placement regardless of chambering.I get plenty of DRT on our mature bucks using my 6mm.

LOL.....

I generally get two holes and minimal meat damage with non premium cnc bullets.

Another for the tall tale thread.

I was spitballing on the $75-80/box notion, as I'd been on Midway earlier this week and saw $75 on 165gr .30cal Partitions.

In the last year or maybe a bit more they have been one of the more expensive vendors.

While the Hammers are always in stock ,at $82 for a box of 50 with tax and shipping still to be added they are up there. Want to try some of their .411 offerings in my 405 win, at $110 for 50 wanting might be as far as it goes.[/quote]

Have you tried the Hornady 300 grain bullet for your 405? I have used them in my rifle and they make a great deer load.

I still buy bullets from SPS. I don't think their prices are out of line although availability is limited. A couple of months ago I bought a bunch of 6.5 140 grain BT's for $18 for 50. Not a bad price IMO.

286 partitions for the 9.3x62 @$104 dollars for 50 is painfull ,just saying.

Have you tried the Hornady 300 grain bullet for your 405? I have used them in my rifle and they make a great deer load.[/quote]



The bitch being the Golden State requires non tox. Do have some Barnes 300 TSX but would like options. Took a couple bucks with the Hornady 300 before the edict requiring non tox.

I think I would be shooting Hornadys.

Love Nosler bullets, all of them.

Hate what's happened with their prices and availability.

Guy

As a kid, that kind of ammo was out of reach. Then I attained middle class and became a customer. Now I seem to be regressing.

So do I, especially with my crossbow.

another keyboard mouth

Me too. Crossbow bolts, 170's at 2240 fps out of my .30-30, 165's at 2700 out of my '06 and PRB's at 1600 fps out of my Hawken. As a matter of fact I took deer with all of those plus a couple with my .243 and 100 gr. CNC's this past season and didn't recover a projectile from any of them. Avoid light/varmint bullets and warp speed and keep them out of the meat/shoulders. We rely primarily on venison for our years meat supply. Without it we'd eat damn little red meat with todays prices. I don't like to blow it up.

Or someone who has enough experience to know it doesn't take magnum power to kill a 250# animal.

Asa matter of fact the mature bucks I wait on seem to die as readily as a 100# doe.

I am a bowhunter too so energy is of little importance to me.

I'm one of the higher paid codes at work, at a facility that pays higher than
most in our area.

I could easily be fine with quite a bit less pay.
But when our 5% raise comes along this year, I'll take it.
If they offer more, I'd take it.



Kinda like sports too.
Fans bitch about the players they go to see making so much,
but they gladly pony up the money for tickets, parking, beer......
Seats are full, they aren't over priced.

SPS pricing is still great, you just have to pay attention to availability and sales. I doubt I've bought more than a dozen full priced Nosler boxes in the last 20 years, but have bought a small mountain of boxes from SPS over the same time.

Yep!

But apparently Internet shopping is still something of a mystery to some Campfire members, despite spending plenty of time here....

I have 225 grain .338 partitions as seconds, from SPS that failed to expand. So these cheaper-priced bullets are still a dick-move. Nosler new they were fked up when they went to SPS.

Ask yourselves, how deeply do those "blemishes" go?

You get what you pay for.........

Absolutely. Same here.

As an Oregonian, I was a Nosler homer for years.

Prices and availability drove me into the whore Hornady’s arms.





P

Same here. Fu ck nosler. Unless I find them for damn good deals locally. I could care less about SPS anymore. Their prices are still way higher than they should be.

Nosler and Sierra wanna peg us.
Stevie Hornaday wants to vaccinate us.
Speer is AWOL.
Barnes? They have always been expensive.

Decisions, decisions.


Unless I get a new caliber there are enough bullets in the basement to kill everything
I'll ever shoot at. And bargins do appear. Dad showed up with a box of 150gr Ballistic Tips he bought at an auction of a couple dollars. Don't use the as of now. Bet the 308 would shoot them fine with a bit of Varget.

Funny stuff here. Every deer is DRT?

I guess that they are not overpriced since there are few to be had. I’m sure that lots ran out and bought all the .35 caliber bullets at $99 a box since they are so great and a bargain! It’s not cheap to work up new loads with the price of powder these days. I bought an 8 lb jug of Reloder 26 recently at drug lord pricing just so I don’t have to waste bullets, primers and powder working up new loads for several magnum cartridges.

Generally that’s correct, but I’ve found that it still pays to check online retailers before buying from SPS. Sometimes they have sales or shipping deals going on that negate the blem discount, and you get the bullets in boxes, not bags. That was the case the last time I bought some 165gr BTs.

They used to offer overruns at really good prices. I scored some loaded .223 and 150gr NPs that way, a liftetime supply of the Partitions.

It pays to check SPS at least once every couple of weeks. About 10 years ago I picked up 40 bags of 180 grain .308 Partitions for $10.50 a bag (50 per bag)

This scheme of selling defective rubbish at inflated prices, really has no interest to me either. I rarely check SPS

Especially when a fella can get 100 oryx bullets, for less than $50 per 100. Or any medium bore oryx bullets for less than $50 per 50.

Nosler 9.3 brass at more than $100 per 25?
I'll stick with PPU-PRVI brass at less than $50 per 50.

It's a competive market out there.........

You're paying for that high cost of living and high taxes in that communist state of Oregon.

https://www.sofi.com/cost-of-living-in-oregon/

Things have changed in 10 years...

Stumbled upon this thread.. If folks want to try something different, we are still running a sale on Norma Oryx, and we've got something else new right around the corner...

Oryx's are great bullets, both accurate and effective. Have used them considerably on big game both in North America and Africa, in calibers from 6.5mm up, and of the few recovered the lowest percentage of retained weight was 85.5%.

Am very interested in the "something else new"....

Near term, we should have something about this time next week to share (available to buy). Plenty of longer lead time plans in the works as well. I'm not a fan of selling anything before I have eyes on.

I understand completely. Please PM me when you have some....

BAM! Thanks RRP,
For that ginormous pile of fairly priced bullets.........

Thanks for that order. You definitely got the last of some stuff I can't replace right now. I get asked for those 9.3mm bullets and 200gr 30 cal bullets every few days...

For all the Nosler fans who want a good deal on Nosler Bullets, we have:

New Nosler 22 Cal 64gr Bonded Solid Base bullets in stock for about 25 cents each. That's lower than SPS (who is selling blems) and a lot lower than Midway etc for New stuff. We sell them in bulk (that's the buy 1000 ct price) and it includes free shipping. These projectiles use the accubond technology and are good for defeating barriers or hunting. We don't carry a lot of Nosler products because it's harder to make money on a lot of them right now, but these bullets are really popular with our 22 Cal shooters looking for a high performance bullet.

https://ravenrocksprecision.com/nosler-22-cal-64gr-bonded-solid-base-bullets/

Fingers crossed, and triple wishing, it'll be the .30 180 grain BondStrike for handloading...

I've only shot about 10 pigs with a 143 Bondstrike from a 6.5PRC, but performance has been excellent as you'd think. Reminds me of an accubond.

Thanks for the deal. It's very rare that the most deadly bullet ever made for the 9.3 also happens to be the most affordably priced.

On lighter skin game like wirey caribou, or black bear I've found that the heavily constucted 286 grain partitions or 300 grain Swifts don't expand as wide or as quickly. So that "shock" isn't there. The caribou will continue to stay upright, even after fatally hit. No biggey, but you question yourself, then pump another expensive bullet into the caribou as it's running or trotting away. You only realize how unnecessary that second shot was, when you get to the downed caribou.

The 325 oryx is a whole different animal. The expansion is freakishly wide, but all that weight, itll penetrate as deep as anything. We're talking 3/4" wide expansion, no matter near or far. The skiving on the nose is precise and radical. Don't let Norma discontinue this sleeper of a fkn bullet.

Same deal with the 30 cal 200 grain oryx. It doesnt impede powder capacity and allows a 308 winchester or 30-06 to punch way above its weight class. Radical expansion near or far.

Manzo's 308 wichester Alaska Load:

200 grain oryx

Whatever cheap rubbish range brass or new brass on sale

46 grains leverevolution

Standard primer

Standard COAL

2600 fps (22" barrel)

****work up from 44 grain of powder

I hope your happy with yourselves ravenrocks. The cheaply priced 325 grain oryx bullets put my 416 ruger out of commission. No more $137 per box of dgx bonded ammo.

PRVI brass and 325 grain oryx is now my main-squeeze-moose load, in a cheap FN mauser jes-rebore. Which is the whole point of the 9.3x62: keeping it cheap, but as effective as the fancy sht.

Good to hear all that Mainer, appreciate the on the ground real world experience with Oryx bullets, i bought a chit-ton of 7mm 170gr and 358 cal 250gr Norma oryxs' from RRP, bullets will be used in pre-64 model 70 7X57mm and 358 Norma mag rifle, RRP is a great outfit and supplier, with very fair prices.

I was able to get several lifetimes supply of those awesome little 120 BT @ 9.99 a few years back. My kids kids wont have to worry. Well, maybe about powder and primers.

I check back now and again, but not frequently (enough). I wont buy anything at gouge prices. Clinton taught me to stock up on shootybang type things when there are sales.

Need to get into archery more, make all this moot. The primer thing is frustrating.

Hornady and Sierra bullets have always worked well for me, I too buy many here on the 'Fire not so much in the stores since the outrageous pricing.

I was able to to.pick up a bunch of NAB for my .375 from SPS about ten years ago. I don't recall the pricing, but it was reason at the time. I'm glad I did, they performed well in a moose I shoot. I have checked around on prices. I see no need to buy anything Nosler due to their prices. I'll live with what I have, when It's gone I will move on.
The days of being able to hunt with lead is rapidly coming to an end. Any new component will be mono-metal.

I'm sorry it's not going to be the 30 cal Bondstrike bullet. The majority of those produced are going into loaded ammunition.

As for those 325gr 9.3mm bullets, I'll relay that along. Glad you're enjoying them. We had probably less than 40 boxes of them all together. I think you might have the biggest stash right now. Try to conserve them because I don't have any idea when we'll see more of them...

Here is usually the first place I post a WTB ad when wanting new bullets. Never had any I wanted not be available by users here and usually far more than I need from multiple people having them.

I got a tour through Nosler on Friday. It was instructive to see just how much is involved in making premium bullets rather than simple cup and core offerings.

It's a whole more more in steps, machines, etc.

At a time when I'm paying $30 and more for lunch for two people, and when I'm not really going to shoot a lot of Accubonds or Partitions at elk, I'll shoot the Ballistic Tips on paper (and maybe on deer) and shoot a few of the premiums on game.

Also, Nosler is in the process of gearing up for much more production. It might not lower prices, but I bet it helps a lot on availability.

Sounds like an interesting tour. Production might increase (did you happen to ask why they are so scarce?) if the cost doesn't go down so they are more competitive I still won't be buying any more.

Clearly a lot of Nosler bullets go into Nosler loaded ammo. Many more go to other ammo companies for loaded ammo.

New facilities are already being used, and more are being built. Could take two or three years, but I think we'll see a lot more available.

Tom,

The last time I toured the Nosler plant they had just acquired more property in Redmond, around a dozen miles north of Bend. They planned to move some of the manufacturing there, due to being unable to expand the "old" plant in the middle of Bend. Their writer contact told me a few months ago that's been happening, and going well--especially considering the increase in demand for all sorts of stuff.

John

I have a hard time getting past that. Plus... Never been a fan of Hornady rifle bullets. Their pistol bullets are fine though.

Does he also want you to misspell his last name?

How long has nosler been in business? Maybe they have the whole sustainable business practice thing figured out.

Or I could be completely full of crap. That's been true before. Lol

Oregon is a [bleep] anymore. That is the bulk of the iceberg.

Let's see, why should I buy Noslers when they can't hold a candle to Barnes TTSXs and for less money? I have quite a few Noslers left and will continue to use them, but I'm done buying.

I’ve stopped looking for Noslers when a Barnes or Hornady product is available, better, and cheaper.

I just bought 200 7MM 140 grain Accubonds (seconds) off the classifieds for $110 including shipping. I've had good luck with the factory blems/seconds in other calibers. Where I deer hunt a 200 yard shot is a long one. I'll save the cost over buying at retail and I'm sure the deer don't care.

I have them in hand now, so I'll share the deal I was referring to a few days ago:

New in stock - Norma TipStrike Bullets - up to 50% off

$19.95 - $29.95 / box of 100 -- Free shipping over $150

22 Cal, 30 Cal, 6mm, 270 Cal, 7mm

https://ravenrocksprecision.com/norma-tipstrike-30-cal-308-170gr-100-ct-box/
https://ravenrocksprecision.com/norma-tipstrike-22-cal-224-55gr-100-ct-box/
https://ravenrocksprecision.com/sale-norma-tipstrike-7mm-284-160gr-100-ct-box/
https://ravenrocksprecision.com/norma-tipstrike-6mm-243-76gr-100-ct-box/
https://ravenrocksprecision.com/norma-tipstrike-270-cal-270-140gr-100-ct-box/

Going to have to give these a try.

Darned decent prices on them and they should be excellent deer getters.

Given Nosler’s backorder situation, it’s doesn’t seem like the market feels that they are overpriced.

I’m generally a Norma bullet fan, especially the Oryx and Whitetail lines (which are very similar according to my conversations with Norma’s folks in Sweden).

I did have a somewhat disappointing outcome with a 6.5mm Bondstrike a month ago. I shot a whitetail buck broadside at 65 or so yards. The bullet did not exit and there was almost no blood. The buck ran into thick brush and we eventually found him a couple of hours later. Even At Creedmoor velocity, I assume the impact velocity was simply too high for an exit wound.

Based on my son and my’s experience with the Whitetail and Oryx bullets, which has been more than a dozen animals, I will go back to using them. They are very Partition-like when I comes to balancing penetration and expansion.

The answer is, in large part, the cost of manufacturing. Bend housing is beyond expensive for manufacturing labor. The median home cost is $825K, and the average rent is $2.4K. Paying someone $14.00 an hour isn't going to cut it. They need to move to Wyoming or another friendly firearm state.

Ya gotta be ready to move when SPS lists a bullet. I just ordered two 50 bullet bags of .308 150 gr Partitions in the $30+ range. That 60+ cents per bullet. My bud’s wife loves those loaded in her .308 deer rifle. She’s not interested in any other bullet.

I’ve been playing with Hammer bullets, like them a lot. They’re accurate, not COAL sensitive, easy to load, designed to shoot faster and have impressive terminal performance.

They’re not cheap but evidently getting more competitive as prices of their competition bullets increase.

DF

FWIW, the latest issue of Handloader arrived today. There’s a story evaluating Nosler firsts vs those sold at SPS. The conclusion was there was no real difference in accuracy.

That has been my experience--and have been buying seconds since the 1980s, before they went on-line. Every time one of my group of friends back then was traveling close to Bend we'd make a want list, and whoever would stop at the retail store and, uh, load up.

I couldn’t believe what Nosler is asking for their brass! I can buy 60 loaded 6.5 Grendel cartridges for the same price that Nosler is asking for 50 unprimed 6.5G cases which is absurd…..

I just ordered 100 PRIMED 35 Whelen case for $117 shipped which is, at least in my opinion, an excellent deal. I was buying Remington 35 Whelen 250gr Roundnose or 250gr Pointed Soft Point for $35 OTD for 20 rounds…mostly for making brass but since stumbling into this latest deal I’ll have a “home” for the 50 250gr A-Frames and 50 280gr. A-Frames. 👍🏼

If what Onstep says is true, and I've got no reason to doubt him, then that is a very valid reason about the high pricing. Still, if the company was really interested in expanding their business and keeping LOYAL customers, they'd move to a lower cost area. Sounds like to me that they really just don't care and that's ok but a shame to me. Great products that have made huge impacts in the hunting industry for many years but...........................................It's really made me search and FIND other options.

RH

Wonder what it would cost to move the operations at their size and volume? Machines AND people.

Good point Teal. I would doubt alot of hourly employees would move though. Learning curves, etc...............Huge undertaking.

Yep and say you did move it - new people in the new place, quality takes a massive hit and then there's "I won't use Noslers since they moved, bullets are crap" and bam. Nosler spent 25 million to move and lose even more revenue than just staying and being expensive.

Now, I might say there's a bit of thought to not expanding in their current place and all expansion taking place elsewhere more conducive to business economics but that does require split attention then. Google Meets, MS Teams, Zoom and aircraft help bridge that gap. Probably for less than a sponsored TV show.

You remember the old Bivwak site? Nosler used to put bunches on there. You’d bid for 250-1000 bullets at a wack.

I’ve still got a pile of 95 BTs, 150 .277 BTs, 180 .308 BTs I got for cheap in those days before SPS started selling them in whatever quantity you wanted.

I'm in this camp. Like so many, I've benefitted greatly from the SPS savings through the years and have ample supply for the number of rifles that fling them.

Ten years ago, I'd have never dreamed of shooting anything else or at least their products warranting top consideration in bullet I'd like to use/try in a new rifle. Today, they aren't even on the radar – thank goodness for choice.

I've long been convinced you're a troll but it's entirely possible I'm mistaken.
If in fact you're legit, then you've had a Cal-Ripken-esque streak of being more full-of-szchit than Nosler's current MSRP.

Thought I had mentioned this earlier, but maybe it was on another thread. Nosler has been planning to expand for years, and bought some property in Redmond (17 miles north of Bend) back maybe 8-9 years ago. It was impossible to expand the plant in Bend, both because there's no room, and Bend had become one of one of those "in places" so property was also extremely expensive. (The population was around 10-12,000 when the Nosler plant moved there from Ashland, and is now over 200,000--and climbing.)

At the time they'd just purchased their brass-making tooling, and planned to put it in Redmond. Dunno if that happened, but the Redmond site is operating--and expanding.

Oh, and they did look at moving the entire operation to another state before buying in Redmond, and in the end decided it made more economic sense to stay in Oregon.

Nothing is inexpensive in Bend, but I like the area. My daughter & Family lived in Portland for awhile (crappy place to live, but great restaurants).

That's a valid risk. I've personally had a discussion with Nosler people regarding the move and its consequences. Finding any labor is the 1st challenge, people in Bend don't want to work in manufacturing for less than $75K a year. The top talent would need to be identified, compensated appropriately, and relocated. The most recent example of a company doing this is Weatherby. They are healthier and arguably building better rifles today than in Paso Robles.

I was going to mention that. While maybe not exactly the same, they had to do the same move and they’re reaping a lot of benefits from their move now. Heard Adam Weatherby say his power bill is less than 1/2 what it was in California.

I sent Nosler an email asking them if the company had been bought out by some Mexican drug cartel, as everything they sell was at drug dealer pricing. I also asked them to take me off their mailing list, until their pricing was back in the real world once again.

Well they took me off their email list, so I gather they got my email to them...

I still maintain they were bought out by some hi rollin Senora Cartel Drug Lord... kinda looking for a front to claim they went Legitimate, like the Mafia use to do after Prohibition.

Sounds like the " family " just wants to leave the company on " cruise control " and keep getting paid with no interruption. Oh well .....

Having spent a couple of days in elk camp with John, I don’t believe that to be the case.

Yeah, I remember when Bend had like 12,000 as a population.... like back in the late 70s when I was stationed at Ft Lewis, I'd go down there for a long weekend. It was a pleasant and real cheap place to hang out at.

Knew a guy here in the Rogue Valley that grew up with John Nosler in Ashland, back when it was just a railroad town.
As it grew, it started getting liberal and they wanted to tax the crap out of all businesses in Ashland. Nosler looked to relocate back then in the mid 60s or so. Bend at the time, offer the land that their Bend facility is on for free and then let them be tax free for like 25 year. They relocated up to Bend in like 1967.

Well since then Bend got discovered, and became a trendy town, so people moved there for that reason. Use to be a place to buy an older car, that was in good condition, that people liked to restore.. and the prices were pretty cheap. I think that helped it get discovered and became a place that relocating Californians liked for a small town feel and cheap prices. Of course that ship has sailed long ago. Redmond will probably be the next Bend over there in Deschutte's County.

I miss using their products, but as I said, with Drug Dealer Pricing, I'm no longer a customer unless they get back into the real world. Their success has gone to their head.. and if they are selling a lot of things, still at the price they are asking for, then evidently like P.T. Barnum always said... ' a fool and their money are quickly parted ".. with Joe Biden in the White House, its evident we have a lot of fools in this country....

New to the forum. Nosler bullets are indeed becoming painful to buy, but that seems to be the case with everything in general these days. Up here in Canada we are really being hung out to dry by many of the dealers. Buying directly from Nosler is not an option, as they do not ship to Canada, so we are faced with the addition of shipping and customs related costs to the dealers up here, not to mention the horrible exchange rate for our Canadian dollar. Tack on the mark up dealers are adding on and provincial and federal sales taxes and it makes one think twice before buying them...if they even have any in stock to purchase.

Fortunately I have always believed in having a good stockpile of the reloading components I like, so that I can weather the not infrequent shortages at the retailers. As prices have escalated I have made it a practice to use the much cheaper cup and core bullets from Speer and Hornady if I a just burning powder at the range and getting in some trigger time. With the expensive fodder I have my loads I have worked up for the various cartridges I shoot and save that ammunition for range verification prior to a hunt and the hunt itself.

I like Nosler bullets and have been using them for over 50 years. I won't stop using them, but I certainly have changed how I use them.

Crickeys, people, some of you are acting like you’re being forced to buy Nosler bullets.

Quit bitching and either pony up or find alternatives.





P

Doing some quick math in my head….50 unprimed cases are $100 which is $2 per case….decent bullets are $80 - $90 for 50 or ~ $1.75ea powder and primer brings the cost of a loaded round to ~ $4.00 each. The cost of 20 loaded Nosler cartridges, based on those numbers, is roughly $80 a box….which is about what one would pay for Nosler factory rounds. Some loadings are more and some are a little less for factory loads but it’s not the value that reloaders have come to expect. If you’re trying to get people to buy your loaded ammo then remove the cost savings that reloaders derived from loading their own. In either case I don’t have an affinity for Nosler so unless their stuff is reasonably priced I don’t have any trouble passing them by. I know that the Partition is a dependable hunting bullet but I could never get the accuracy that I got from other similar C&C bullets like the TBBC or A-Frame. While the difference in accuracy with the Partition was not enough to make a practical difference at typical hunting ranges but much of shooting and hunting is one’s confidence in their equipment.

Prob off a little on the brass price there.

Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor is 1.33 a case, new. Depends on cartridge of course but most common ones I see are below 2 a case.

+P or is that +1

Creed brass was cheaper but Grendel brass was $89.95+tax. Creedmoor ammo and brass is everywhere so the law of supply and demand is in effect but for virtually everything else it was at least $90 per 50.

Nobody , that I recall, mentioned the wars we are financing affect on the price of domestic ammo and component prices. I have no clue as to who, of our manufactures, are and to what extent they are contributing to those wars. Surely if they are all contributing at a significant level it has to significantly affect the domestic supply and thusly drive up prices. I have always believed the US consumer takes second seat compared to the industrial military complex.

I’ve used Nosler bullets since 1973, always a dependable bullet for what game I’ve chosen them for. Lots of choices out there today that perform as well or better. I don’t pick a bullet to use hunting based purely on cost, but if they’re expensive I will limit my use of them! A few shots to check zero and then go hunting will allow a box to go quite a ways. I can practice with cheap stuff.

My thoughts exactly.

I have mentioned this several times on this forum--and yes, it's true, and not just about bullets but other handloading components, whether bullets, cases, primers or powder.

A good example is the "suspension" of production of the excellent IMR Enduron powders, which was due to previous military contracts of the Quebec plant where they're made.

The present military situation has not only driven up the price of powder and primers, but the price of basic materials, such as lead and cartridge brass.

I am not seeing that at all. People are questioning Nosler bullet prices escalating at a rate that is much faster than the competition, and they are finding alternatives.

nosler can do what they want its their company
and you guys can buy what you want its your money...
all I am saying is they are taking advantage of the market
presently I can buy .257 etips cheaper than any .257 ballistic tip or accubond listed at SPS in the past few months with the etip being the more expensive bullet but not as popular and I typically can buy first rate bullets from retailers cheaper than what SPS sells their seconds for also I have not seen the large price swings from hornady or barnes

Yep, which is a perfect example of Adam Smith's "the invisible hand of the marketplace."

But apparently Nosler is still making a profit, which is the purpose of any capitalistic enterprise.

Am sometimes amazed by how many Campfire members bitch about how capitalism works....

capitalism is fine i know as well as anybody after running a retail business for 25 years that had its highs and lows...if you can sell it and the market will bare it have at it ....but it is what it is

Consumers deciding that they no longer wish to support companies that jack their prices up too high is part of capitalism too. Maybe they aren't bitching about capitalism, but rather playing their role in it?

Well, sure....

Did I say anything arguing against that?

Since the campfire is officially pisssed off at Nosler, I expect their bullet prices to fall rapidly in the near future. I'll be on the lookout.

Me, too.

DF

It's supply and demand. The demand for Nosler bullets seems to exceed the supply therefore the increase in price. Fortunately there are other excellent alternatives. We always want what we can't get.
The conflicts throughout the world are undoubtedly causing increases in the cost of powder, brass and primers but I doubt any Russian troops are being shot with Nosler Partitions or Accubonds.

the prices are definitely getting out of control. of most any bullets nowadays. but if you're going to bitch about the bullet price you're going to have an absolute heart attack at the new powder prices coming up..

Same….

I was more disappointed with the lack of availability of Nosler bullets the past few years. When I did start finding them again the price had jump quite a bit. Seemed like a good reason to be totally pissed.

In the big picture for me though, and looking back on this past fall though, I spent in the neighborhood of $300 on fuel to get an elk. At that point, I just decided if I have to pay a $1 each for a hunting bullet that works for me, I'll do it. I don't shoot hundreds of shots per year with what I consider hunting bullets, maybe dozens is more like it. I save the high volume shooting 22 caliber varmint stuff and the cheaper NBT's for practice.

Nosler makes great bullets but Nosler has a problem with getting those great bullets out to the stores for the stores to maintain a good inventory , i am tired of it so i now buy and use Hammer bullets which seem to always have what i need in stock.Pete53

I use Nosler bullets for myself and good buds for whom I reload.

But, like you, I'm impressed with the Hammer company and their products. I have limited experience with their bullets, but like what I'm seeing.

I've only killed one deer with a Hammer bullet; terminal performance was impressive. They seem easy to load and accuracy is impressive. Sorta expensive, but here we go talking about Nosler prices rising, making Hammer even more competitive.

I've posted before, wondering how long before no-lead is the national rule like in CA. I like to see CEB, Lehigh and Hammer developing and enhancing no-lead bullet technology. You just never know when that will be our only choice for hunting. Hope not. but don't starting arguing logic when it comes to the govt, libs, tree huggers, earth warming nut jobs, et al.....

We better get out the vote or we're in a heap of hurt as a country.

DF

The LGS has three boxes of 6.5 MM 140 grain Partitions for $78.99. They can keep them at that price.