Bullet maker customer service

[back country]

My last post got me thinking about a pet peeve of mine these days ... CUSTOMER SERVICE - In the context of "bullets" Last week I sent an email to Swift Bullets inquiring if they had "2nds" like Nosler does .... several days later I received a phone call from the customer service guy there at Swift just to let me know that they had considered it but had not implimented any 2nds program at this point - I just thought that was pretty darn thoughtful customer service to take the time to call me, "Joe nobody", to give a personal and friendly response

Has anyone else got any "warm & fuzzy" stories about bullet manufacturers ? "coooold and chilly" will do nicely too !

 

[stid2677]

I have spoken with techs at Nosler and and Swift and both were very friendly and informative. I have using more and more of Nosler products. I used 300 grain TSXs on my Kodiak trip and they did not perform nearly as well as the Nosler Partitions that Alaska_Lanche was using in the same 375H&H caliber.

 

[back country]

Steve - that brings up a whole other subject ... bullet performance AND "user expectations" of bullet performance - The Partition, being the "bullet that all others are compared to" was (and is) designed to act in a pretty specific fashion (and the Accubond is designed to emulate that) In the "real world", as the saying goes, "there is more than 1 way to skin a cat" and sometimes we hunters base our bullet beliefs on what "we" think that bullet should do when it hits it's target - I like Partitions ... ALOT

 

[1Cor15:19]

I've never had a bad "experience" with bullet CS: Sierra, Hornady, Barnes & Nosler jump to mind. Whether emails or phone calls they've all been very willing to help and have portrayed concern for my questions. It would be great if other manufacturers of other items would follow the shooting sports CS.

 

[LeonardC]

Nosler had some .30 200gr Partition 2nds for sale a while ago (great price). I called them up and ordered some. The guy on the phone gave me a line about how I could have ordered them myself on line...but he would be "happy to help me out". Just me, I like to talk to a warm blooded human when I move money around, usually a lot less problems. The bullets never came and within a day or two of placing my order they were listed as sold out. After a couple of weeks I called them up and the guy on the phone had to do some checking and walk across the road to their shipping place to find out why the bullets were pulled buy not shipped. I got a call back in a couple of mins. and within a couple of days the bullets arrived.

RCBS has always been great to work with when I had any issue with their stuff.

 

[The Kid]

I've been working with Bill from Swift pretty closely these last few months on the new bullets for the 50 Alaskan. The bullets are here, they look great, and everybody at Swift has been a pleasure to work with. I've always enjoyed visiting with the fellas from Barnes, Swift, Northfork, and Hornady while taking my breaks between shifts at the winter shows down south. All of them seem like pretty good guys, and most seem to be very interested in my "field tests" of their products and any input or questions I might have. The guys from HSM and CorBon are always great to deal with as far as customer service goes, whether it be a question or a complaint, top notch all the way.

Btw anybody who shoots and loads for anything with a .510 bore, we have the new 450gr Swift Aframes on the shelf. They have been tested and both open and hold together from 1250-2300fps, might be a good lighter bullet for bears and such if a guy wanted to use his big Sharps or 500NE to hunt AK.

 

[back country]

Swift has been extremely nice to me in my limited contact and I like their bullets !

 

[stid2677]

Swift has been extremely nice to me in my limited contact and I like their bullets !

I spent about an hour on the phone with a Swift rep, I bought their new book to get 325wsm data. The book was sealed and when I opened it there was NO 325wsm data and there is little to data for A-frame 325wsm loads to be found online. The Gentleman was awesome and we chatted for quite a while. The end result you have seen in some drop dead accurate loads. Even thought the internet cops hammered me for sharing the results. It is very challenging sometimes when you are working with a NEW caliber, NEW powder and a bullet designed for a different application, in my case the 8mm Magnum. I have also found the powder manufacturers data is very conservative when compared to bullets manufacturers data.

Steve

 

[back country]

Steve - I have found this as well - I like the Hodgen data site due to the pressures being posted - Even though I do realize that each rifle will act differently it helps to have that technical data to extrapolate from - You do, in fact, have some "drop dead" loads for that 325 and I am gonna go to school on them with my son's Montana a little later - Right now I'm still scratchin' my head and tryin' to figure out this 338 WSM wildkitty I have created - casting the chamber right now so I can get a true measurment of the neck so I should be able to "learn" to trim necks and make great brass for it ... RIGHT ??

 

[stid2677]

Steve - I have found this as well - I like the Hodgen data site due to the pressures being posted - Even though I do realize that each rifle will act differently it helps to have that technical data to extrapolate from - You do, in fact, have some "drop dead" loads for that 325 and I am gonna go to school on them with my son's Montana a little later - Right now I'm still scratchin' my head and tryin' to figure out this 338 WSM wildkitty I have created - casting the chamber right now so I can get a true measurment of the neck so I should be able to "learn" to trim necks and make great brass for it ... RIGHT ??

Sounds fun,, you sure learn a lot when you get stumped. I like the idea of slugging your chamber, I guess the aircraft mechanic in me likes to measure everything. I might mess around with neck turning and such when I get some time, I like them all to make one hole.