This July 4th marks the 248th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, in which the Founding Fathers decided formally to “dissolve the political bands that connected them” with the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
How fitting, then, for Bucking Horse Outpost to declare independence from the constraints and red tape of ammo deliveries, much to the benefit of both us and our customers.
Yet, a condition of the Declaration itself was, out of “decent respect…to declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
And so we shall. Here’s the breakdown.
High Prices, Ammo Scarcity, and Complex Ordering/Delivery Requirements
Finding 7.62 full metal jacket is now getting harder, what with the embargo on Russian made ammunition and the dwindling supply of domestic stock. It’s still out there, but harder to come by, and prices are going up.
Imagine your surprise, then (hypothetically) upon finding a big stockpile of somewhat reasonably priced 7.62x39 FMJ at Bucking Horse Outpost.
There’s just one thing: the ASR, or “Adult Signature Requirement.”
Disappointment sinks in. What if you can’t be home for the delivery? You work during the day, after all.
Better look elsewhere, right?
Not anymore. Bucking Horse Outpost is rescinding the requirement for adult signature upon delivery (although it will still be available). Here’s what you need to know.
Behind the Ups and Downs of ASR
Adult Signature Requirement, though not mandatory in our industry, generally protects both us and our customers.
For one, it helps serve as a hedge against fraudulent purchases, namely by minors, of regulated products like ammunition.
For another, it helps protect customers against porch piracy. If you’ve never heard of that, consider yourself fortunate enough. We assume you can deduce what it means.
The thing is, in many ways the ASR created as many headaches for you (and by extension, for us) than it solved.
You spoke up, and we heard you. Our customers live busy lives and we understand that. You can’t always be there in the middle of the day to take receipt of a package.
And what then? Then you’re out of a delivery and we’ve just gained a disgruntled customer. Neither of us wants that.
The other thing is, some customers have chosen to have the shipper hold the package at a designated location. For instance, some convenience stores will hold packages for some freight companies for this exact purpose.
So, say, you couldn’t take receipt of a parcel of ammo in the middle of the day. No worries - the shipper can send it to a designated holding depot.
The problem is that sometimes these packages would get to such holding locations, and said location would see that “HazMat” sticker on the box and refuse delivery.
Once again, that results in a disgruntled customer (rightly so) and when our customers aren’t happy, neither are we.
The logistical costs, and the costs of unhappy customers, really add up when you take a step back. You spoke up, and we listened.
Besides, a common complaint we’ve heard from our customers is that competitors aren’t enforcing an adult signature requirement - so why should BHO?
Therefore, going forward, we will no longer be requiring an ASR for delivery of standard orders from Bucking Horse Outpost.
But there’s more. While we’re rescinding the requirement, an adult will still need to be present to sign for packages covered under our Package Protection. If you are unfamiliar, Package Protection is an option that can be added to any order, and it represents assurance from Bucking Horse Outpost that if something happens to your order in transit, we will remedy the situation in a hassle-free, expedited manner.
If you have not purchased Package Protection and are concerned about delivery, worry not. You will still have the option to add ASR on your purchases, as an added layer of security, and to protect you from the aforementioned “porch pirates.”
So, given the rising costs of powder, primer, and reloading components (and the continued high costs of ammo) we hope you will find this development favorable.
The Founders believed in representative government by consent of the governed. This July 4th we are honoring that precept by accounting for the collective complaints of our customers and rectifying the situation as reason makes most fit.
7.62 Full Metal Jacket, None of the Headache
The long and short of this is that we will no longer be requiring an adult to be present to sign for the delivery of orders from our website (unless you sign up for Package Protection or add the ASR option at checkout).
We firmly hope that this best represents the interests of all of our customers, rather than imposing unnecessarily autocratic and draconian penalties on those who see no need for the additional red tape.
It seems the spirit of freedom, the way we see it. And we hope you will too.
So don’t be afraid to order some bulk 7.62 full metal jacket. We still have you covered.