Has the great powder depression caused you to develop new favorites?

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Elkins45

Elkins45

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My favorite pistol powders I've always used are still unavailable for the most part, so I've been experimenting with the 8lb jug of Promo that I bought when it was essentially the only choice on the dealer's shelf. I've been using it in cast rifle loads as a substitute for Red Dot in "The Load". I've also loaded up a coffee can full of 40 S&W lead bullet loads with it and I have been pleased with the results. So I'm thinking in the future that Promo might just become one of my go-to powders and not just an emergency substitute. That fact that it's cheaper than the "top shelf" stuff is just a bonus.

Has anyone else discovered a new favorite as a result of the current supply shortage?
 
Not really.

I was well stocked before. I then bought a pontoon boat and LS swapped a fox mustang. Taking my attention away from shooting for the past couple years.

I did however buy a 45/70 with the thought in my mind of shooting some trail boss of which I have a surplus of
 
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I picked up an 8 lb jug of promo in december when things started to dry up. I havent loaded anything with it yet though. I have been running through my usual powders and if the drought lasts much longer, I will have to find out what its about. I shoot alot of lead and I rather use powder near HP-38 in burn rate for cast loads.
 
For the panic of 2013, no. i was well prepared.

In 2009, I discovered True Blue. Although I was well stocked for other cartridges that I shoot, I began shooting more 9x19 in 2009 than I planned for. So, I needed to find some additional powder for use in 9x19 so that I would not consume all of my other powders.

I have found True Blue works well in several cartridges so I now have another set of loads cataloged to help me get through the short times.
 
jcwit said:
Nope got plenty, supply to last for years and years.
Click to expand...
Technically I have plenty too, but only if I don't use it all up. I'm down to just a couple of pounds of 2400 and I'm trying really hard not to use any of it until I have an 8lb jug on hand to replace it.

I thought I had an 8lb jug but I discovered I had confused it with Unique. The 300 blackout has used up a lot of my stock of 2400 over the last three years.
 
I started loading four to five years ago. I realized that you can never have enough powder, primers, cases, or bullets on hand. I bought all I could afford for the first two years because I had a feeling a shortage was on the way from the current political positions in office.

If you are a new reloader, try and get at least two years worth of powder and primers on hand. I try and keep two to three years supply on hand and never dip into it. Those are the reserves. I use the older powders first and restock the new stuff to the back of the cabinet.

I know it will take time to get your reserves built up but it is worth it. When ever it is available, buy it if you can afford it or do not think you need it. When the shelves were bare and everything was "out of stock no back order", I did not panic.
 
I've discovered CFE Pistol, which you can find every once in a while.
it's supposed to be good for 380 - 45 ACP and I've used it in 380, 9 & 38 special with great success.
 
I'm starting to get nervous about the scarcity of Varget. I picked up a 5# jug of Re15 which I plan to start using in .223 if it has acceptable accuracy. I made up some test loads last night and hope to get to the range later this week.

Laphroaig
 
Not me.:cool: I have a large variety of propellants already on hand for the various firearms I reload for. I SHOULD have a couple of remote powder magazines on premise but choose to store a bit in various closets and nooks around the whole house/garage.;) My go to choices I bought cheap and stacked deep.:D
 
Only one, I ran out of RL22 and NOBODY has any locally so I am playing with H1000 in my 140gr 6.5x55 load, everything else I either don't shot enough to need new loads yet or I have a stockpile of powder for them.
 
"Developed New Favorites"? Not really it is more of a forced love.:eek:

Started with W231, that is all i had for two years, then ran out and could not find any, so next love was 1lb of Longshot, when i used her all up , i found a new love, 6 lbs of Power Pistol.:what:

I am still waiting to find my long lost love of CFE Pistol, hopefully i will find here and Marry Her.:evil:
 
I had no kind of powder and just a few tools at the start of the powder shortage. I had to pay for a divorce among other other things. So naturally there was no 4350 of any flavor, varget, 4064, RL15 ect. I played with Rl17 and Kachok showed me the light of using H380.
 
I haven't seen any powder on the shelf for 18 months so how can I develope any new favorites? :rolleyes:
 
Larry that's because guys like above bought it and are holding it. People contribute to shortages not politics, i.e. more shooters, more reloaders AND more hoarders.
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chiltech500,

Sure glad you're not my doctor. You would be telling me my problem was fluid in my lungs while completely missing the fact that it was caused by pneumonia. Also, most of the guys who still have powder bought it well in advance of the current shortage.

Don
 
chiltech500 said:
Larry that's because guys like above bought it and are holding it. People contribute to shortages not politics, i.e. more shooters, more reloaders AND more hoarders.
Click to expand...
Oh lordy, we're going down this road? Let's not because Walkalong will be forced to shut the door on it. Believe it, Ive seen it happen:)

i was wondering how long it would take before we got a "waa waa, somebody bought all the powder" post.
 
I have been working off of a rather large stockpile I started at the onset of the first term of BHO. My newest and only recent purchase of powder is a lb of CFE Pistol. I haven't shot any of the loads yet that I loaded with it but on paper it looks promising.
 
No, but I used Unique for the first time and absolutely hate it, having used Universal for the 15 years before the great powder depression.
 
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