Universal Lives

Probably a couple pounds from the 1980s from Mom and Pop's gun shop out in Timbucktoo. A scalper discovered it on a trip through town while looking for some Perrier to drink.

Good news.

I've been seeing some of my unobtainiums here and there lately.

Woohoo!

Even Scratchacrack, NC, where I live, has Universal again. It's coming back, just be patient boys.

I never ran out of what I had in stock but it's nice to see it on the shelves again. Like seeing an old friend.

I don't use it much, and have most of a lb left. Probably last me a long time.

It's like winning the lottery when you find something like that, though.

I started using it when RD dried up. I like it! I bought 8 pounds! Using it in 38 and 357 now for wussycat loads.
Catpop

Hoping my LGS gets some. One of my favorite pistol powders.

Wasn't Universal one of the powders made in Australia and affected by both 1) a factory fire/closing 2) a change in hazmat shipping regs to the US? I could well have my factoids mixed up - there have been several factory fires/closures that concided with the last panic.

Confirming a fairly common observation about these shortages and what you discover by adapting, I bought some CSB-1 (by Maxam, big Spanish component/shotshell maker), and through it I "discovered" Universal.

CSB-1 uses Universal data, and I'm 3/4 of the way through a 5-lb. jug (9mm, 38, 45ACP). I've loved the results, so I've been on the lookout for the "real thing" and lucked into a 4-lb jug from Recob's a few weeks ago.

I'm putting this Universal away as my strategic reserve, since I can use it for all handgun loads I do. While I think things are finally improving, I doubt this panic will be the last. I've got small reserves of all my calibers (factory ammo/self-defense ammo), and now primers and powder, which I will not touch. I was actually decently situated during the last 2 years thanks to powder on-hand when things went bonkers, but I prefer a nicer cushion for easily foreseeable developments. (building a simple wooden powder storage box too, to accommodate my powder supplies in excess of 20 lbs.)

Not a single shop in my home town sells powder off the shelf. One will get some rifle powders every once in a while, typically 4350.

Gentlemen. The Great Powder Shortage is truly coming to an end.

I have seen all the Clays, universal clays and international clays about a month ago. Yesterday, finally what I have been waiting for for 2.5 years.

Sorry for the side view, posting from my phone, not sure how to rotate.

There it was! In all it's glory, 2 lbs.

Alas, for other reloaders, the mystery remains - cuz I snatched both of them!

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I was nicer. My Cabelas had 4 lbs of Win231 and I only bought two

And just how much was the powder - both Universal and Clays? Last I saw, an 8# jug was now priced upwards of $170; if so, no thanks. I went through Clays by the 8# jug for several years.

Personally, If using "New", Universal, International or Clays, i would work my loads up all over again.

The entire line of Clays powder is no longer manufactured by ADI in Australia.

It is now being produced in Canada, supposedly to the same specifications.

steve4102 said:

Personally, If using "New", Universal, International or Clays, i would work my loads up all over again.

The entire line of Clays powder is no longer manufactured by ADI in Australia.

It is now being produced in Canada, supposedly to the same specifications.

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Are you sure about that? I can't find anything on Hodgdon or ADI's website mentioning that. Furthermore, Hodgdon hasn't changed the MSDS for the Clays line of powders. I'm pretty sure they can be fined for not keeping that up to date. Seems like something they'd want to jump on if they're having it produced in a different facility.

KansasSasquatch said:

Are you sure about that?

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From Hodgdon.

Steve,

The information regarding ADI eventually phasing out the “Clays” line of powders in Australia is true, but, the “Clays” series is now being made at our manufacturing facility in Canada, so, when you post this response, be sure to quote it exactly like I have written same, which should eliminate further confusion. We simply moved the operation of manufacturing these three powders. The “Clays” series is being made to the exact same specification as in the past. Period.

Ron Reiber
Product Manager
Hodgdon/IMR/Winchester Powder Co.
913-362-9455 Ext 113



Also, Look at the Jug in post #10.

Says, Made in Canada.


.

It's interesting that ADI would phase it out. Hodgdon (or maybe General Dynamics) must have bought the formulation from them. And I missed that label in post 10.

KansasSasquatch said:

It's interesting that ADI would phase it out.

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From ADI's web site.

12 March 2015

Dear Reloader,

Australian Munitions is making some changes to the way we manufacture our pistol and shotgun powders. These changes are necessary to ensure that we can sustainably manufacture these products for many years to come. We are making changes to both the manufacturing process and formulation of the powders, in order to sustain the manufacturability and throughput of the Australian Shotgun (AS) and Australian Pistol (AP) series powders.

The result of this change will be a new series of powders that will give our customers the performance excellence you have come to expect from ADI powders in both shotgun and pistol applications. This new series of powders will be called the APS series of powders, starting with APS35 that will replace AS30N(Clays), and APS45 that will replace both AS50N(International Clays) and AP50N. You will see these powders start appearing on the shelves after May this year, and we will be making reloading data available for them on our website and in the 2015 edition of our reloading manual, which will be released in May. Our development of APS-series powders to replace AP70N(Universal Clays) is well under way, but we will continue to supply AP70N throughout 2015 until the new powder is ready for release. AP100 manufacture is not affected by these changes, as it is manufactured differently.
While we are making these changes, it is unfortunately possible that you may experience some difficulty obtaining AS30N, AP50N and AS50N. This is due to the fact that it is getting more difficult for us to run the old process regularly, which is an important part of the reasoning behind making the changes. We ask that you please remain patient during this time, as the changes are essential to ensuring that we can continue making these powders in Australia well into the future.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and for using our World Class powders, proudly made in Australia. We appreciate your custom.

Be safe out there, and enjoy your reloading.

Ferdi Kluever

Sales Director, Australian Munitions

Anybody seen any lately?
I may have waited to long and missed it all.:banghead:


3rd Gen, Brownells, Butchs, Cabelas, Grafs, Natchez, Powder Valley, Natchez, Recobs, Selway

i would work my loads up all over again.

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Why?

The “Clays” series is being made to the exact same specification as in the past. Period.

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Both quotes from your posts

Why?

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Because it is possible that they are not as "identical" as stated.

Remember all the unsatisfied Accurate powder customers years ago, bitching about how their powders were inconsistent/different every time they changed manufacturer?

Plus, I am the kind of guy that has a hard time just taking someone else's word for it.

There may be lot to lot variations but I have not seen enough variations for me to change the powder charge for my pistol loads as most of my loads use mid-to-high range load data.

If I was using max load data, especially for rifle, I would rework my loads but that's me.

And for this reason, I like to buy my main powders in 8 lb containers.

I know during shortage, many had no choice but to buy in 1 lb containers. Thank goodness things have gotten better.

I also saw an eight-pound keg of Universal at the semi-LGS I went to yesterday, along with a very good selection of other powders.

For the record, Universal is not a powder I make regular use of although I do have a pound in stock since it has a lot of the versatility of Unique (another powder I don't use but nonetheless keep on hand in case TEOTWAWKI happens). Nothing at all against Universal, it's just that I prefer to run 'em on the warmer side of normal.

just bought 2 lbs at NGD in louisville, several reloading vendors had some, no big jugs

Agree with steve, it will be interesting to see how the Clays series handles the change in manufacturers.

Just to complicate things even more, Hodgdon is now procuring 700X and 800X from Alliant instead of IMR. Look for the Made in USA label.

Jim Watson said:

Agree with steve, it will be interesting to see how the Clays series handles the change in manufacturers.

Just to complicate things even more, Hodgdon is now procuring 700X and 800X from Alliant instead of IMR. Look for the Made in USA label.

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If 700X and 800X are being made at St Marks, that's not Alliant. General Dynamics runs St Marks and the old Canadian IMR plant. So if they are being made at St Marks, the manufacturer hasn't changed.

ATK/Alliant used to run the Radford plant but BAE Systems is running Radford now if I'm not mistaken.