Powder Shortage and No Politics

[mboylan]

Before coming up with the conspiracy theory of the week, realize that

a) Actual purchases of ammo by the government have gone down over the last 3 years. The stuff that is actually paid for and delivered.

b) Options to buy have gone way up because of the need to multi source and take delivery without backorder.

c) Commercial and military ammo generally does not use the same powder we reload with.

 

[RealGun]

Before coming up with the conspiracy theory of the week, realize that

a) Actual purchases of ammo by the government have gone down over the last 3 years. The stuff that is actually paid for and delivered.

b) Options to buy have gone way up because of the need to multi source and take delivery without backorder.

c) Commercial and military ammo generally does not use the same powder we reload with.

And your information is better because...?

 

[John3921]

I read a blurb by Randy Wakeman on Chuck Hawks site talking about the limited availability of nitrocellulose. I wonder if raw materials for powder is part of the problem - The plant on the east coast that supplies nitrocellulose for ALL us made ball powders is owned by the US military.

I'm not sure how old this article is - but it's interesting.

Wakeman article on nitrocellulose

 

[sauer1911]

With all the powder available for 50bmg and other reach out and touch em calibers, I am in a quandary as to why it is available, and not better quantities of powder for target/comp pistols.

arrrrgh.:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

 

[JWH321]

What makes me sad is the thought that there are probably thousands of bottles of powder that will wind up in a landfill three years from now dumped by the people who had no actual need for the powder. There will probably be a bunch of presses on Ebay for the same reason.

 

[horseman1]

I read a blurb by Randy Wakeman on Chuck Hawks site talking about the limited availability of nitrocellulose. I wonder if raw materials for powder is part of the problem - The plant on the east coast that supplies nitrocellulose for ALL us made ball powders is owned by the US military.

I'm not sure how old this article is - but it's interesting.

Wakeman article on nitrocellulose

It says copyright 2014 at the bottom, so one would think it was fairly recent. Good read btw

 

[Elkins45]

Commercial and military ammo generally does not use the same powder we reload with.

No, but they powder they do use is manufactured on the same production lines.

I'm seeing some limited availability of pistol powders. Most rifle powders seem to be available. The only real annoyance for me is that mostly what I'm seeing on shelves is 1ib bottles when I prefer to save by buying in 4 or 8lb containers...and that none of those bottles are 2400.

 

[Drail]

It is simple hoarding. I saw this back when the first assault weapons bill was passed. This too will pass. But it is REALLY annoying. The more stupid laws they try to shove down our throats the more gun owners and shooters and handloaders they create. And they want all they can get.

 

[RealGun]

Commercial and military ammo generally does not use the same powder we reload with.

No, but they powder they do use is manufactured on the same production lines.

From Virginia.gov

Radford Army Ammunition Plant

The Radford Army Ammunition Plant, located in Radford, Virginia, produces rocket and gun propellants. The plant was built in the 1940s by Hercules Powder Company to support military ammunition requirements during World War II. Today, the plant is the only active military propellant manufacturing center in the country.

 

[noylj]

It is hard not to mention politics when that is where all the trouble begins. It's like talking about malaria and not mentioning mosquitoes and how to kill them...

 

[noylj]

Oh, oh, a pun.
Did you know that the only difference between a crow and raven is that crows have four pinion feathers on each wing and ravens have five. So, the difference between crows and ravens is a matter of a pinion.

 

[rfwobbly]

I hope puns are allowed here.

Mark my words.... When puns are outlawed, only outlaws will have puns.


Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[thefish]

I don't know where you are located but the place I go to in denver always has pistol primers and plenty of powder. I pick up a 500 primers every time I'm down every few months. Seems like things are getting better here.

 

[Reefinmike]

This stuff is getting crazy. I thought Id be safe having a years worth of loaded ammo and a years worth of components on hand... I have a few ounces of bullseye and an ounce or so of HP38 left and then im tapped out. Im by no means glued to my smartphone nor any of those ammo/powder hoarding sites but dang it, ive been paitently waiting on several local gun shops, powder valley and a few other places I check on occasion to no avail. Of all things, why pistol powder? powders that get people 2000+ loads are nowhere to be seen but rifle powders that'll get you 200 loads/pound are commonly seen.

uggg... I guess i can hold out another 8 or so months but it sure does stink blowing through my ammo reserve and not fillin er back up.

 

[ol' scratch]

The only ammo I am really "hoarding" is Greek ball. It is the reason my basement looks like an ammo dump. Once it is gone, however, it is gone for good and 06 cases can get pricy new. That HXP actually has very good cases. I have enough to provide cases and ammunition for the life of my Garand at this point. My kids will probably still be sorting the stuff when I am long gone.

 

[Analogkid]

My Dad lives in rural MO and at one time resorted to Reclaiming red dot powder from 1990's Winchester 20 gauge birdshot shot shells to load for his .38's. He worked up from very little to workable loads.

He doesn't shoot much but he does like to have his Dan Wesson on his hip while out in the woods or around on the farm. He still has about 50 rounds or so of the ammo he made from the reclaimed Shotshells years ago and has not been able to find any powder or ammo for the last year or so. He hand hammered all of his together with a lee loader and some ANCIENT 158 gr swc's

When I found powder I jumped on the chance to start reloading for us since he doesn't want to swing hammers with a lee loader. Now I get to swing the hammers but I am not using reclaimed powder..

 

[mboylan]

Yeah. There is a shortage of nitrocelulous due to high demand. Hodgdon had to lay people off. They cannot get enough raw materials.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I just don't understand. Here in Houston we have powder. Not to advertise but this email is 3 days old and lists the powder available from one dealer here in Houston.

Why is it that we can have this much available for sale off the shelf here and yet other folks have problems??????

ACCURATE

#7 - 1's
#9 - 1's
4320 1 1's
LT 32 - 1's

ALLIANT

AR Comp - 1's
Blue Dot - 5's
Clay Dot - 1's & 8's
Green Dot - 1's
Red Dot - 1's & 8's
Power Pro 1200 - 1's & 8's
Power Pro 2000MR - 1's & 8's
Power Pro 300MP - 1's
RL 10X - 1's
RL15 - 1's
RL17 - 1's & 5's
RL 19 - 5's
RL 22 - 5's
Unique - 1's


HODGDON

Benchmark - 1's & 8's
BLC-2 - 1's
CFE 223 - 1's
CFE Pistol - 1's
H50 BMG - 1's
H335 - 1's & 8's
H380 - 1's
H414 - 1's
H110 - 1's
H1000 - 1's & 8's
H4198 - 1's
H4831 - 1's
H4895 - 1's
LeveRevolution - 8's
Lil'Gun - 8's
Longshot - 1's & 8's
Retumbo - 1's & 8's
Titewad - 1's
Varget - 1's and 8's

IMR

IMR 3031 - 1's & 8's
700X - 8's
800X - 1's
PB - 1's
IMR 4227 - 1's
IMR SR 4756 - 1's
Clay Dot - 1's & 8's
4007 SSC - 1's
4064 - 1's
4320 - 1's
4350 - 1's & 8's
SR 4759 - 1's & 8's
4895 - 1's
8208 XBR - 1's & 8's
Trail Boss - 9oz.

RAMSHOT

Silhouette - 1's & 4's
X-Terminator - 1's

WINCHESTER

AutoComp - 1's
WSF - 1's
WST - 1's
296 - 1's
748 - 1's & 8's
760 - 1's

 

[RealGun]

Yeah. There is a shortage of nitrocelulous due to high demand. Hodgdon had to lay people off. They cannot get enough raw materials.

Source?

 

[RealGun]

I just don't understand. Here in Houston we have powder. Not to advertise but this email is 3 days old and lists the powder available from one dealer here in Houston.

Why is it that we can have this much available for sale off the shelf here and yet other folks have problems??????

That's mostly rifle and shotgun, like everywhere else. There a few gems there but few in bulk containers that serious reloaders favor. Pretty nice for a LGS.

 

[Potatohead]

Source?

There was a linked article floating around here a day or two ago about the nitro shortage. Thought it was this thread but I cant find it. I think it linked to ChuckHawks. I'll link the thread if I can get the search function to act right.

 

[Potatohead]

Peter,
I think the guys who dont ship can hang onto a little bit more supply than others. I know there's a guy in downtown Nashville (doesnt ship) that Hexhead told me about and it's like powder heaven in there when I finally got up there.


I asked the fella how he kept so much powder in stock..."I guess Im just good" was his reply.

Seriously though, he acted surprised when I asked him, like he didnt even know a shortage was going on..

 

[ironworkerwill]

Quote:
I hope puns are allowed here.

Mark my words.... When puns are outlawed, only outlaws will have puns.


Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Obama+ drama= O'drama
In reference to the Randy Wakeman article.

 

[Edster12]

There is actually a very good article on the last page of this months Handloader magazine, addressing the powder "Shortage"

 

[Mad Chemist]

Lots of rifle powders are showing up here in the Willamette Valley in Oregon but pistol powders are still nowhere to be found. I have been able to pick up an occasional brick of .22lr but haven't seen pistol powder in months.