Retail Powder Prices (Ouch)

MarshallDodge said:
Another overpriced powder thread!! Yay!!! 🙄🙄🙄
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Yeah I know. It’s been almost a week.
I went to a few estate sales recently. Saw an 8# keg of W231 for $200. Sign said new, unopened. Lot # from the 80’s.
Almost 40 years old and unopened. That seems a little incredible but certainly not impossible.

I passed. Don’t need it. I have W231/HP38 to last me the rest of my days. And I’m not willing to risk those days on old powder of unknown origin.

I think prices stink, too. The lack of availability of some formerly very common powder is a little concerning. But most of the old standby products are still available, mostly, if you’re willing to pony up the scratch.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Yeah I know. It’s been almost a week.
I went to a few estate sales recently. Saw an 8# keg of W231 for $200. Sign said new, unopened. Lot # from the 80’s.
Almost 40 years old and unopened. That seems a little incredible but certainly not impossible.

I passed. Don’t need it. I have W231/HP38 to last me the rest of my days. And I’m not willing to risk those days on old powder of unknown origin.

I think prices stink, too. The lack of availability of some formerly very common powder is a little concerning. But most of the old standby products are still available, mostly, if you’re willing to pony up the scratch.
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I would have asked $100 and tell them a long winded story about being from the 80’s.

that would be right at $12 a pound. You think that powder is still good?
 
Made a trip to the lgs for powder. They had a good variety though it was pricey. Match Rifle was $37/lb. Tactical Rifle was $40/lb. The shocker was SW Precision and Long Rifle. These were $65/lb. I don’t use them and I’m glad.

I was hoping for some Cleanshot but none to be found. I’ll see if I can find some Titegroup. I got some more Match Rifle but passed on the Tactical Rifle.
 
Soonerpesek said:
There's this:

Hodgdon Titegroup Smokeless Powder 8 Pound - Graf & Sons

As the name implies, this new spherical propellant was designed for accuracy. Because of the unique design, this powder provides flawless ignition with all types of primers including the lead-free versions. Unlike pistol powders of the past, powder position in large cases (45 Colt, 357 Magnum...
www.grafs.com www.grafs.com
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I think 8 lbs of Titegroup would last the rest of my life. It has taken forever to use up the two pounds I had (most of it still loaded in 9mm brass with 115 gr FMJ still on the shelf). And it burns so hot and doesn’t seem to like cast bullets, so instead I opted for a second 8 pound container of BE-86. Burns a little slower and cooler, a little more top end potential for what I load and IMO more versatile for .38 Special up through 10mm Auto. Hopefully the pair will last me until I can’t shoot anymore, and buying powder by then will be my son’s challenge. I just pray it will still be legal and available.
 
I too was surprised Tactical Rifle was more than Match Rifle. I use Tactical Rifle for a lower powered practice 55 grain load, so the lower charge balances out the extra cost. I have enough TR to finish all the 55 grain bullets I have right now, since the lowered charge weight gets about 370 rounds per pound. That's another way I try to save a little. I'll spread powder thin enough that it only has 2 sides. One more reason to try Clean Shot if I can find any. Maximum charge for my 38 Special target loads is 2.7 grains. My current load uses 3.5 grains of W231. I don't hunt and even if I did, a box of 100 full power loads would last many deer seasons. It doesn't take much powder to push a bullet through paper. The above holes were made with a 30-30 using about 6 grains of powder to push a 135 grain cast RNFP bullet.
 
2ndtimer said:
I think 8 lbs of Titegroup would last the rest of my life. It has taken forever to use up the two pounds I had (most of it still loaded in 9mm brass with 115 gr FMJ still on the shelf). And it burns so hot and doesn’t seem to like cast bullets, so instead I opted for a second 8 pound container of BE-86. Burns a little slower and cooler, a little more top end potential for what I load and IMO more versatile for .38 Special up through 10mm Auto. Hopefully the pair will last me until I can’t shoot anymore, and buying powder by then will be my son’s challenge. I just pray it will still be legal and available.
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It worked really well with 3.8 grains with a cast 158 in 38. I've shelved tg for now...
 
2ndtimer said:
I think 8 lbs of Titegroup would last the rest of my life. It has taken forever to use up the two pounds I had (most of it still loaded in 9mm brass with 115 gr FMJ still on the shelf). And it burns so hot and doesn’t seem to like cast bullets, so instead I opted for a second 8 pound container of BE-86. Burns a little slower and cooler, a little more top end potential for what I load and IMO more versatile for .38 Special up through 10mm Auto. Hopefully the pair will last me until I can’t shoot anymore, and buying powder by then will be my son’s challenge. I just pray it will still be legal and available.
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I hope you outshoot both those kegs and have to buy more…..
Keep on shootin’, my man… :thumbup:
 
DMW1116 said:
I had a medicine bottle sample of Titegroup and it still took about 150 rounds of wadcutters, a few test loads in 9mm and a handful of 308 subsonic loads to use it all.
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308 Sub… is that effective?
 
Mark_Mark said:
I would have asked $100 and tell them a long winded story about being from the 80’s.

that would be right at $12 a pound. You think that powder is still good?
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Probably still good but who knows? I’m not willing to risk it. Garage sale primers I’m happy to take a chance with but estate sale powder? Not me.
 
Mark_Mark said:
308 Sub… is that effective?
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Well, about the best I can say is there were holes in the target. It wasn’t terribly accurate though. I didn’t do any load testing, so it might be possible to get better accuracy. My 30-30 subsonic loads were more accurate by quite a margin. I just wanted to see if it would work. No bullets got stuck in the barrel and all of them hit the target at 25 yards so I’m calling that a win.
 
DMW1116 said:
Well, about the best I can say is there were holes in the target. It wasn’t terribly accurate though. I didn’t do any load testing, so it might be possible to get better accuracy. My 30-30 subsonic loads were more accurate by quite a margin. I just wanted to see if it would work. No bullets got stuck in the barrel and all of them hit the target at 25 yards so I’m calling that a win.
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My Sis’-in-law wants one of my Sporter Enfields - a Golden State Armory shaved No.4 - and some light .303’s for some vermin problems shes having. I was thinking about The Load but I don’t think lead is a good solution for this situation. I used to have a coyote load using .32 caliber JSP but those were full power; she needs a subsonic probably. Do you recall what your TiteGroup load was? Her max range will probably be 25yds. It’s not a huge property.
 
I don’t remember the grains of powder but I did use the subsonic Titegroup load straight off Hodgdens website. It was before their recent upgrade though. The projectile was a Speer HPBT 168 grain Match instead of the listed Sierra Match King.
 
DMW1116 said:
I don’t remember the grains of powder but I did use the subsonic Titegroup load straight off Hodgdens website. It was before their recent upgrade though. The projectile was a Speer HPBT 168 grain Match instead of the listed Sierra Match King.
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I’ll look. Thanks!
 
If you’re relatively close the accuracy is probably more than adequate. It put three shots inside an inch from 25 yards. That particular rifle with those bullets is usually more accurate than that, though that is with full power loads. No sign of tumbling at 25 yards. I doubt I’ll make more. My cast loads in 30-30 cover that range of uses.
 
I was at my LGS yesterday and checked the price on a couple pounds of powder. $47 for 1# of W231, and $57 for 1# of IMR 3031. Prices at the other LGS were similar a few days earlier.

Glad I stocked up a while back and won't need any for awhile. I hope the prices come back down but I don't expect they will any time soon.

chris
 
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