Supplies...where are they?...Primers...Powders...bullets...brass...

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deerhunter61

deerhunter61

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In the Dallas Ft Worth area
All,

I am trying to find out why there are not any supplies at the stores I have been too....

Cabelas
Sports Warehouse
Gander Mountain
Carters Country

And then online...

Midwest
Powder Valley

I spoke to one of the guys at Gander Mountain about Varget powder. I have not been able to find it anywhere...and he said that it is being made but it is being bought immediately. So when he said this I asked him when they got their last shipment in of Varget and he said 4 months ago...?????? If they were still producing it and it was being sold as soon as it comes in then why has it been 4 months since they have gotten a shipment? That does not make sense to me.

Then I check online and everyone is out and oh by the way no one seems to know when they will have any. The date of arrival continues to be pushed back....

I have also found the same thing with Hornady 139 grain 7mm bullets.

Primers...same thing....

So has anyone out there found any? Does anyone know what is going on with the supply of varget powder as well as other reloading supplies?

The idea that they are still producing the supplies but no one ever has it in stock seems to be a contradiction to me.

I wish someone would provide a TRUTHFUL informative explanation. I also think stuff like this fuels the fire that the government is involved. Now I hear that instead of the governement outlawing guns the way they intend to attack this is through preventing us from getting ammo and the supplies to reload. AGH!!!

I am really wondering how much the gun mangufactorers and supply manufactorers are helping to create the frenzy that is going on now therfore increasing demand which increases prices which increases their profits! They say they support us but are they taking advantage of us now?

I would really like someone who works in the industry to respond. I would like to know the truth and not a bunch of bs that just stokes the fire.

The truth will set you and us free!
 
Last edited:
Mr. Deerhuner:
You are asking a very legitimate question and I will try to shed some light on this problem. I live in the Eastern Pennsylvania and always had a good inventory of reloading supplies(meaning I hadn't purchased components for a year or so) until I realized I was running low on Winchester Large Primers and Varget powder. Well known of the gun shops around here had any Winchester primers or Varget powder. All the gunshop people were telling me that since the November election, shooters are panicing and starting to hoard components...just like the so called "primer shortage" of a few years ago. This hoarding is causing shortages and is starting to drive prices up. If we don't start policing ourselves, we will cause our own ban. I had to drive 70 miles one way to get more primers and powder. JMHO! :cuss:

PS: I also did hear that there has been periodic shortages of snall rifle primers because of the Iraq situation, but the shotages were tempory and not severe. Double:cuss:
 
sorry, i would have posted sooner but just got back from Olin and i am still unloading the u-haul...
 
It's from people who did not plan ahead.

If you were old enoungh when Clinton started banning guns you should of realised then it was time to stock up. I was 21 then had two children and no money and I figured out then our leaders will sell us out. And started saving and buying componets . Now I have more powder and primers than Cabelas in KCKs has. This should be a wake up call, take it for what it is worth and I hope it never happens but prepare for the worst pray and hope for the best.
And now those primers I paid $12.50 per thousand with tax and the $11.00 shot and $9.50 bullets make cheap shooting with todays prices.
 
you will probably not see the 8lb jugs of varget for some time. hogdens is supposedly only going to be shipping 1lb containers for awhile so that they can get smaller supplies out to everyone instead of people being able to purchase 8lbs in one fell swoop. they are making it but it is sucked up as soon as it hits the warehouse if not sooner.
 
Deerhunter,

I am experiencing the same thing in Memphis, TN. Just getting into reloading. After research decided to buy Unique powder (loading .44 Mag) and went to Sportman's Warehouse...they were out. Decided to buy large pistol primers....out! Went back to the store on different occasions to buy primers....out! I asked the sales person who stated that they restocked every monday and a group of the same guys came every monday and bought ALL the large pistol primers as soon as stocked! Found out about Midway and went online to order.....website says "out of stock, not backordered". After two weeks of looking I finally found the primers at an older sporting goods store (this was the only reloading component they kept in stock). In talking to people who were also at the stores for reloading supplies, they were having the same difficulty locating what they needed as well (like .308 brass). I had thought the problem was the retailer being cautious and slowing down on inventory and the buyers being shooters who shoot ALOT. If its a case of hoarders the problem is doubly aggravating.
 
Varget specifically is actually an ADI powder (Australia Defence Industries) that is marketed as Mulwex AR2208 in Australia, Hodgdon buys it from ADI and has it packaged as Varget and shipped to the USA. So you have to contend with the fact that this powder is extremely popular with many shooters in many countries and they can only make so much of it at a time, then it has to be sent by ocean cargo to the US. So it's not like Hodgdon can snap their fingers and get more Varget. Varget is a powder that is probably one of the most popular powders in the world right now because it is so versatile, stable and has vary low variance.

I feel your pain. I stocked up on Varget whenever I found some so I am sitting pretty good on Varget right now, H335 I am running low on and waiting for restock.

In terms of other components, it is panic buying pure and simple, combined with a sudden renewal in reloading due to the fact that ammo costs spiked up so high starting a couple years ago. People are getting into reloading who never reloaded before and had no stockpile of supplies. Suddenly, everyone whoe HAS BEEN reloading, and all the newbies, are competing for the same stuff, and the recent politically-induced panic buying has created shortages.

We're facing the perfect storm here, on the one side we have an unashamedly anti-gun president and congress, plus the Ammunition Accountability offensive on bullets and reloading and ammunition, plus the thougts of increased taxation on ammo and components, plus the "Reasonable Restrictions" people envision from the Heller decision, plus the Holder nomination, plus the typical BRady Bunch pile of swill-
Let's face it, shooters may have a tough row to hoe real soon, and the 3% movement may be right. Beans, bullets, bandaids and bourbon- all things to keep in stock at all times.

Buy what you can, when you can find it, at a price you're willing to pay. Keep stockpiles, maybe not 10K bullets and 50# of powder, but having a keg or so of a very versatile powder and some primers and a couple boxes of bullets laid back is prudent.

Good luck & keep your powder dry.
 
gee evan, have you bought any primers recently? i sure wish i'd of bought varget when i had it in front of me not all that long ago, i found a one pound jug at the local show $35...i left it there, maybe that was a mistake....
 
My local gun shop either has or can still get virtually everything for reloading.....small standard rifle primers are the exception, but if you're not brand loyal, they can be had. Was just there Friday and not only got everything I needed, but walked outta there with a .357 stainless lever that couldn't be found anywhere else. Owner told me one major gun wholeseller told him on Thursday that they had NO(none, nada one) handguns in stock....revolver or autoloader. As for why Gander Mountain, Cabelas and some of the other large retailers are low on everything, he said it was time of year(taxes on inventory) and why stock new when folks are buying anything they can get their hands on. Good way to get rid if some "dogs" as he called them. BTW...they had just gotten in a half dozen Bushmasters via UPS when I first got there and by the time I left they had one left. This is in a town of 7000.
 
I'd most likely find a different source from the Big Box retailers like GM and Cabelas. They are really hurting, and they're gonna put their inventory dollars into stuff that's higher margin (clothing).

Do a search here. This thread runs every week.
 
I just got some Varget from Gamaliel Shooting Supply. Their website said that they had 8# jugs in stock, and no 1#. I called to make an order, and they had no 8# jugs and 26 1# jugs. You might want to call them to see if they have any left.
 
I stopped by my shop yesterday morning. I was #2 through the door. I wasnt expecting them to have much but i was first shopper on newly stocked shelves. I got 40 lbs and then only 5000 WLR primers. I didnt take them all. So keep check over the next few days.

0221091136800x600.jpg
 
The numbers don't lie....2008 3rd quarter excise tax revenue on ammo was up over 8% from a year ago, 4th quarter is estimated to be 10-20% higher than a year ago. 1st quarter for 2009 will probably go through the roof....thanks to the new guys in DC. Supply can't keep up with demand.
 
Gun show's out here in Colorado, have always been well stocked, powder, primers, bullets, at fair prices, Winchester primers are going for $25/1000. I'll be picking up a couple more bricks in May, at the next gun show. I need to keep my supply close to 10,000 small pistol primers. Powder, I'm pretty well set, 12 lbs of various pistol powders.
 
People are getting into reloading who never reloaded before and had no stockpile of supplies. Suddenly, everyone who HAS BEEN reloading, and all the newbies, are competing for the same stuff, and the recent politically-induced panic buying has created shortages.
Click to expand...
Bingo. The local retailers are having a hard time keeping up. We are fortunate to have a guns show almost every weekend (DFW area). Components are available, but price have been going up over the last 1 1/2 years. Lead cast .45acp 200gr SWC bullets have gone from $28/500 to $35 to $42 but have stabilized there.
Winchester Large Pistol Primers have gone fom $21 to $25 to $28/1000, but are still available.
W-231 is somewhat less available, but the 8# kegs can be had from time to time, currently about $125. The 1# bottles go $16-18-20 when you can find them.
 
Same problems here in KY... Local gunshop today, NO small pistol primers, NO small rifle primers, only 1 bx (100) large rifle primers, No Varget at all.... Last week, I tried to get 308 dies online (Lee brand)... every place I checked was out... Midway,Natchez,Midsouth, etc.
 
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