A bunch of match shooting guys started shooting 6BR variants and 6GT last season, and swallowed up inventory this summer. A few rumors started flying about fires (I’ve heard three different plants, warehouses, and even a shipping barge burning up at sea), other rumors about international tariffs, still other rumors of supply chain delays and no more deliveries until after the new year, and very, very little truth - yet a high number of folks started panic buying, creating the reality they dreaded from their own fiction.
Hodgdon has always been very open about their supply chain, I called them myself a month ago when another forum had a very active thread recounting all of these silly rumors. I also spoke with a Hodgdon rep at the PRS Midwest Regional Finale a couple weeks ago, who hand delivered recent inventory 8lb jugs of Varget, Sta-ball, and H4350 to the prize table. Guys are panic-buying all of what they find, instead of the one pound or one jug they might normally buy, which means the other guys who normally also buy in small volumes can’t find any, so they panic and buy whatever they find when they can. Hodgdon shared, twice to me directly now, that they have been receiving and shipping regular volumes of Varget this fall and winter, receiving supply every 4-6wks, and correspondingly shipping. They’ve shared they have a much higher back-order fulfillment right now as well, such much of what they’ll deliver won’t flip any “in-stock” switches for retailers, and guys will continue to speculate about some enduring supply chain issue. It’s temporary and imaginary, so they’ve been open in saying they’re not making efforts to increase their speed.
Buy what you’ll burn when you find it, and leave some for the other guy, and we’ll all be back to normal sooner.