Wow, not one single pistol powder available at Natchez.

[Certaindeaf]

Sometimes I just check on things just for the fun of it. Wow.
At least most all primers from most manufacturers are available though.
Thank God I'm not without from buying a fair bit some years ago.
I know this wasn't an exhausting survey by any means but pretty amazing to me.

[Zouave 58]

I've talked to a number of dealers who tell me they haven't had any Unique in nearly a year. They also say that pistol powders should become more available later this year. The standard excuse from the manufacturers is they are producing more powder than ever but that demand is at a historical high due to "hoarding". I don't know what to believe.

[Certaindeaf]

I've talked to a number of dealers who tell me they haven't had any Unique in nearly a year. They also say that pistol powders should become more available later this year. The standard excuse from the manufacturers is they are producing more powder than ever but that demand is at a historical high due to "hoarding". I don't know what to believe.
I just find the current condition, after this fair amount of time, almost unbelievable.. but at least there seems to be primers available, thankfully.

[paralaska]

I'm getting a little tired of the standard excuse . . . I need 2400, w296, unique, etc. It's not been available up here for the last two years . . . The LGS people just shrug their shoulders . . .

[9.3X62AL]

Three years back when this most recent ammo and components shortage got under way, I had a gut feeling that manufacturers were full of BS with most of their claims about empty shelves and low stocks. Time has borne that feeling out. The plain fact is that this hobby field and related shooting venues have experienced unprecedented growth over the last decade. This growth spurt occurred at a time in which leftist hoplophobes started gun-grabs or prohibitionist clamoring for same, creating a perfect storm of demand that ammo and component makers were not prepared for at all. The makers thought they could okey-doke their way through the shortages, and the results remain obvious--scarce supplies, empty shelves, unknown timelines, and more BS responses. The SHOT Show starts in about 10 hours......I'm sure all the reps have their glib explanations primed and ready for the retailers, hoping the customer base will buy the bullsquat they run past us yet again. My preference would be that they dispense with the snake oil--shut the BLEEP up--get some product into the distribution stream--and stop trying to glad-hand us. All of us have had enough of the $100 bricks of 500 22 LR, the unobtanium reloading components, and guns finished so poorly that they become tennis balls being served and volleyed for warrantee repairs. The net result for me--after 3+ years of gun business bullsquat--is to hold zero faith in any word that lot has to say, and zero toleration for their piss-poor marketing model that has been OUT TO LUNCH since 2012. The truth of the matter is.....I've had MUCH better luck finding saltwater pelagic fish to catch than I've had trying to locate reloading components or ammunition over the past year, and I will continue to turn my disposable income into fishing tackle and fishing ventures, since the firearms industry is so disinterested in serving its customer base in any meaningful way. Further--I have enough ammo and firearms on hand already to serve my hunting needs for the rest of my life with few exceptions, and I'm selling off a number of arms I no longer need because I won't spend days on end trying fruitlessly to locate the materials I need to enjoy them fully. Recreational shooting? To hell with it, I'd rather be on the water. I can't abide this lazy, decadent attitude of ammo and component makers.

[Love Life]

Tell us how you really feel!!!

[Certaindeaf]

It really is pretty sad.. not one pistol powder available from perhaps the largest (? don't know) seller on the planet.

[Schrag4]

Things seem to be getting a lot better around here. The LGS had probably 20+ pounds (all 1 lb bottles) of powder that would be suitable for loading what I load (9mm, 40S&W). That's the most I've seen in over a year, and I know for a fact that the powder has been on the shelf for a whole week because I bought a pound 7 days ago. They have a limit of 2, and I still just got the one last week, and passed entirely today. I have hope that things are about ready to get back to normal.

Maybe it doesn't help you, OP, but I'll regurgitate what I saw that someone else posted a while back. I remember when I got into reloading 18 months ago, powder could be had, but bullets and primers were almost impossible to find. Eventually primers and bullets returned, and then powder became scarce. Every one of us should stock up on primers NOW and not even worry about powder. Let the shelves fill back up. Let the scalpers feel the heat. If we just quit buying for a brief period, there will no longer be a sense of panic causing the shortage. If we're going to spend money on reloading components, why not spend it on the components that are readily available, the components that don't have extremely inflated prices? I can employ this strategy because I have probably 4+ years of powder left (at the slow-medium rate I burn it). I can understand those who are on their last lb of powder being a bit desperate.

[Certaindeaf]

.Maybe it doesn't help you, OP, but I'll regurgitate..
I was just making a simple observation/report.

[GhostHawk]

Watching all this for a year really makes a person wonder.

Did the government really order Billons of rounds?
Is that really where all the pistol powder went/is going?


I try not to pay a lot of attention to internet hype on utube.

But that one at least does make me wonder.

[Schrag4]

I was just making a simple observation/report.

I was just trying to give hope to those who really need powder. I really do think it will get better very soon, and I'll do my part by passing up on powder that I see until it's been on the shelf for a while. It's been a whole year that pistol powder has been largely unavailable, and I remember because that's when I ran out of the very first pound of powder that I ever reloaded. At that time I happened to walk into a store that had a single 8lb jug of just the powder I needed, and I knew at the time how lucky I was to find it. 9mm and 223 ammo used to be just as difficult to find, but now they're plentiful. Once the scalpers and the hoarders have had their fill, things will return to normal. Again, I think that will be very soon, just based on the fact that I've been able to find powder locally again the last 2 months, and it's actually available online, sometimes for more than just a few hours!

[Zouave 58]

One would think that if growth in the hobby were the real factor, then the manufacturers being capitalists would expand production to meet the demand. The fact is that the majority of ammunition manufacture in the country is controlled by two holding companies and their focus is on military contract work. As a good friend of mine who works in a defense industry relayed to me, a Vp of the largest company once was overheard to say "why should we worry about the civilian market segment when we're almost unable to meet the demand for our foreign and domestic governmental contracts". It is not a conspiracy, it's just a business decision; more profitable to sell trainloads of product to the government than it is to sell tractor trailer loads to the distributors. If true, then perhaps there is an opportunity for new manufacturers/importers to get into the market. Who really knows?

[Certaindeaf]

I was just trying to give hope to those who really need powder. I really do think it will get better very soon, and I'll do my part by passing up on powder that I see until it's been on the shelf for a while. It's been a whole year that pistol powder has been largely unavailable, and I remember because that's when I ran out of the very first pound of powder that I ever reloaded. At that time I happened to walk into a store that had a single 8lb jug of just the powder I needed, and I knew at the time how lucky I was to find it. 9mm and 223 ammo used to be just as difficult to find, but now they're plentiful. Once the scalpers and the hoarders have had their fill, things will return to normal. Again, I think that will be very soon, just based on the fact that I've been able to find powder locally again the last 2 months, and it's actually available online, sometimes for more than just a few hours!
I hear you and I agree. I've been able to see some just in casual passing at various shops over the years and know it's to be had were one to really hunt. Something I just do (which isn't scientific at all) is to check out Natchez occasionally to try to get a feel/fix on general availability of components.. pretty much just out of curiosity.

[GCBurner]

I went to the second day of a local Gun Show last Sunday, and there was still a fair amount of various powders available through a couple of dealers, including TiteGroup and Unique, which I haven't seen on the local store's shelves for a while, though they wanted $37-$40 per pound for it. There were lots of $50-$60 bricks of .22LR on the tables, but nobody seemed to be buying them at that price, as Wal-Mart and Academy Sports seem to be getting some in from week to week at half that price. No shortage of primers for reloading, but primers for blackpowder muzzleloaders were not to be found.

[robertbank]

It is fairly well known the absence of Hodgdon powders has been due to a major fire in Australia where a lot of our pistol powders are made. The plant has been rebuilt and from what I understand is now starting to produce powders. IMR powders are made outside of Montreal and while production has been maintained the shortages caused by the fire in Australia has backed into the demand for replacement powders such as those made by IMR.

There seems to be hope on the horizon as one of our major suppliers has Titegroup, 700X and Trailboss on hand right now. The first time in over nine months I might add. The powder is only available in 5 and 8 pound kegs though.

I think we should leave some of the conspiracy theories to FOX NEWS. It would seem from Mr. Hodgdon's explanation, the fire in Australia is the primary reason for the last 12 month powder shortage.

Take Care

Bob

[newton]

Just ordered from cabelas. Get it while you can.

[Certaindeaf]

.I think we should leave some of the conspiracy theories to FOX NEWS. It would seem from Mr. Hodgdon's explanation, the fire in Australia is the primary reason for the last 12 month powder shortage.

Take Care

Bob
Bob, I didn't see one example of "conspiracy theories" in this thread. What I did see was you underhand a politically motivated grenade and then run away. Stop.

Take Care

[hanleyfan]

I wonder how many hoarders are in violation of powder storage laws?

[robertbank]

Bob, I didn't see one example of "conspiracy theories" in this thread. What I did see was you underhand a politically motivated grenade and then run away. Stop.

Take Care

You are right there aren't here but over the past year the speculation has run rampant that government purchases were the major reason for the shortages and in fact even hoarding has been blamed. Up until the fire in Australia there was no shortage of powder. All through the period of the US involvement in both Iraq and Afghanistan there was no shortage when government consumption was at it's peak. Once the fire took place powders disappeared pretty quick and I suspect hoarding at that point would play a role as folks bought whatever they could find but the fire was the root cause that is for certain.

No political agenda here. We have been dealing with the shortages for about a year. Primers are in short supply but we do have importers who bring in Tula primers under the "Dominion" brand that have certainly filled the void the lack of some brands of US made primers have made. The shortages of powder became evident in January of 2014 and we are now seeing some early signs of relief.

haneyfan - I would say lots including me. We are supposed to be restricted to 11 lbs I believe. I suspect most of the guys at our gun club who reload have more than the "legal" amount as a working supply most of the time. Pretty hard not to if you reload for more than a few cartridges or shoot a lot.

Take care

Bob

[DougGuy]

This guy sells on Gunbroker, I have bought off there and met him ftf in Florida, 100% straight up guy, he sells a LOT of powders. Hazmat runs up the shipping, but at least you might be able to score some of what you need.

http://www.gunbroker.com/All/BI.aspx?IncludeSellers=2988329

[Certaindeaf]

You are right there aren't here but over the past year the speculation has run rampant that government purchases were the major reason for the shortages and in fact even hoarding has been blamed. Up until the fire in Australia there was no shortage of powder. All through the period of the US involvement in both Iraq and Afghanistan there was no shortage when government consumption was at it's peak. Once the fire took place powders disappeared pretty quick and I suspect hoarding at that point would play a role as folks bought whatever they could find but the fire was the root cause that is for certain.

No political agenda here. We have been dealing with the shortages for about a year. Primers are in short supply but we do have importers who bring in Tula primers under the "Dominion" brand that have certainly filled the void the lack of some brands of US made primers have made. The shortages of powder became evident in January of 2014 and we are now seeing some early signs of relief.

haneyfan - I would say lots including me. We are supposed to be restricted to 11 lbs I believe. I suspect most of the guys at our gun club who reload have more than the "legal" amount as a working supply most of the time. Pretty hard not to if you reload for more than a few cartridges or shoot a lot.

Take care

Bob

I hear you, I'm right here with you alls and know of whatalls. I didn't mean to flare off at you. Hearing of that Aussie firm getting back on-line is very good news (I had forgot about that catastrophe), that's for sure. It's funny how things can just stack up to jack us up sometimes.

[jameslovesjammie]

It would seem from Mr. Hodgdon's explanation, the fire in Australia is the primary reason for the last 12 month powder shortage.

I agree Bob.

Here's an interview from the past summer with Chris Hodgdon about powder supply and shortage. They did the same interview in 2013.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jphEvE3IXkw

[Handloader109]

Here's my free two cents. I'm a relative newby to reloading only a couple of yrs. When I first started trying to scrounge supplies, no powder was to be found for over 3 months local. Then just a pound or two here and there. Over the past 4 months or so, I have been in multiple locations of Cabelas and Bass Pro along with a couple of LGS and usually there are several pounds of rifle powder and multiple occasions of multiple pistol powder on the shelves. Not always, but more times as not. It is getting better, horders are either filled up or out of money. The rest of us may get a chance to gather some soon.

[robertbank]

I believe Chris Hodgdon mentions this spring being the point where supplies would begin to return to normal. Looks like he might have been right. I hope so.

Take Care

Bob

[RogerDat]

After Sandy Hook when Congress started talking about "doing something" a whole lot of folks went shopping with the reasonable assumption that Congress could screw up free love and nickel beer for the next decade when they set out to "do something". Those shoppers were buying lots of firearms, with lots of ammo, and lots of reloading supplies/equipment. I recall at one point Lee presses had a 6 month backorder.

The pent up demand and increased tendency to purchase larger amounts when finally located due to the difficulty locating supplies explains why when gunbot showed tightgroup I arrived at the store site and it showed 150 1# available and sold out before I could complete my order with address and CC number. In a later attempt I watched available drop from 300 to a little over a 100 by the time I finished my order. But now I have some tightgroup on the shelf. Not what I was originally looking for but certainly suitable.

I do have an order in at Lohmans for some Unique and 2400 think that backorder dates from July of last year, as I have found items or alternatives from other sources I call them and drop items from the order. If I find anything else and drop it from the order it won't be worth the hazmat fee. I debated hitting cabelas for that unique but with no ship to store could not see ordering enough of that powder on it's own to justify the hazmat.

[newton]

Yea, I remember trying to find 9mm loading dies back then. What a crazy time for hand loaders in ALL aspects that was. I pieced together the dies, but only was able to get a shellholder from a kind person on this site. Crazy that I could not find one single 9mm shell holder to buy(except paying the ridiculous prices they were commanding), and now you can buy one anywhere for cheap.

I bit on the Cabelas thing. I might kick myself if I walk into the store and see some on the shelf though. All in all, I spent an extra $35 for the hazmat and shipping, over what I would have spent in the store. I got 4 lbs, so that's about $8 more per lb I spent on the powder. I'm fine with that. It really is not that much more. Not that I would do that on big powder purchases or all the time though.

Its kind of like driving around a parking lot for a long time, looking for parking spot up close, just to save yourself a few steps. Or driving around town from one store to the next saving a $1 here and there. You end up spending more trying to save sometimes.

One thing I refuse to do is pay scalping prices at local shops, gun shows, and online. Its one thing to pay more money because of fee's, but its a whole other thing to pay it to the scalpers. All it does is keep the process going. When guys will stop paying those prices to them, then the scalpers will stop hoarding everything to resell.

[texassako]

I went ahead and bought some from Cabelas online since I haven't had any Bullseye in a while and have a bunch of swaged .38 HBWCs to use up with my preferred load w/ Bullseye. I had stopped in the local Cabelas Tuesday and they only had rifle powder. I asked the guy working that section and he was glad they were not getting it in if it was in the warehouse. Why rearrange and aisle and label a shelf just to have it empty by lunch? I just shook my head and wandered off to the Bargain Cave.

[RogerDat]

.......

I bit on the Cabelas thing. I might kick myself if I walk into the store and see some on the shelf though. All in all, I spent an extra $35 for the hazmat and shipping, over what I would have spent in the store. I got 4 lbs, so that's about $8 more per lb I spent on the powder. I'm fine with that. It really is not that much more. Not that I would do that on big powder purchases or all the time though.

Its kind of like driving around a parking lot for a long time, looking for parking spot up close, just to save yourself a few steps. Or driving around town from one store to the next saving a $1 here and there. You end up spending more trying to save sometimes.

One thing I refuse to do is pay scalping prices at local shops, gun shows, and online. Its one thing to pay more money because of fee's, but its a whole other thing to pay it to the scalpers. All it does is keep the process going. When guys will stop paying those prices to them, then the scalpers will stop hoarding everything to resell.


The hazmat fees are not new so I don't really get too annoyed by them. Not such a big deal back when you could order all the stuff you needed in one order and pay the fee once. Now with many powders in short supply it comes down to how bad do I need it and a willingness to purchase enough of what they have available to spread the fee out. 4 lbs. is sort of the point where I figure the fee starts to not be that bad, some primers in the order helps spread it out more. Really wanted the Unique when I found it was available but with the Tightgroup just purchased could not justify purchase of 4# of just Unique. Could not pass on the Tightgroup since I was down to last 1# of Unique for pistol powder. It is winter, what better time to reload?

Oh heck yes, I just pick a row in front of the door and head out to the end, if I get lucky and come across an open spot fine otherwise I'll park out where the cars end. Not worth the hassle to do victory laps of a parking lot when I came to purchase something inside the store not drive around in front of it.

[newton]

I went ahead and bought some from Cabelas online since I haven't had any Bullseye in a while and have a bunch of swaged .38 HBWCs to use up with my preferred load w/ Bullseye. I had stopped in the local Cabelas Tuesday and they only had rifle powder. I asked the guy working that section and he was glad they were not getting it in if it was in the warehouse. Why rearrange and aisle and label a shelf just to have it empty by lunch? I just shook my head and wandered off to the Bargain Cave.

I stopped by the local Cabelas just to see if some of the powder trickled its way into the store today. None to be seen(of Alliant at least). Glad I went ahead and got it now.

[stewfish]

Natchez has 8 lb. jugs of RedDot as of noon PST 1/22/15.

[mcr]

Last night I bought 8lb of Red Dot and 8lb of Promo from natchez. But that's the first I've seen either available in awhile. I also check http://gunbot.net/reloading/Powder/ a lot.

-mcr