Hodgdon Going Out Of Business Rumor

[mfraser264]

Visited a LGS over the weekend and the fella there said Reloading was a dying hobby as a powder distributor he recently talked with said Hodgdon was going out of business as they could not get powder due to a lack of the chemicals needed in the propellant manufacturing process. There is always IMR and Alaint.

Had to remind him that Hodgdon did not manufacturer propellant and he said they imported all their powder? That is incorrect if I recall as they have propellant supplied by General Dynamics St. Mark's plant, IMt in Canada. Maybe issue with the ADI plants in Australia?

Has anyone heard more to support this?

Don't think that fella could have said one positive thing about anything anyway. Good way to push customers away it to unload complaints and negative comments on paying customers. Even complained that his customers that were passing away and not bringing their firearms in to him to sell, was opening laughing at this point.

[tankgunner59]

He probably heard about the closure of the GOEX plant in Louisiana that is owned by Hodgdon. But from reading the media announcement it's due to the continuing incidents of accidental explosions over the years.

[15meter]

Rumor probably got started after Hodgdon announcement that they were shutting the Goex plant.

That was announced about 3 weeks ago.

There are people who work hard at embroidering a simple story of clouds in the sky to a full blown hurricane.

Triple DG-----Dead, Dying, Doom and Gloom.

[jim147]

I'm doubting this story but next time I get to Lenexa, it's not far to hit the headquarters and ask. I still remember where they live but I'm not going to bother anyone at home.

[jmorris]

Had to remind him that Hodgdon did not manufacturer propellant and he said they imported all their powder? That is incorrect if I recall as they have propellant supplied by General Dynamics St. Mark's plant,

You are correct, they do sell powder made there as well as other MFG’s.

As far as dying hobby, demand is so high now, They don’t have any smokeless powder in stock at all.

https://shop.hodgdon.com/hodgdon

Don’t believe everything you hear at a LGS


You are correct

[JimB..]

Are retail powder sales even material to the powder company financials? I assume that they sell a hundred tons to ammo manufacturers for every ton they sell to hobbyists, but that’s just always been my assumption.

[farmbif]

I hate rumors. I can't imagine Hodgdon going out of business in my lifetime. didn't they recently acquire western powders? and they bought controlling interest in Winchester powder and IMR years ago. maybe I'm wrong but that's the way I understand it.

https://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/hodgdon-buys-western-powders/384943

[Larry Gibson]

Rumor control one to secret squirrel two, over...........

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Odd as Hodgdon was the one powder brand that was widely available during this crisis.

[Uncle Grinch]

Like most businesses and manufacturers, they probably have issues getting their material and supplies. I’m sure everyone has seen the news of the “supply chain” problems with all the ships backed up at various seaport harbors across the country. …Thank you President Biden!

[nvbirdman]

Hodgdon going out of business, but IMR will still be available? Did the guy know where the twin to his one remaining brain cell disappeared to?

[yovinny]

Shipping is one of the big issues today and shipping powder has some major restrictions.
For example, when we tried to import raw nitro cellulose from overseas, container shipping restrictions were just crazy for any flammable. Besides costing almost 4x the normal price, containers were required to have gunwale placement, so as to be easier to dump over board in case of a fire. Then the trucking out of port and to destination was over 2x normal container cost. All these extra charges for hazardous/flammable material shipping just priced everything out of sight and makes ups hazmat look like a bargain...

[1hole]

I don't believe it.

My first reaction to any such story is, "Does this make sense?" and this one doesn't. (But I'm sure a lot of our Democrat friends hope it is true; you know, to "fight crime" and "save the children").

Sadly some men gossip as much as women. Gossips LOVE to be first in their circle to share the "straight scoop" they just got from some guy who swears it's true. Other men enjoy watching the gullible run in panicked circles screaming, "The sky is falling!" so gut fear stories like this one get made up to feed the rumor mill.

Giants like Sear's and RCA died but it was no surprise. I suppose Hodgdon will also die some day but I suspect we'll all be crispy fried by global warming before it matters very much.

[farmbif]

crazy thoughts going though my head on this one. Steve Kehrwald, has yet to chime in on this one.
just wondering who will get the last $800 jug of Varget.
:popcorn:

[Murphy]

I can't imagine the frustration a local gun shop that carries reloading supplies is going through currently. I've been reloading for 40+ years now, I've never seen it this bad. Rumors are bound to go around, they have during every shortage I've been through. Yet, everything came back eventually. I also realize current prices are driving a lot of people short of insanity.

Shop owners. Some are riding it out as best they can and doing their best. Others like the one mentioned in the original post, are bitter about the money they're not making if they only had stock to sell. Of the two local shops in my area, they're good people. Sure, their prices have gone up but not to the point of selling it for what it cost them either.

As for reloading being a dying hobby? Then who's buying primers, powder, brass, bullets, presses, scales, dies...etc? Apparently, someone forgot to notify the many companies who are in business to sell exactly those items. I'm sure they'd like to know when they are going to get in some quality time with their family and friends. They've been too busy at work to do anything but just that, work, work, and work.

Murphy

[trapper9260]

If it is not from the company that say it then I will not take what someone will say in a place like that . Unless it is someone I know for years . Some will say anything to make them self feel good and think they know all. Just for what the person said about reloading is dying tells alot about the person since they did not check on what really going on .

[dale2242]

Don`t you just love the internet rumor mills?

[starnbar]

Like most businesses and manufacturers, they probably have issues getting their material and supplies. I’m sure everyone has seen the news of the “supply chain” problems with all the ships backed up at various seaport harbors across the country. …Thank you President Biden!

Google those ships you are seeing on the news take a look at the plimsoll lines on em those ships are EMPTY.

[JSnover]

Google those ships you are seeing on the news take a look at the plimsoll lines on em those ships are EMPTY.

How would they make any money sending empty ships across the Pacific and letting them sit there for weeks?

[starnbar]

How would they make any money sending empty ships across the Pacific and letting them sit there for weeks?

They haven't been across the Pacific they are waiting to get loaded from here.

[Hogtamer]

As a practical matter they are already out of business as far a retail customers go. Along with the other powder manufacturers. Shipping logistics, raw material prices, labor availability along with wage escalation and covid mandates sure are convenient ways to throttle any industry, especially one as loathsome to the current administration as ammunition components. Let’s go Brandon….

[Soundguy]

Hodgdon going out of business, but IMR will still be available? Did the guy know where the twin to his one remaining brain cell disappeared to?

When I find gun stores that apparently don't know anything.. I leave them fast.. IMHO.. they are dangerous.

IMR, Hodgdon, Winchester, Ramshot, Accurate, Goex, Blackhorn.... all from the same company..

Dumb gun shops bother me...

[Soundguy]

Don’t believe everything you hear at a LGS


You are correct

It's so sad when i walk into the average gun shop and I know more about what they are selling then they do....

[JSnover]

They haven't been across the Pacific they are waiting to get loaded from here.

Now that makes even less sense.
One problem at the ports is the stacks of empty containers that can't legally be moved because they belong to the shipping companies. That's part of the reason why so many loaded ships are backed up.

[Burnt Fingers]

Treat things you hear at the local gun shop just as you would the headlines on the National Enquirer.

[MUSTANG]

Now that makes even less sense.
One problem at the ports is the stacks of empty containers that can't legally be moved because they belong to the shipping companies. That's part of the reason why so many loaded ships are backed up.

Interesting observation; but the shipping containers not in transit usually have a "Storage Fee" or demurrage penalty after a set period of time. If a backlog of shipping containers being returned to China were present/an issue; I would expect to see a reduction in the cost of said "Used" shipping containers on the market. If anything; I am seeing a few hundred dollar increase in those prices over the last 6-12 months,

[charlie b]

This is not a new issue. The shipping problem started back with Trump and Covid. Between tariff manipulation and selective restrictions on imports, things started backing up. That started price increases and inflation. Now add in the socialist agendas and everyone wants more pay due to the inflation. So, we'll see more price increases and more inflation.

Work slowdowns due to wage issues, Covid related personnel losses, and more people simply choosing other work means slower material flow.

Interesting to note that Florida is going to try to get into the act and entice more shipping through their ports.

[Soundguy]

I just looked at hodgdon.. was going to order some powder.. I see 800x and imr blue listed as discontinued.

[Don Purcell]

Hearing LGS information is like listening to Jen Psaki doing a news briefing.

[OBXPilgrim]

Rumor control one to secret squirrel two, over...........

++1

[lead collector]

I doubt that the big H is going out of business, but there are a lot of truths in many of the above statements, regarding inflation, haz mat, import regs, EPA regs.... this list goes on.
I think most of us expect limited availability for a long time going forward, and higher prices due to many of the already mentioned causes.

I am blessed with a good job, and not everyone is. So, while I could stock up some, and did I when things were available, I am no more that a couple years from being in a real bind.
I too am running low on some components. Small Pistol primers to be exact..
Some of my shooting friends, have lower incomes than I, and more bills, so they are in a really bad spot, and I feel bad for them.
We are helping each other as we can, so we can all keep shooting, to some degree. Maybe not as much as we want to, but the guns will not go silent for a while at least..

My biggest worry on this whole component, and ammo deal is that there are simply not as many players in this as there once was.
The Big "H" owns about all the powder interests these days, and Vista owns almost everything, related to Primers now. CCI, Remington, and Federal brands..
That leaves only Winchester as the other primer maker. The old saying of not having all your eggs in one basket seems to be appropriate in this discussion..
We are but one, maybe two legal battles of some kind, or hostel buy outs / take overs, from being out of this game all together.

I doubt we will ever see, any Wolf or Tula primers again, now that our sock puppet-in-chief, has banned Russian ammo from being imported.
Even with a change in politics.... if that is even possible... I doubt the Russian ammo ban will ever be reversed. Slick Willie banned the China stuff over 20 years ago and there has been no improvement in that since, and we had 12 years of Republican occupation of the white house during this ban.

Well I hate to be a part of the dooms day crowd, but that is the view I get while looking through the cloud of bullet lube smoke, and into my dusty, cob web covered crystal ball.

[charlie b]

And don't forget, Trump expanded the Obama ban on Russian guns. So don't rely on the republicans to reverse things.

[Yooper003]

They haven't been across the Pacific they are waiting to get loaded from here.
I can’t believe that, we don’t make much of anything here. Certainly not enough of anything to export.

[26Charlie]

My LGS down the road has only H-1000 and H-380 on the shelf, about 4 lbs. of each. Would buy the H-380 as a useful powder for what I shoot, BUT - $53 a pound!

[starnbar]

Now that makes even less sense.
One problem at the ports is the stacks of empty containers that can't legally be moved because they belong to the shipping companies. That's part of the reason why so many loaded ships are backed up.

Google those ships you are seeing on the news take a look at the plimsoll lines on em those ships are EMPTY.

[starnbar]

Official refutes figure
Ships waiting off the coast of Southern California number in the dozens, not the thousands.

Kip Louttit, executive director of the Marine Exchange of Southern California, told USA TODAY that, as of Sept. 21, there were 153 ships of all types at both the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Of those, 64 were at dock loading or unloading cargo, 60 were at anchor and 29 were adrift off the coast. There you go.

[bowfin]

I have seen posted in another forum that Hodgdon's has closed down their packaging plant because they cannot get shipments from Australia unloaded in a timely manner. Workers have been furloughed until the start of 2022.

[TurnipEaterDown]

There are ships waiting going both ways, into & out of US ports.
I know of examples from my place of work, 60+ days transit time on a ship across the pacific rather than 2 weeks.

[farmbif]

Treat things you hear at the local gun shop just as you would the headlines on the National Enquirer.
well, how are you ever gonna know what's really going on without reading the National Enquirer

[rintinglen]

well, how are you ever gonna know what's really going on without reading the National Enquirer

You could just ask the Bat Boy, I'm sure he knows.

[Travisbishop]

I heard they quit making black powder. But smokeless? I don't see that happening short of ATF pulling their license

[Froogal]

I heard they quit making black powder. But smokeless? I don't see that happening short of ATF pulling their license

Hodgdon owned the Goex and Old Eynsford black powder factory. Hodgdon did shut it down, but then sold it a different company that will have up and running again sometime soon.

[john.k]

AS to shipping costs....guy who bought my yard tells me that his latest quote is $37,000 for a 40 ft container...up from $3500 a year ago..............You should also know ADI has suspended production of all but IMR type powders suitable for military small arms. and MGs and they supply Hodgdons .....so double whammy ....massive freight increases and limited production..........And now with Putins antics,you can be sure orders for missiles ,bombs and shells are flooding in .

[uscra112]

Once again it's looking like my stocks of .22 ammo, lead and powder are going to make my retirement comfortable. Primers not so much, *sigh*

[john.k]

Or an airgun shot into a carpet backup.........airs free,or was until recently,and the slugs can be reused.

[farmbif]

hodgdon and all the powder brands they have acquired , winchester, IMR, accurate + ramshot/western powders. are available now directly from the hodgdon, imr, winchester western, website.
and the best $5 I ever spent for reloading book was last month for the western powder reloading book directly from this web site and it took less than 1 week for delivery. lots and lots of cast bullet loads that they actually tested comes very close to rivaling the cast bullet loads in Lyman manual.
as far as them going out of business---yeah, I dont think so.

[quasi]

I am surprised Hodgdon has not been charged with anti-trust violations. They have bought up all their competition.