Your Thoughts on Pistol Powder Availability

[Potatohead]

Sorry to open a thread 2 days in a row, and a subjective one at that..but I caught myself rambling in reaction to a comment in the "Anyone seen Longshot" thread, so I figure I better open my own in order to avoid a WARNING in my Inbox!

There's been a whole lot of posts about folks, especially from us newer guys, not being able to find powder, and it seems like we're seeing lots of threads about that Spanish powder and today some surplus powder..

AACD's comment and my very uneducated analysis regarding the pistol powder "epidemic":

if this goes on for another year I will only have W231 left.

I feel like we'll see this for another year. Or sporadic supply at best over the next yr anyway. I dont have anything to base that on besides my gut-and I just dont think they can catch powder up as quickly as other items in the gun world. People are still in a frenzy over pistol powder, Its still getting snatched up the moment it hits the shelves. Not a good sign IMO.

Not that it much matters what any of us think, but what do you fellas see happening?

Especially those of you who have been around awhile and have danced to this song before.

Hopefully this is not to subjective of a topic that's headed for a quick closure but I understand if so..

 

[Walkalong]

It is getting better. Be patient young man.

 

[kcofohio]

One of the heavys has been missing for awhile. Clays.

Until we start seeing the Hodgdon Clay line up for grabs. This includes Universal too. I know ADI had a fire and stalled production. But I haven't seen any sign of it showing anywhere. Has anybody seen Clays lately?

Of course, I'm like you PH. Fairly new to the scene.

 

[Artofgolf]

It is getting better. Be patient young man.

Yes it is If you keep attention to the powder marketplace, we see & hear members finding what will work (not necessarily favorites).

The manufacturers (representatives) say they are slowly getting past impediments to supply constraints. Buy what you need when available

 

[ImjinScout85]

I was lucky enough to pick up some VVN320 which was new to me but I had been using hodgdon exclusively. I haven't seen any Hodgdon pistol powders available in over a year and half. I guess that will be the sign for me when HP-38 or HS-6 is available

 

[Don McDowell]

Supply is getting better altho there is still some hoarding/profit taking going on with the available supplies. It will heal itself at some point in the probably near future.
In the meantime I would suggest you new guys get ahold of a good reloading manual such as Lyman's 49th, and study it closely for the cartridge/cartridges you are loading for, and when you see a powder on the shelf that will fit your needs buy a can of it.
Always keep in mind it takes a really serious pistol shooter to go thru a pound of powder in a year. RE Unique in a 357 at 5 grs per round will yield something close to 1400 rounds... Unless you're casting that represents a major investment in bullets..

 

[Potatohead]

keep in mind it takes a really serious pistol shooter to go thru a pound of powder in a year

True..There's a bit of "overbuying" going on.

I'm in fine shape, and love branching out with new powders, seeing what works with what and all that. Still I'd like to see what it feels like to, for instance, think "I'd like to try AA#5 " and run to the store and order me up a bottle. Not happening right now.

I just think it's gonna be quite awhile longer before we see a consistent supply. And even longer than that for the favorites. Im starting to wonder if it wont be a 4-5 year process. How long has this thing been going on now?

 

[Don McDowell]

Yes it'll be a while before there is a consitant supply. But also keep in mind that even in the "good oldays" just because powder x was available didn't necessarily mean the local slobber shop was going to have it in stock, or even had any interest in getting some in, on account of the regular nerdowells that spent their extra time clogging up the aisles didn't think powder x was needed or any good....

 

[Jim Watson]

I am in pretty good shape.
A considerate guy here travels on his job and makes it a point to stop at all likely stores as he goes from project to project. He has brought back a good deal of powder bought in small lots and distributed it to club members. I probably have enough HP38 to last most of next year. I hope things calm down enough that I will be able to buy enough to last out the Hillary Administration before the next national election.

 

[cfullgraf]

Things are getting better.

At the Knoxville, TN gun show last weekend there was more pistol poeder there than I ahve seen in a long time.

8 lb kegs of Unique and 700-X. One pound containers of W296, Titegroup, AA#9, 800-X and a couple others that I do not remember.

I bought a lifetime supply of 700-X (one 8 lb container). If I deciphered the lot number correctly, it was probably packaged in September, 2014.

 

[Don McDowell]

I had an old neighbor that sold out and was moving, he called and said he had a box of powder he wasn't going to use and wasn't going to move it... So I went down and my gosh what a treasure trove, 3 each unopened 2400,unique, bullseye and 231, along with some 4320 and 4350.... So for the rest of my life I'm probably good on smokeless..

 

[kcofohio]

In the meantime I would suggest you new guys get
ahold of a good reloading manual such as Lyman's
49th, and study it closely for the cartridge/
cartridges you are loading for, and when you see a
powder on the shelf that will fit your needs buy a
can of it.

Have done that in long form.

But I'm still dreaming of waking up one day and finding 4 # of Silhouette under the tree.

 

[higgite]

Here I was, just starting to feel better about the whole powder situation and now this thread has done gone and got me all worried and on the brink of another panic attack!

 

[2bfree]

I think one of the problems now is that people that use to buy a couple # because of the shortage they now buy 8# or more when they find what they want. I did pick up an 8 pounder of HP 38 a few months ago from PV and last week I did see W 231 in stock some where in this thread. It's out there, just have to be quick.

 

[Potatohead]

I think one of the problems now is that people that use to buy a couple # because of the shortage they now buy 8# or more when they find what they want

Definitely. I think more than a few have probably bought powder and not even had data, just buying it in case..and Im not complaining, just sayin.

Thanks for the comments fellas. Interesting about the good ol days, because I havent had any and have wondered how it worked back in the day.

 

[mstreddy]

keep in mind it takes a really serious pistol shooter to go thru a pound of powder in a year

I wouldn't say a serious shooter, but much more than a casual shooter. I figure that for pistol -- let's say Win231/HP38 I load 45, 9 and 40. Average at 5 grains per load - that's 1400 rounds per one pound. If I shoot 2 or 3 times a month, shooting 200 rounds per session, that would last me - ONLY 7 range outings. Even if I was only shooting 100 rounds that would only be 14 range days.
Now, a casual shooter that only goes once a month or less can make that pound of powder stretch for a year.
Now, if you look at the guys shooting some of the competitions or games - those are serious shooters.
For me, I load and shoot 9mm, 40, 45 ACP, 38 spcl, 380, now 32 ACP, 38 super, and a some others. One pound won't go far for me.

PH, yeah, it is slowly improving -- not fixed yet, but at least some powders have shown up -- not lasted, but they have appeared recently. Bass Pro with the Unique and Bullseye, 700X, Blue Dot, etc... What we don't have is the halcyon days of being able to get on the Powder Valley (or others) site, fill up our shopping cart with our favorite brew, throw in a pound or 2 of some other powder to try out and buy it.
A lot of us are in the buy what we find mode, but even that is slowing down some.

 

[mdi]

Seems to be getting better as I've seen primers and rimfire ammo available in Oregon. I too believe "we have seen da enemy, and dey is us!". I have acquaintances that would buy 2 mebbe three pounds of powder per year buy everything in sight, "just in case", and the shooter that normally would buy 100 rounds of .22 lr ammo, snatch up 2-3 bricks (or whatever the limit is). I also stopped into a gun store in the next town asking about powders. The owner said he didn't have any, and that that did come in won't go on the shelf, he's saving it for his "good customers". Needless to say I won't be going back there...

 

[Potatohead]

Thanks guys. RC, did powder get this tight after the Abe Lincoln assassination?

 

[TfflHndn]

I also think it's easign up just a bit. But even when it was at its tightest, I still found usable powders if I paid attention. I'm good for at least a couple years now, with an 8pounder of Bullseye and one of Clay Dot, and a 5-pounder of Blue Dot. Pretty much covers the range of my handgun loads, and I have some open cans of other stuff also. Favorites (AA #2, #5, Silhouette, WST) are hard to find, still. Why does it seem like the best-metering powders are the least available? The big, grainy powders that I have to hand measure (the Dots, for example) are more often there. Seems odd.

 

[anothernewb]

I've seen more in the last 2 months than the past 14 that's for sure.

 

[Blue68f100]

I was at a gun show this weekend and found a couple 1# bottles of WST. I had not seen this powder in 3 yrs. The seller said it showed up earlier in the week. So maybe the larger 8# jugs will start showing up. And some of the shotgun and pistol powders will come available in the near future.

 

[roval]

I didn't know I was a serious pistol shooter but since I started reloading Sept last year I've used 2 lbs unique1lb bullseye1 lb 700x 1lb as no. 5 . Not pistol but2lbs cfe223 and 1 lb imr 4895.

 

[MSgtEgress]

My main supplier on Central PA is starting to get Alliant Powders again. They had 8#'ers of Bullseye, Red Dot, Green Dot and Promo and 1#'ers of almost anything else including Unique. The 8# jugs went pretty fast. Probably to all the shotgunners like me that were starting to get desperate I was down to my last pound of green dot that I use for 20ga target loads. We use a lot of the same powders pistol reloaders use and we use a lot more of it.

They also told me Hodgdon's rebuilt factory in Australia should be on-line in Spring 2015 they were thinking Clays should reappear next summer

Prices were not inflated 119 for Bullseye, Red Dot and Green Dot and 102 for Promo. I've seen a lot of gougers. At one store in Gettysburg PA they wanted 50 bucks a pound for 3031. Needless to say I told him thanks, but no thanks.

 

[Elkins45]

When I can walk into a store and pick up an 8# jug of 2400 I will consider the shortage over.


There's still a shortage because 2400 is the only powder I need that I don't have a surplus of. I thought I had a full 8# jug but it was actually a 1/2 full 4#. I passed up an 8# jug for $149 because I thought I had plenty. That was 18 months ago, and that was the last new container of 2400 I've seen.

 

[Blue Thunder]

One thing I did years ago, the late 1990's, was to get to two Powders that would work in all my pistol calibers as I don't reload rifle or shotty. Those are Unique and AA2. Yes I have a couple of cans of Universal Clays and a can of Bullseye and a can of 2400. The last two are more than 30 years old but still work as they have been stored properly. I keep an excel spreadsheet that lists caliber, powder load, bullet weight and chorono results for reference as all are set to either Power Factor for IPSC or loads from the single cartridge reloading manuals that have listings for +P loads of 9MM and 45ACP.