Unique now has a very unique price!

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Mus408

Hunter
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
2,333
Location
Va.
Stopped by my LGS yesterday and was surprised to see 1 lb. each of Unique and Herco powders....just those two is all they had.
Grabbed the Unique just to add to my supply and slammed it right back down when I saw the price sticker....$ 69.99 might as well say 70 bucks!!!
The lone container of Herco was the same! I looked on the shops website and all other Alliant and other powders still at their last pricing of 25.00-30.00 bucks
but Unique and Herco at 69.99 of course all listed as out of stock.
Is this the new normal? I have plenty of powder but have to keep this in mind for later replacement costs.
 

wwb

Hunter
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
2,867
Location
wisconsin
Yikes !!!

I have a half-full 8-pounder of it.... maybe I should auction it off and buy a yacht.
 
Joined
May 28, 2004
Messages
1,337
Location
MN
Largest gun shop around here had a huge shipment of powder a couple of weeks ago. Prices ranged from about $25-35., one pound cans (and smaller Trail Boss cans) only. Mostly Hodgdon, IMR, Winchester, etc. product lines. They had some Alliant powders, too- Unique, Bullseye, Reloder series, etc.

They had a limit of one can per person, per day. I went back three days in a row. They sold out completely, on the fourth day (a Saturday).

I was thrilled to get two pounds of Bullseye, for about $25 each. That'll keep me in .38 wadcutter loads for several YEARS! :p I also bought a pound of H322 for about $30, which will keep me in .223 varmint loads for a long time.

This winter I bought two pounds of Varget and two pounds of H4895. I wanted those two powders specifically, due to a mentor's experience with them. I had to pay $55/pound. (I'm a beginning reloader, don't have a big stash built up, and bought as a calculated decision.)

By the time I've loaded my way through those four pounds of powder (intended for specific/specialty loads), hopefully things will have mellowed out a little in the powder market. As the FFL I bought them from said, "I don't like scalpers, but I didn't pay normal price for it, either!"

I think the better shops will hold their prices down, as much as they can. I plan to remember those shops, reward them with my future business, AND tell them why I'm choosing their shop!

I'll pay inflated prices to get a little bit of a specific item or two, to get me through until the supply chain catches up a little bit.

I WON'T be routinely paying $80+/brick for Remington Thunderbolts, though. I'll shoot my slingshot, if I have to! :mrgreen:
(Note to self: order that 6-cavity Lee 000 Buckshot mold!)
 
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
2,419
Location
The Sticks---N.W. Orygun
I just bought 2 pounds 2 weeks ago at regular retail $27.99. Just happened to walk in on the right day when they had powder. In fact they probably had 100 pounds and 15 different kinds. I was also surprised to see small pistol and small rifle primers---amazingly at less that they used to be. I paid $3.29 each for my limit of 2. There regular price a year ago was $3.79.

Just my opinion--- You need to find a new retailer and go out of your way to let this one know why you will not be back.
 

RSIno1

Hunter
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
2,858
Location
Southern California
My local guy got some powder and was surprised with some primers being sent along too. Primers were going for 100-150 per thousand on the CalGuns forum and being snapped up. He was at $50 limit 2. I bought 2M.
Bottom line it costs X amount per month to keep the doors open. If you have 100 items to spread the cost over they are cheaper. If you have to make you money on 2 pounds of powder they are going to be expensive.
 

Mus408

Hunter
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
2,333
Location
Va.
This particular shop is the only one close by that sells powder and he usually has a very wide selection of it and was in the 24-30 dollar price range before the covid crisis. Maybe the distributor he buys from has upped his price big time. Primers are what I need to look for to add to what I have which is less than 1000 right now.
Saving those for SD loads since I have a good amount of plinking ammo of various calibers. And of course "plinking" ammo such as 45 Colt 250 gr. slug going 850 FPS
has always took care of buisness!
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,142
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
Several wholesalers & distributors are being charged more by their suppliers now.
Vista Outdoors has announced a price increase, as has Winchester. Don't expect everything to be at "pre-covid, panic" prices anytime soon,,,, if ever.
 

Johnnu2

Hunter
Joined
Jun 26, 2003
Messages
2,846
Location
NYS
They are learning from the experts in controlling a market i.e. the diamond mine kings De Beers who hold control of 80+% of the diamonds coming out of the ground; and don't allow them into the market except as they see fit to control the prices....
IMHO of course,
J.
 

LAH

Buckeye
Joined
Jun 6, 2002
Messages
1,469
Location
WV
I probably have more Unique than I'll ever use but with reports like this I'm glad.
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2006
Messages
9,810
Location
Woodbury, Tn
About a year ago my friends step father died, and had guns and powder to liquidate. In what I bought was Unique. I have never used it before, so I loaded up 50 200gr .430 over 7.5 grs of unique. Yesterday I put 20 of them downrange from my .44 spcl Charter Bulldog. It was accurate and fun to shoot! I paid $25 for that 1lb of unique.
gramps
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2005
Messages
9,114
Location
Milo Maine
Local shop in my area wants 100 bucks for a pound of powder!
I told him he may regret that seeing this situation is not going to last forever.
I'll never seat foot in that place again. BTW the place is Pond View Sports in Dexter Me. ps
 

jgt

Buckeye
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
1,000
Location
coleman texas
Not all shops are scalping. Some are trying to supply their high dollar customers. I overheard a conversation a customer had with a shop owner during the Olbama run up. I was in a shop that sold guns and reloading supplies. His shelves were bare. One customer was wanted some ammunition. The owner told him it was near impossible to get and when he had found it they wanted super high prices for it. The customer told him he didn't care, he would take all he could get no matter the price. So if a shop has some of those type customers he is trying to supply them and figures the average guy is not crazy enough to pay those kind of prices. I'm not saying all the high prices are because of this aspect of what is happening, but I would give them the benefit of the doubt until the supply comes back. If he is scalping he is not going to want to lower his prices back to fair when the supply comes back.
 

mikld

Blackhawk
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
947
Location
Oregon
I don't have the guts to scalp customers with those prices. I know business is business but charging up to 10 times normal is immoral...
 

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