Where did all the powder go??
- Thread starter John S
- Start date
Galaxiedan
Blackhawk
My guess is the large influx of new reloaders has put a dent in the normal supply
Clovishound
Blackhawk
Some claim the majority of powder being manufactured is being directed to the ammo makers. Between that and all the new reloaders, and the current reloaders buying more than usual........ A couple of industrial accidents at powder plants hasn't helped much either.
DGW1949
Hawkeye
I'd suspect that outfits like Georgia Arms and Freedom Munitions is using it as fast as their equipment can be made to run.
DGW
DGW
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
DGW1949 said:
Hi,
Yup! Then we can multiply their usage by the number of companies out there also making huge amounts of ammo every day!
Just for example, some months back we had a thread which told how CCI alone was making 4 million rounds of .22LR per day, seven days a week. Other sources have put total US production of .22LR around 12 million rounds/day. Now I've never weighed the powder charge of a .22LR, but a figure of 1.0 to 1.5 gr is sometimes quoted. Let's say 1.0 gr/round for discussion. At that charge, we're talking a bit more than 1 3/4 of a TON per day... or nearly SIX tons of powder each week! JUST for .22LR ammo! How many shelves at the LGS would TEN THOUSAND and some of those one pound jugs take?
Trying to put that in another perspective, I started loading at the end of 1965. Since then, I've loaded around 250k rounds. To some of you, that's not much, but to the average active shooter and handloader, it's probably a fair number. Looking back, I might have gone thru 750 lbs of powder. In the grand scheme of things, that's not even enough to make it to lunch time on a single shift for the guys making .22s... :shock:
So in real life that couple of pounds we're looking for to restock our shelves as individuals doesn't even register on the screen! People don't seem to understand the huge scale of demand we're talking about, versus the relatively small production capacity...
(Edited to correct some of my figures...)
Rick C
Galaxiedan
Blackhawk
I was able to pick up a lb of H110 and a lb of Titegroup today. Lgs had probably 100 bottles of various brands. Ive never bought either of those powders before so didn't know if they were asking too much but a lb in the hand is better than looking through websites and seeing "out of stock"
SweetWilliam
Buckeye
It's been hit & miss by me. I have 4 or 5 local shops that have had the powders I use over the past 18 months. So I've been able to stock up.
I'm still looking for a pound or 2 of 2400 & If I see some hp-38/231 or h110 I'm gonna get an extra pound.
All the shops by me only have rifle powders at the moment & Im well stock on that.
I don't know if I'm in a good area but I've been able to get everything
I'm still looking for a pound or 2 of 2400 & If I see some hp-38/231 or h110 I'm gonna get an extra pound.
All the shops by me only have rifle powders at the moment & Im well stock on that.
I don't know if I'm in a good area but I've been able to get everything
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
Panic buying and stockpiling at the consumer level of guns, ammo and components has taken the country by storm. It is starting to level off now and some are even predicting a crash in prices in the near future but don't hold your breath for that. 
I hope wolfsong doesn't see this post or he will be attacking me over here.
I hope wolfsong doesn't see this post or he will be attacking me over here.
I'm in fair shape when it comes to componentry. Still, I would like to see some semblance of normalcy return to the firearms and accessories market. Kind of a Perfect Storm occurred........massive demand from a growing hobby/CCW/hoarder uptick, government threats to gun rights, and manufacturer reluctance to expand physical plant and manufacturing capacity from those same .gov rumblings. I've been involved in this hobby field on some level for 50+ years, and I cannot recall a deeper or more persistent shortage event during that time. It's annoying as can be, but yelling and hollering won't improve things.
The Blackhawk Kid
Blackhawk
I haven't seen any W231 for over a year. Gotta be going to hoarders.
231 is scarce. I've been lucky to pick up 3 #'s of it over the last year at gun shows for about $30 per.
Bayouhunter
Single-Sixer
You can find most of the powder you're looking for on GunBroker but be ready to pay double or more per pound for pistol powder. I will not give them the satisfaction. I bought 6lbs of 7625 18 months ago from Midsouth. I have not seen it in stock since, I found a pound of Longshot at a Bass Pro in Spanish Fort 3 months back.
I really think it's people hoarding. I absolutely do not mind folks having lots of powder, ammo, etc. I'm one of them in that over the last 15-20 years I accumulate powder because I'll see a good deal on an 8 lb. jug of AA#7, find a 12 lb. keg of 700-X at an auction, run across a garage sale when a handloader is selling out, etc. Same with .22 LR. for almost 20 years, I'd see 525 round cartons for $9.99. Like my wise old father said: "At that price why NOT buy it?"
On the other hand I saw a post on another forum in which a fellow had been buying handgun powder recently and admitted he had now amassed 75 lbs. of it! The 75 POUNDS of JUST handgun powder. Assuming a load of 7.0 grs. per cartridge, this numbskull would need 15 CASES of primers just to use all this powder.
THAT my friends is the difference in accumulating and hoarding.
On the other hand I saw a post on another forum in which a fellow had been buying handgun powder recently and admitted he had now amassed 75 lbs. of it! The 75 POUNDS of JUST handgun powder. Assuming a load of 7.0 grs. per cartridge, this numbskull would need 15 CASES of primers just to use all this powder.
THAT my friends is the difference in accumulating and hoarding.
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
+1 Do a search for ammo hoarding and look at the pictures or cruze over to that AR15.com forum and snoop around. There are some very serious hoarders over there. :shock:308 Scout said:
Here in the Phoenix area I can find what I need but at a slightly higher price. One location that specializes in reloading and bench rest products has got lots of inventory. (30 miles from my home.) I have been reloading since late 2011 and I am still finding powders in stores that I had only seen in books.
Getting better but still not where it should be.
Bill
Getting better but still not where it should be.
Bill
308 Scout said:
What would make you think some of us don't have enough primers to cover the powder we have on hand???
Without giving you the numbers in inventory, lets just say that almost all my primers cost me less than a penny each.
Oh I don't doubt for a nanosecond that someone who would have 75 lbs. of pistol powder would also have 75,000 primers. Point is I've noticed, by virtue of most folks post counts, that they spend far, far more time TALKING about shooting than actually SHOOTING.
If your primers cost you less than 1¢ each, then you've been accumulating them for quite a few years.
If your primers cost you less than 1¢ each, then you've been accumulating them for quite a few years.
Bucks Owin
Hunter
Jimbo357mag said:
Hoarders and hucksters...I see many examples of those who do get access to popular powders buying up the whole order of a LGS with the intent of reselling online at a huge profit. I guess the only option until supply catches up with demand is rationing. Damn sad and I hope these guys get stuck sitting on a mountain of powder that no one will buy or better yet they are forced to sell at a LOSS! :evil:
Cheesewhiz
Hunter
John S said:
Not to dust off my tinfoil hat but the OMC is the Office of Munitions Control, a division of the State Department. That just doesn't sound right now does it? I sure would like to see that e-mail, you might just break a huge story with it.
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
Supplies are definitely coming back. For those that like Winchester primers Midway has them in stock now as well as many other brands. I don't need too many but I just ordered 5000 small pistol primers and a bunch of bullets from Berry's Bullets to get up to snuff with my supplies.
Bayouhunter
Single-Sixer
Midway, Midsouth, Graff's, Gamileil, Lohman, Bruno's, Powder Valley, Widener's,
And some I forget had zero pistol powder in stock this week. No mail order business I've found has powder for pistol.
And some I forget had zero pistol powder in stock this week. No mail order business I've found has powder for pistol.
As I've had it explained to me.. One facility went down with a fire or explosion. Two if you count a facility that does black powder. The other factor is in the re-organization of the business. The supply chain has been disrupted, and not fully re-established. The problem is being fixed by priority(by volume). So the bigger movers are getting supplies first. So, as noted in another thread, the manufacteres can bring truck loads to Camp Perry, the 3 gun shops on my way to work are getting trickles in. The is a central distribution center somewhere that is stacked to the rafters.
cadillo
Blackhawk
John S said:
Used to be Outboard Marine Corporation. Johnson and Evinrude. I wonder if it could have been a typo?
I lucked into some more powder yesterday. Just happened to be in a local variety store (BiMart) and watched the gal wheeling out a pallet of sporting goods. I circled the isle and spotted the orange triangle on 2 of the boxes. The small one was a couple of pounds of black powder which they already had on the shelf. The larger box had 14 single one pounders of powder. I chose the 2 bottles of Varget (limited to 1 each customer but I had my son with me) and headed for the door. I figured 1 for me and another for a friend. These were $24.97 and NO they won't be on the market for $35.
Clovishound
Blackhawk
Managed to pick up a pound of power pistol today. Not sure it's the best powder for .38 and 9mm, but right now I am low enough to pick up a pound of anything that has data for the calibers I load. I've been loading for about 2 years, and haven't bought 2 lbs of the same pistol powder yet. I started out with Titegroup, switched to Universal. I would have stuck with Uni, but then the shortage started and I had to buy what was available, instead of what I wanted. The good news is that I can get 1500 - 2000 rounds out of a pound. At least, that is good news if I like the powder.
was at three stores last week. No pistol/revolver powder. Quite a bit of the useless rifle powders though at two of them. Primers are available. Just no powder (and of course no .22LR either).... Now I have enough to last the year out and probably longer, but makes you wonder where it could be going!
LightningMan
Bearcat
If someone come up with a way to convert available rifle powder into pistol powder. That person could make a fortune. Me not being a powder expert, my guess is it can't be done, because I think would have done it already. LM
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