The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 12, 2013, 07:43 PM   #1
brokenanew
Member
 
Join Date: September 14, 2012
Posts: 83
Supply dry spell.

I can't get a blooming thing! Especially as far as powder goes. Anyone have
any idea when this dry spell wil slack up? Any insights?
brokenanew is offline  
Old February 12, 2013, 08:21 PM   #2
FloridaGuy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 8, 2012
Location: Clearwater, FL
Posts: 237
My local gun shop seems to think it is just going to get worse. I was there this past weekend and was looking at some different powders. They had one that I want to use to load .45 ACP in a couple of weeks. I told him that I would pick it up closer to when I was going to use it. He said don't wait because it is just going to get worse.

He has very little inventory on guns and don't known when they will be getting any in. They did just receive a shippement of AR15's that they are putting out for sale this weekend. But the prices are outrages for these guns. His shelves are pretty well stocked with factory loaded ammo except for .38 Special and .22LR ammo that is all gone.

They still have a good supply of reloading components except for some powders are not in stock. So far they are not limiting the quanities that you can purchase of reloading supplies or ammo.
FloridaGuy is offline  
Old February 12, 2013, 09:35 PM   #3
ScottRiqui
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 27, 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 2,905
If your shop still has a good supply of reloading components and factory ammo in most calibers, even with no purchase limits, that's very unusual - most stores have been almost completely stripped for weeks.

I keep expecting the local Wal-Mart to start putting non-gun stuff in the ammo case, rather than just letting it sit bare the way it has been lately.
ScottRiqui is offline  
Old February 12, 2013, 10:24 PM   #4
lamarw
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 12, 2010
Location: Lake Martin, AL
Posts: 3,311
Berry's, a plated bullet manufacturer, states on their web site they are not taking orders and their current outstanding orders stretch out 6 to 8 months.

Powder Valley has stopped taking orders for primers. I have 6,000 small pistol primers on back order prior to their halt to taking orders. I suspect it will be months prior to seeing my small order.

As another poster stated; things may get much worse before they get better. I suspect Berry's order status is very telling on just how bad thing are going to end up for all of us both reloaders and new ammo buyers.
lamarw is offline  
Old February 12, 2013, 10:43 PM   #5
justsoIcanupvotethis
Member
 
Join Date: June 11, 2012
Posts: 29
Dont know where you are but Cabela's in Kansas City had an almost full supply of Alliant Powders today. My LGS here in Topeka has just about every powder I can think of. Bullets now thats another story.
justsoIcanupvotethis is offline  
Old February 12, 2013, 10:45 PM   #6
dornjmd
Junior Member
 
Join Date: February 2, 2013
Posts: 12
I know someone was mentioning a shortage on lead. I came across this while looking for something completely different. I have no idea about prices (I've never bought lead before) but they have some in stock.

http://www.rotometals.com/Bullet-Casting-Alloys-s/5.htm
dornjmd is offline  
Old February 12, 2013, 10:49 PM   #7
Jbotto
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 8, 2010
Location: MN
Posts: 437
I've been able to order bullets from Missouri Bullet Co. It took a bit longer than normal, but I did get them. Powder, last I checked, was still around and on shelves... Brass I'm not worried about... There are always hoarders like me deciding to sell. What I'm mostly worried about is primers. I think I have 250 small pistol primers left, and 150 are primed in empty cases.... That worries me. For how much I shoot my .223, I'm good on supplies for that for at least a year. But large rifle primers and small pistol primers I am definitely low on. Maybe I'll happen upon some somewhere!
Jbotto is offline  
Old February 12, 2013, 10:58 PM   #8
brokenanew
Member
 
Join Date: September 14, 2012
Posts: 83
A bird told me that the government has bought so much ammunition recently that its killed supply. Would this have really effect reloading supplies as well?

You cant even get .22LR...anywhere here. No powders at least ones that are even remotely popular. Brass is a laugh and u may occasionally run into primers. Bullets are somewhat available but its not going to be in popular weights like 168gr for .308 or 55gr for .223 etc. Anyway. I think once the house shoots down gun control proposals some of the scare might start to fade and the supply will slowly trickle back.

One of the biggest problems are the hoarders. You know, the kind that would only use a 1lb of a certain powder in a year but bought 5 lbs. ugh!

I was able to get my go to bullet in .223 (77SMK) directly from Sierra when no one online or local shops had any. If only I could do that with powders
brokenanew is offline  
Old February 12, 2013, 11:11 PM   #9
serf 'rett
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 25, 2009
Location: Stuttgart, AR
Posts: 1,569
Quote:
A bird told me that the government has bought so much ammunition recently that its killed supply. Would this have really effect reloading supplies as well?
Simple answer yes. Primers/bullets will be used to make ammo first.
__________________
A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.
serf 'rett is offline  
Old February 13, 2013, 09:16 AM   #10
reloader28
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 13, 2009
Location: nw wyoming
Posts: 1,061
You better get used to it.
I think this is only the beginning.

How on earth could you NOT know this was coming?
reloader28 is offline  
Old February 13, 2013, 09:36 AM   #11
ATPBULLETS
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 31, 2012
Location: Land between the Lakes
Posts: 267
When supplies return..... there may be a much higher price point as well....
legislation may put the federal taxes into this equation...
ATPBULLETS is offline  
Old February 13, 2013, 10:00 AM   #12
MarcB
Member
 
Join Date: January 7, 2013
Posts: 41
This whole mess is due to hoarding, period. And you are right it will get worse before it gets better. This same thing happened during the Vietnam war. My store had a hard time keeping primers and powder in stock. People were buying up reloading stuff out of panic. Factories couldn't keep up and believe me they shot more ammo over there (Vietnam) than the all the mideast combined.. The factories added extra shifts and eventually the shortage was curbed. Not so this time. Factories aren't willing to add extra employees and also a shortage of some materials (At reasonable prices ie: copper). are keeping supplies short. Add to this the the possibility of government regulation the hoarding will continue.
MarcB is offline  
Old February 13, 2013, 10:46 AM   #13
rajbcpa
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 27, 2012
Posts: 321
I started hording EVERYTHING last August when I was unable to buy primers at several LGS.

The shortage should subside in 9 months to 1 year, perhaps a tad longer.

This shortage is MUCH worse than anything that ocuured in 2008 after the first Obama win.

His attorney general has been cited for contempt of Congress for failing to provide information on the ATFs assault weapons gun running operation. The ATFs operation was designed to create a culture for the future ban of assault weapons.

Does that tell you something about Obama's desire to grab our guns?

If you did not hord supplies begining last year you are out of luck for about 1 year - maybe longer.
rajbcpa is offline  
Old February 13, 2013, 04:33 PM   #14
Jbotto
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 8, 2010
Location: MN
Posts: 437
This showed up on my Facebook page today...
http://www.hornady.com/support/availability

It can also be found on the very top of Hornady's website.
Jbotto is offline  
Old February 13, 2013, 04:46 PM   #15
TheNatureBoy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 6, 2007
Posts: 1,204
I personally think this drought is gonna last a little longer than the last one. I was in a shop yesterday with a co-worker who was looking to purchase a XD 9mm. One of the employees told him that there were 80,000 units back ordered for Springfield XD semi-autos and he couldn't tell him when one would arrive if he ordered it. We went to another shop and they had one for $599 and he put it on lay away. I've been able to find a few boxes of bullets (reloading) at Bass Pro Shops for my .308 and my daughters .22-250. I ordered 100 pieces of used .308 brass that came in last week. I think I'm gonna be able to ride this thing out.
TheNatureBoy is offline  
Old February 13, 2013, 05:01 PM   #16
dumbodave
Member
 
Join Date: January 30, 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 46
Up here in Canada there is a general unease about powder and primer supplies. I have managed to get 4 or 5 years of primer supplies and I have a reasonable stock of powder, but if people want to reload at all in the next few months, have a look at your reserves!
__________________
If it's incoming - DUCK!
dumbodave is offline  
Old February 13, 2013, 08:17 PM   #17
CrustyFN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 4, 2006
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,258
Well if it's anything like 2008 things should start to improve in 6 to 9 months.
__________________
I don't ever remember being absent minded.
CrustyFN is offline  
Old February 13, 2013, 08:30 PM   #18
Huskerguy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 28, 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 348
Talked to my LGS guy who is hooked in to Davidsons as his supplier. They are predicting that 30% of current LGS's will be out of business in a year because they will not have anything to sell. Orders are put on back order and you have no idea when or if something is going to come in. You order and hope. When stuff does come in, it flies off of shelves in a day or two.

Wholesale prices have not increased as of a couple weeks ago for primers and reloading stock.

Several reports out there that this will last another 9 months which puts us in November. By that time, things will have changed so much, who knows what a fair price for anything is. Also, I am afraid of to many guys going out of business which will cause prices to go higher because they have to increase prices to cover the lack of revenue for the last few months and to possibly cover the cost of increased government restrictions.

All in all not a pretty picture.
Huskerguy is offline  
Old February 14, 2013, 10:35 AM   #19
greentick
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 15, 2011
Location: Deep South
Posts: 261
Powder Valley has a bunch of powders listed in stock.

Ship times are delayed per their web page
__________________
nous défions
greentick is offline  
Old February 14, 2013, 11:41 AM   #20
BigD_in_FL
Junior member
 
Join Date: December 20, 2012
Location: The "Gunshine State"
Posts: 1,981
Quote:
I can't get a blooming thing! Especially as far as powder goes. Anyone have
any idea when this dry spell wil slack up? Any insights?
Depends on how the elections go in 2014 and 2016..........

Otherwise, get in on a backorder list
BigD_in_FL is offline  
Old February 14, 2013, 12:37 PM   #21
jag2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 30, 2009
Location: dallas
Posts: 773
I agree with the 6 to 9 months. Probably better supply by the fall but may be into next year before the prices come back down. Looked at some of the winning bids at Gunnrunner on AR type rifles and although they were high they weren't too bad so maybe that is encouraging.
jag2 is offline  
Old February 14, 2013, 01:03 PM   #22
BigJimP
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 23, 2005
Posts: 13,195
All of this has been created by shooters that are hoarding stuff....that they won't use up in 10 yrs....we're doing it to ourselves on the ammo and reloading supply side.....

No matter what might happen with high capacity mags and AR's ....none of it has anything to do with 9mm or .22 ammo....

I hope it stops in the next 3 or 4 months...
BigJimP is offline  
Old February 14, 2013, 02:07 PM   #23
temmi
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 13, 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 531
6 months

Then

Slowly better

Snake
temmi is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:31 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11084 seconds with 10 queries