Why companies drop components

Gunplummer · July 14, 2015, 09:22 AM

In the last few years a lot of reloading components have "Just gone away". Is this just the usual corporate stupidity of trying to jam something down the consumers throat that they don't want, or is something else going on? Right now reloading has never been this popular before. Why would companies back off on production?

**Unclenick** · July 14, 2015, 09:43 AM

When they are producing at maximum capacity, they produce the items that sell the largest volume (most demand) first. Everything else gets a back seat. Hornady, for example, put a lot of its bullet designs on hiatus during the peak of the buying frenzy because they didn't sell enough of them to justify taking the tool change time away from producing their more popular items.

Hornady, specifically, and after realizing the added demand was going to be permanently larger, has been adding employees and plant capacity and catching up. I haven't looked recently to see where they are with their less popular bullets now. But it's likely everyone will get caught up eventually just because there is money to be made at it.

shootniron · July 14, 2015, 11:27 AM

It is just businesses doing business as they see fit. It is their company and their product...if they don't want to produce it...that is there right.

There is "some" freedom remaining in this country.

FITASC · July 14, 2015, 12:36 PM

Supply versus demand taking into account manufacturing capacity. They are going to make what maximizes ROI.

BigJimP · July 14, 2015, 01:38 PM

I don't think the mfg's have backed off production....I think demand, and hoarding, has far surpassed availability of product. In fact I think most of the component mfg's have added capacity and tried to take advantage of the higher demand.

But in my area...bullets and primers are readily available...and most powders are starting to come back as well...although I've never run out and continue to be able to shoot at least 20,000 handgun rounds a year by picking up what I can when the powder I like for handguns becomes available.

skizzums · July 14, 2015, 02:58 PM

i feel that we will start seeing the less popular stuff start getting produced again in the next 1 to 2 years. it seems like we have kind of reached a plateau in component buying and stuff is starting to hit the shelves again. we are already seeing a sharp decline in gun sales showing that the people that are going to be reloading and ammo hoarding are probably already into it, and we won't have another slew of new gun owners trying to get into the sport anytime soon, barring anymore poitical discussion anyways. since we are seeing huge surpluss of common calibers like 9mm and .223 start to pile up at the stores and prices droppping to pre-panic levels, they should start tooling up for more obscure stuff soon. but even if the start producing those things or already have, it's going to take a good bit of time to get the back orders filled. right now i am just happy to see powders/primers available again. i personally have always been able to find decent bullets, if not exactly what i wanted, to shoot. i find it odd though that through the last 3 years, i have almost always been able to find any kind of Hornady bullet i desired and not so much from other makers. maybe because Hornad doesn't have a large "loaded" ammo market, but still sierra/nosler and especially speer(pistol bullets) and been elusive.

Gunplummer · July 14, 2015, 09:55 PM

I think some bullet makers have just plain dropped a lot of their bullets and replaced them with junk a lot of the customers do not want. I do not doubt that the run on components had a lot to do with unavailability, but I foresee a lot of old style bullets not coming back from the "unavailable/seasonal" status.

skizzums · July 14, 2015, 10:39 PM

i don't see how they would make money if now selling "junk" that we don't want..... i love the quality of the bullets i get, they actually amaze me sometimes.

Lurch37 · July 14, 2015, 10:49 PM

Quote:

I think some bullet makers have just plain dropped a lot of their bullets and replaced them with junk a lot of the customers do not want.

I doubt they are in the business to make junk we don't want, and if so, I don't see them in business very long. From what I've seen locally, the supply is much much better, and the odd/less popular calibers and componets are now showing up as well.

Snyper · July 15, 2015, 03:21 AM

Quote:

I foresee a lot of old style bullets not coming back from the "unavailable/seasonal" status.

Start a thread on "What's the best bullet for...?", and most of the answers will be the latest, greatest thing on the market.

People will tell you the bullets that worked well for decades on game suddenly won't kill them anymore, and you must have the highest BC, mono material, long range Super Bullet or you will fail.

No one wants "old style" because they are out of fashion, so the companies make the higher priced projectiles that really don't kill any better than the old cup and cores

hartcreek · July 15, 2015, 03:47 AM

Gunplumber......Is there something specific that you need just state it.

Others have needed certain and when we know what is needed it may be provided. For example I have shipped a couple sizes of bullets that I cast at they are unobtainable and the mold was temporarily out of stock.

Those of us that are really into reloading.....there aint much we cant figure out how to make.

BigJimP · July 15, 2015, 10:29 AM

Two of the most popular bullets....and higher quality bullets...

Montana Gold ...for a true jacketed bullet...
Berry's.....for a plated bullet.....

went thru a period, over a year ago now, where their products were in short supply - but both of them are readily available now.

CowTowner · July 15, 2015, 10:47 AM

All I know is when I emailed Hornady about no longer listing the .41 FTX, I never got a response. They were a 190 grain Flex Tip for the 41 Rem Mag Marlins. Marlin stopped making the rifle and I guess Hornady decided they didn't need to make the bullet any longer.

dahermit · July 15, 2015, 10:57 AM

Quote:

All I know is when I emailed Hornady about no longer listing the .41 FTX, I never got a response. They were a 190 grain Flex Tip for the 41 Rem Mag Marlins. Marlin stopped making the rifle and I guess Hornady decided they didn't need to make the bullet any longer

.It is just speculation, but I suspect too few people were interested in what was essentially a pointed bullet for use in a short-range gun where aerodynamic bullets were of little use. It seemed to me to be an ingenious solution to a non-existent problem.

mikld · July 15, 2015, 12:05 PM

Kinda like an orchard that has apple trees and plum trees. It takes manpower to pick the fruit. So, are you gonna devote manpower to pickin' fruit that doesn't sell or keep the pickers pickin' apples?

mikld · July 15, 2015, 12:07 PM

OOPS!

Hammerhead · July 15, 2015, 12:41 PM

I've been looking for .45 cal jacketed SWCs.

I haven't seen a jacketed SWC from Hornady for sale in 2 or 3 years, but they seem to be pumping out the XTPs as fast as we can shoot/hoard them.

Remington and Speer seem to be absent completely from the handgun bullet game. Maybe they're concentrating on rifle bullets.

Single-Sixer · July 15, 2015, 12:43 PM

Economics 101: It's all about REVENUE!

jmr40 · July 15, 2015, 01:43 PM

I don't care what you are manufacturing companies put products on the shelf. Those that sell get replaced, those that don't sell don't get manufactured. If you shoot 9mm, 308, 45, or 12 ga your ammo is available. If you shoot something less popular you'll have to wait until there is a slowdown in sales of the popular items before manufacturers will make more of them.

Paul B. · July 15, 2015, 02:31 PM

One solution that has worked for me is search the for sale sections of the various hunting and shooting sites. One of my favorite bullets is the Sierra 170 gr. 7MM round nose for use in my 7x57's. Sierra dumped them so far back in history that I forget when it was they dropped them. I called to see if they had any and the guy was shocked that I even wanted them. Search the web sites and now have a very good supply and at less cost than if they were at my LGS. Frankly, I've found many good buys on bullets, brass and even powder. On the powder, I did have to take a trip from Tucson to Quartzite and the seller came from the Los Angeles area with the powder. I got 32 pounds of WMR which in my several .270s and .300 Win. Mag.s is a freeloader's dream. Great velocity and extremely fine accuracy.
Yes, searching does take time but if it's a discontinued item you absolutely have to have, you have a chance of finding what you want. Works for me.

Paul B.

TimSr · July 15, 2015, 02:33 PM

Quote:

All I know is when I emailed Hornady about no longer listing the .41 FTX, I never got a response. They were a 190 grain Flex Tip for the 41 Rem Mag Marlins. Marlin stopped making the rifle and I guess Hornady decided they didn't need to make the bullet any longer.

I can't imagine a lot of demand for .41 Mag bullets for a carbine. I wonder how many of those rifles actually exist.

Pretty much all companies discontinue items for the same reason - lack of demand.

jag2 · July 15, 2015, 10:27 PM

All I know is when I emailed Hornady about no longer listing the .41 FTX, I never got a response. They were a 190 grain Flex Tip for the 41 Rem Mag Marlins. Marlin stopped making the rifle and I guess Hornady decided they didn't need to make the bullet any longer.

And this surprises you? Best start your own bullet company if you want to see those again.

On a positive note, Starline recently started making M-1 carbine brass. Can't believe they weren't already doing it. Bet they sell more of that than 41 Rem Mag. (I have no idea if they ever did)

mjm · July 16, 2015, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Bet they sell more of that than 41 Rem Mag. (I have no idea if they ever did)

Starline may be the only source of new .41 Rem Mag brass. Factory ammo is still avaliable.

CowTowner · July 16, 2015, 09:55 AM

Remington also still make new 41 Rem Mag cases.
Although not a very popular caliber, those of us that own and shoot it are very attached to it. Sort of like the 10mm Auto or Scotch. It's an acquired taste.

mikld · July 16, 2015, 11:33 AM

Actually, I don't have a problem finding bullets, I cast my own!

I've kept my 303 British shootin' (.318" groove dia.) by casting and PCing my own bullets...

July 14, 2015, 09:22 AM	#1
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	Why companies drop components In the last few years a lot of reloading components have "Just gone away". Is this just the usual corporate stupidity of trying to jam something down the consumers throat that they don't want, or is something else going on? Right now reloading has never been this popular before. Why would companies back off on production?

July 14, 2015, 09:43 AM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	When they are producing at maximum capacity, they produce the items that sell the largest volume (most demand) first. Everything else gets a back seat. Hornady, for example, put a lot of its bullet designs on hiatus during the peak of the buying frenzy because they didn't sell enough of them to justify taking the tool change time away from producing their more popular items. Hornady, specifically, and after realizing the added demand was going to be permanently larger, has been adding employees and plant capacity and catching up. I haven't looked recently to see where they are with their less popular bullets now. But it's likely everyone will get caught up eventually just because there is money to be made at it. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

July 14, 2015, 12:36 PM	#4
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,443	Supply versus demand taking into account manufacturing capacity. They are going to make what maximizes ROI. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

July 14, 2015, 02:58 PM	#6
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	i feel that we will start seeing the less popular stuff start getting produced again in the next 1 to 2 years. it seems like we have kind of reached a plateau in component buying and stuff is starting to hit the shelves again. we are already seeing a sharp decline in gun sales showing that the people that are going to be reloading and ammo hoarding are probably already into it, and we won't have another slew of new gun owners trying to get into the sport anytime soon, barring anymore poitical discussion anyways. since we are seeing huge surpluss of common calibers like 9mm and .223 start to pile up at the stores and prices droppping to pre-panic levels, they should start tooling up for more obscure stuff soon. but even if the start producing those things or already have, it's going to take a good bit of time to get the back orders filled. right now i am just happy to see powders/primers available again. i personally have always been able to find decent bullets, if not exactly what i wanted, to shoot. i find it odd though that through the last 3 years, i have almost always been able to find any kind of Hornady bullet i desired and not so much from other makers. maybe because Hornad doesn't have a large "loaded" ammo market, but still sierra/nosler and especially speer(pistol bullets) and been elusive. __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

July 14, 2015, 10:39 PM	#8
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	i don't see how they would make money if now selling "junk" that we don't want..... i love the quality of the bullets i get, they actually amaze me sometimes. __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

July 14, 2015, 11:27 AM	#3
shootniron Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2011 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,599	It is just businesses doing business as they see fit. It is their company and their product...if they don't want to produce it...that is there right. There is "some" freedom remaining in this country.

July 14, 2015, 01:38 PM	#5
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I don't think the mfg's have backed off production....I think demand, and hoarding, has far surpassed availability of product. In fact I think most of the component mfg's have added capacity and tried to take advantage of the higher demand. But in my area...bullets and primers are readily available...and most powders are starting to come back as well...although I've never run out and continue to be able to shoot at least 20,000 handgun rounds a year by picking up what I can when the powder I like for handguns becomes available.

July 14, 2015, 09:55 PM	#7
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	I think some bullet makers have just plain dropped a lot of their bullets and replaced them with junk a lot of the customers do not want. I do not doubt that the run on components had a lot to do with unavailability, but I foresee a lot of old style bullets not coming back from the "unavailable/seasonal" status.

July 15, 2015, 03:47 AM	#11
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	Gunplumber......Is there something specific that you need just state it. Others have needed certain and when we know what is needed it may be provided. For example I have shipped a couple sizes of bullets that I cast at they are unobtainable and the mold was temporarily out of stock. Those of us that are really into reloading.....there aint much we cant figure out how to make.

July 15, 2015, 10:29 AM	#12
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Two of the most popular bullets....and higher quality bullets... Montana Gold ...for a true jacketed bullet... Berry's.....for a plated bullet..... went thru a period, over a year ago now, where their products were in short supply - but both of them are readily available now.

July 15, 2015, 10:47 AM	#13
CowTowner Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2007 Location: Cowtown of course! Posts: 1,747	All I know is when I emailed Hornady about no longer listing the .41 FTX, I never got a response. They were a 190 grain Flex Tip for the 41 Rem Mag Marlins. Marlin stopped making the rifle and I guess Hornady decided they didn't need to make the bullet any longer. __________________ NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearms Safety, Pistol and Rifle Instructor *“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life......”* President John F. Kennedy

July 15, 2015, 12:05 PM	#15
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Kinda like an orchard that has apple trees and plum trees. It takes manpower to pick the fruit. So, are you gonna devote manpower to pickin' fruit that doesn't sell or keep the pickers pickin' apples? __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

July 15, 2015, 12:07 PM	#16
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	OOPS! __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees... Last edited by mikld; July 16, 2015 at 11:34 AM.

July 15, 2015, 12:41 PM	#17
Hammerhead Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,432	I've been looking for .45 cal jacketed SWCs. I haven't seen a jacketed SWC from Hornady for sale in 2 or 3 years, but they seem to be pumping out the XTPs as fast as we can shoot/hoard them. Remington and Speer seem to be absent completely from the handgun bullet game. Maybe they're concentrating on rifle bullets.

July 15, 2015, 12:43 PM	#18
Single-Sixer Member Join Date: June 17, 2015 Posts: 26	Economics 101: It's all about REVENUE!

July 15, 2015, 01:43 PM	#19
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,806	I don't care what you are manufacturing companies put products on the shelf. Those that sell get replaced, those that don't sell don't get manufactured. If you shoot 9mm, 308, 45, or 12 ga your ammo is available. If you shoot something less popular you'll have to wait until there is a slowdown in sales of the popular items before manufacturers will make more of them.

July 15, 2015, 02:31 PM	#20
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	One solution that has worked for me is search the for sale sections of the various hunting and shooting sites. One of my favorite bullets is the Sierra 170 gr. 7MM round nose for use in my 7x57's. Sierra dumped them so far back in history that I forget when it was they dropped them. I called to see if they had any and the guy was shocked that I even wanted them. Search the web sites and now have a very good supply and at less cost than if they were at my LGS. Frankly, I've found many good buys on bullets, brass and even powder. On the powder, I did have to take a trip from Tucson to Quartzite and the seller came from the Los Angeles area with the powder. I got 32 pounds of WMR which in my several .270s and .300 Win. Mag.s is a freeloader's dream. Great velocity and extremely fine accuracy. Yes, searching does take time but if it's a discontinued item you absolutely have to have, you have a chance of finding what you want. Works for me. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!

July 15, 2015, 10:27 PM	#22
jag2 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2009 Location: dallas Posts: 773	All I know is when I emailed Hornady about no longer listing the .41 FTX, I never got a response. They were a 190 grain Flex Tip for the 41 Rem Mag Marlins. Marlin stopped making the rifle and I guess Hornady decided they didn't need to make the bullet any longer. And this surprises you? Best start your own bullet company if you want to see those again. On a positive note, Starline recently started making M-1 carbine brass. Can't believe they weren't already doing it. Bet they sell more of that than 41 Rem Mag. (I have no idea if they ever did)

July 16, 2015, 09:55 AM	#24
CowTowner Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2007 Location: Cowtown of course! Posts: 1,747	Remington also still make new 41 Rem Mag cases. Although not a very popular caliber, those of us that own and shoot it are very attached to it. Sort of like the 10mm Auto or Scotch. It's an acquired taste. __________________ NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearms Safety, Pistol and Rifle Instructor *“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life......”* President John F. Kennedy

July 16, 2015, 11:33 AM	#25
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Actually, I don't have a problem finding bullets, I cast my own! I've kept my 303 British shootin' (.318" groove dia.) by casting and PCing my own bullets... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...