Where has all the powder gone? - Page 5

wet · February 16, 2014, 10:07 PM

I went to a gun show over the weekend. A fellow had all kinds of pistol powder, w231, tightgroup, be & power pistol just to name a few. He has a gun shop 35 miles north of me. I bought 1 LB. of power pistol for 22.50, he had a limit of 3LB's, 20% more for the second LB. and 20% more for the 3rd LB.
He said "I'm getting powder but one customer will buy all of it if I let them. I need long term customers so the reason for the 20% and 40% increase to discourage that."

mnoirot64 · February 17, 2014, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wet

I went to a gun show over the weekend. A fellow had all kinds of pistol powder, w231, tightgroup, be & power pistol just to name a few. He has a gun shop 35 miles north of me. I bought 1 LB. of power pistol for 22.50, he had a limit of 3LB's, 20% more for the second LB. and 20% more for the 3rd LB.

He said "I'm getting powder but one customer will buy all of it if I let them. I need long term customers so the reason for the 20% and 40% increase to discourage that."

Novel idea. While it seems like a noble thing, buying three pounds of powder is not hoarding. I can go through that much in two months.

Real Gun · February 17, 2014, 09:06 AM

Quote:

I went to a gun show over the weekend. A fellow had all kinds of pistol powder, w231, tightgroup, be & power pistol just to name a few. He has a gun shop 35 miles north of me. I bought 1 LB. of power pistol for 22.50, he had a limit of 3LB's, 20% more for the second LB. and 20% more for the 3rd LB.
<>

Averaging $27.30/pound is not bad in today's market, but it is odd to have an incentive to buy less within such a tight limit.

Jay24bal · February 17, 2014, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Novel idea. While it seems like a noble thing, buying three pounds of powder is not hoarding. I can go through that much in two months.

I agree 100%. I like the theory behind this idea, but in practice it does not help much.

It may help with pistol rounds where you are using 5-6 grains per round and get 1,200 rounds out of a pound. Heck I only go through about 1 pound of powder for each pistol caliber in a year. But when it comes to rifle rounds where you are using 40-50 grains per round and only getting 150 rounds per pound, well I go through that in a month in some calibers. And I certainly do not consider having one shooting season's worth of components on hand to be hoarding.

JimDandy · February 21, 2014, 03:55 PM

Quote:

It may help with pistol rounds where you are using 5-6 grains per round and get 1,200 rounds out of a pound.

Not really. Sure you use a fourth of the powder in a single round of .45 that you would in a round of .223. But most people shoot four times as much pistol as rifle etc.

Mike40-11 · February 22, 2014, 08:27 PM

Woo hoo. I haven't had any shortage of pistol powder but rifle was getting low. Just got 8lbs of 4064 from MidSouth. Been set on primers and bullets, I'm good for the year!

mnoirot64 · February 23, 2014, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike40-11

Woo hoo. I haven't had any shortage of pistol powder but rifle was getting low. Just got 8lbs of 4064 from MidSouth. Been set on primers and bullets, I'm good for the year!

I'm definitely finding more rifle powders on the shelves recently. Pistol powder, not so much. I've had Unique and Power Pistol on back order for several weeks. At my current run rate, I have about a 90 day supply on hand. Hopefully Alliant will start catching up on their pistol powders soon. Anyone else seeing either of these powders?

Mohave-Tec · February 23, 2014, 10:59 AM

Pistol powder shortages is probably the most popular forum topic in the reloading world right now.

Strafer Gott · February 23, 2014, 12:12 PM

If 800X wasn't such a well known pita, I wouldn't have been able to buy anything locally.
Now I get to find out if a Perfect powder measure will actually meter cornflakes. If I have to weigh every charge, so be it. I weigh all of my .45 Colt loads anyway.

Mohave-Tec · February 23, 2014, 01:27 PM

I still have 5 or 6 pounds of WAP and 3 pounds of Titegroup. I'll be alright here for a very long time.

kgpcr · February 23, 2014, 09:04 PM

The shelves in Cabelas here are FULL of ammo except .22lr and they had some mini mags for 8.99 a hundred. Loaded ammo was stocked hi and deep in all calibers. .223 is coming down so I hope that is a sign to come. They had tons of primers in all brands and sizes. Now I hope the powder and bullet shortage will abate soon. I still have 4lbs of Titegroup I bought years ago and am OK but am down to one pound of Power Pistol.

jboyd103 · February 25, 2014, 09:15 PM

There are loads of powder on gunbroker. I am certain there are insiders getting the powders before it even hits the shelves.

To that point, there is still the one person, NurseBell ,who has 44 auctions of rifle and pistol powders as well as primers. 44 freakin auctions!

Until people stop paying double and triple the prices, people like this will continue to raid the shelves and take advantage of the free market.

I have enough powder to get by for the year so I will not pay insane prices!

MarkGlazer · February 27, 2014, 12:57 PM

The trickle is beginning. I've been watching Gunbot and pistol powder is coming and going quickly. Hopefully this is a sign for much bigger things to come our way......

Airman Basic · February 27, 2014, 04:21 PM

Quote:

The trickle is beginning. I've been watching Gunbot and pistol powder is coming and going quickly. Hopefully this is a sign for much bigger things to come our way......

I've been checking Gunbot a dozen times a day. Haven't seen any pistol powder come up in months. Hardly changed at all. Hope you're right, though.

MarkGlazer · February 28, 2014, 11:22 AM

PB yesterday, Trail Boss today. Another member saw Titegroup come and go on Midway last week.

As I said, this is a trickle. The plants are changing over from rifle to pistol. This is a small beginning, we shall see more, I suspect in small waves. I hope to see Universal soon as well but that's just wishful thinking.

Real Gun · February 28, 2014, 01:30 PM

Quote:

MarkGlazer - The plants are changing over from rifle to pistol.

What is the source of this insight?

mnoirot64 · February 28, 2014, 01:58 PM

I have been hearing the same thing for the past three weeks or so. I hope this is true. I have 4 lbs of Unique and Power Pistol on back order. I could use some soon.

MarkGlazer · February 28, 2014, 02:33 PM

Real Gun,

I contacted RamShot early last year and befriended a guy who provided some loading data to me that I wanted for a Makarov. I sent him a query in December about supply and he advised that they would change over production to pistol some time in January.

Regards,

coldbeer · February 28, 2014, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Real Gun,

I contacted RamShot early last year and befriended a guy who provided some loading data to me that I wanted for a Makarov. I sent him a query in December about supply and he advised that they would change over production to pistol some time in January.

Regards,

Does that mean I should be stocking up on rifle powder? I did find a pound of A2400 at a gun store two towns over this morning. It's the first A2400 I've seen in almost a year and it's the only pistol powder they had. Stuffs like cocain these days.

MarkGlazer · February 28, 2014, 04:50 PM

I have read many posts as to why people think we are seeing a shortage, from an influx of new hand loaders to political based discussions. I'm sure each feels that their reasoning is valid.

I'm a finance professional so I can only speak to what I "think" I see in the marketplace; cyclical supply based upon the coming seasonal demand. When hunting season is upon us, you are going to see less pistol, if any, and more rifle and shotgun. As that season winds down, they can resume producing pistol. If you observed the marketplace (gunbot is my favorite location to view just to see what is flowing) last summer, there was ample supply of pistol powder. Then it simply disappeared and was replaced with rifle and shotgun. I believe that is what we will need to get used to for a while and purchase accordingly.

Personally, I've estimated what my wife and I will shoot during the next 12 months. I will make a purchase within the next few months to keep us in stock for the following 12 to 16 months. Then the cycle will repeat itself.

I could be wrong about this, but watching the timing of the flow of the types of powders, thus far, tells me the analysis is right. Of course, all you need is one nut job to spark a political knee-jerk reaction and then all bets are off.

Good luck.

rlc323 · March 2, 2014, 11:03 AM

The largest retailer in our area has virtually no inventory of pistol/shotgun powders and just a few rifle powders, mostly for large calibers. Just a month before in January there was a good selection of smaller caliber rifle powder. This week the only thing for .223 was a way overpriced 1 pound bottle of TAC.

I spoke with the salesman and he said it was killing his business, nobody is interested in buying a reloading machine or dies when there is no powder on the shelf. The reloading area of the store is usually busy but I was the lone buyer Friday evening in an otherwise busy store. The primer cabinet was full and there was a special on CCI small pistol primers $29.95 for 1000, rows of them available. I picked up some 50 grain .224 bullets that had been marked down 4 bucks and had dust on the box.

There was a good selection of loaded ammo, that aisle was busy with some decent deals on .223 Black Hills remanufactured stuff and some Federal .223 for $8.66/20 pack.

February 23, 2014, 09:04 PM	#111
kgpcr Senior Member Join Date: May 23, 2005 Posts: 955	The shelves in Cabelas here are FULL of ammo except .22lr and they had some mini mags for 8.99 a hundred. Loaded ammo was stocked hi and deep in all calibers. .223 is coming down so I hope that is a sign to come. They had tons of primers in all brands and sizes. Now I hope the powder and bullet shortage will abate soon. I still have 4lbs of Titegroup I bought years ago and am OK but am down to one pound of Power Pistol. __________________ Colt King Cobra .357 Colt Anaconda .44mag Springfield Armory .45 Double stack Loaded XD40 service XD45 Taurus 617 .357mag Smith M&P 40

February 25, 2014, 09:15 PM	#112
jboyd103 Junior Member Join Date: January 12, 2014 Posts: 4	Gunbroker auctions There are loads of powder on gunbroker. I am certain there are insiders getting the powders before it even hits the shelves. To that point, there is still the one person, NurseBell ,who has 44 auctions of rifle and pistol powders as well as primers. 44 freakin auctions! Until people stop paying double and triple the prices, people like this will continue to raid the shelves and take advantage of the free market. I have enough powder to get by for the year so I will not pay insane prices!

February 27, 2014, 12:57 PM	#113
MarkGlazer Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2013 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 329	The trickle is beginning. I've been watching Gunbot and pistol powder is coming and going quickly. Hopefully this is a sign for much bigger things to come our way...... __________________ non ministrari sed ministrare

February 28, 2014, 11:22 AM	#115
MarkGlazer Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2013 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 329	PB yesterday, Trail Boss today. Another member saw Titegroup come and go on Midway last week. As I said, this is a trickle. The plants are changing over from rifle to pistol. This is a small beginning, we shall see more, I suspect in small waves. I hope to see Universal soon as well but that's just wishful thinking. __________________ non ministrari sed ministrare

February 28, 2014, 02:33 PM	#118
MarkGlazer Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2013 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 329	Real Gun, I contacted RamShot early last year and befriended a guy who provided some loading data to me that I wanted for a Makarov. I sent him a query in December about supply and he advised that they would change over production to pistol some time in January. Regards, __________________ non ministrari sed ministrare

February 16, 2014, 10:07 PM	#101
wet Member Join Date: October 2, 2011 Location: ID. Posts: 89	I went to a gun show over the weekend. A fellow had all kinds of pistol powder, w231, tightgroup, be & power pistol just to name a few. He has a gun shop 35 miles north of me. I bought 1 LB. of power pistol for 22.50, he had a limit of 3LB's, 20% more for the second LB. and 20% more for the 3rd LB. He said "I'm getting powder but one customer will buy all of it if I let them. I need long term customers so the reason for the 20% and 40% increase to discourage that."

February 22, 2014, 08:27 PM	#106
Mike40-11 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 841	Woo hoo. I haven't had any shortage of pistol powder but rifle was getting low. Just got 8lbs of 4064 from MidSouth. Been set on primers and bullets, I'm good for the year!

February 23, 2014, 10:59 AM	#108
Mohave-Tec Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2013 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 118	Pistol powder shortages is probably the most popular forum topic in the reloading world right now.

February 23, 2014, 12:12 PM	#109
Strafer Gott Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,315	If 800X wasn't such a well known pita, I wouldn't have been able to buy anything locally. Now I get to find out if a Perfect powder measure will actually meter cornflakes. If I have to weigh every charge, so be it. I weigh all of my .45 Colt loads anyway.

February 23, 2014, 01:27 PM	#110
Mohave-Tec Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2013 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 118	I still have 5 or 6 pounds of WAP and 3 pounds of Titegroup. I'll be alright here for a very long time.

February 28, 2014, 01:58 PM	#117
mnoirot64 Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2013 Location: Clarksville, Tennessee Posts: 365	I have been hearing the same thing for the past three weeks or so. I hope this is true. I have 4 lbs of Unique and Power Pistol on back order. I could use some soon.

February 28, 2014, 04:50 PM	#120
MarkGlazer Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2013 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 329	I have read many posts as to why people think we are seeing a shortage, from an influx of new hand loaders to political based discussions. I'm sure each feels that their reasoning is valid. I'm a finance professional so I can only speak to what I "think" I see in the marketplace; cyclical supply based upon the coming seasonal demand. When hunting season is upon us, you are going to see less pistol, if any, and more rifle and shotgun. As that season winds down, they can resume producing pistol. If you observed the marketplace (gunbot is my favorite location to view just to see what is flowing) last summer, there was ample supply of pistol powder. Then it simply disappeared and was replaced with rifle and shotgun. I believe that is what we will need to get used to for a while and purchase accordingly. Personally, I've estimated what my wife and I will shoot during the next 12 months. I will make a purchase within the next few months to keep us in stock for the following 12 to 16 months. Then the cycle will repeat itself. I could be wrong about this, but watching the timing of the flow of the types of powders, thus far, tells me the analysis is right. Of course, all you need is one nut job to spark a political knee-jerk reaction and then all bets are off. Good luck. __________________ non ministrari sed ministrare

March 2, 2014, 11:03 AM	#121
rlc323 Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2013 Location: Forgottonia, Il Posts: 217	The largest retailer in our area has virtually no inventory of pistol/shotgun powders and just a few rifle powders, mostly for large calibers. Just a month before in January there was a good selection of smaller caliber rifle powder. This week the only thing for .223 was a way overpriced 1 pound bottle of TAC. I spoke with the salesman and he said it was killing his business, nobody is interested in buying a reloading machine or dies when there is no powder on the shelf. The reloading area of the store is usually busy but I was the lone buyer Friday evening in an otherwise busy store. The primer cabinet was full and there was a special on CCI small pistol primers $29.95 for 1000, rows of them available. I picked up some 50 grain .224 bullets that had been marked down 4 bucks and had dust on the box. There was a good selection of loaded ammo, that aisle was busy with some decent deals on .223 Black Hills remanufactured stuff and some Federal .223 for $8.66/20 pack.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search