WHERE IS ALL THE POWDER

[joedirt]

I'm down to about 4 pounds of my primary powder, (autocomp) and shooting season is here. Anyone heard anything? when is the powder supply going to be replenished. Sill, hs6, titegroup, anything.....?

[rdinga]

seeing powder more frequently at gun shows and local shops. Prices coming back down to earth too.

[levellinebrad]

I have actually been finding titegroup pretty regular. Where are you located? I found 4lbs in Lincolnton and I bought another in Kernersville. I think I saw autocomp in Charlotte but it was hyatts. It was pretty pricey.

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[joedirt]

I have actually been finding titegroup pretty regular. Where are you located? I found 4lbs in Lincolnton and I bought another in Kernersville. I think I saw autocomp in Charlotte but it was hyatts. It was pretty pricey.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

Brad just north of you in nc... gun show in Fayetteville next week maybe i'll try there

[jcl]

We have a little up here in Alaska and lately it's been titegroup and a few others. Most of the time it's either Hodgdon or Accurate. Haven't seen Alliant or V V for a while though.

Edited March 30, 2014 by jcl

[rdinga]

Too High Hyatts has to maintain there reputation....used to live in Charlotte and remember the shop well. Gun shows in Atlanta and Birmingham are having a lot more powder to choose from lately.

[levellinebrad]

Hyatts had vv n340 in stock but it was $42 per pound and you had to jack off the salesman. I thought the $42 was a bit much. [emoji1]

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[twister]

Powder around me is non-existent right now. The stores don't have any idea when it will show up.

[joedirt]

I usually get powder at the gun shows too, the only problem is, I keep forgetting to wash the stamp off my hand, now my wife knows where i'm going when I say: I'm going to pick uo "parts" ...

[JSkala]

It's very hard to come by here in central Nebraska. I have recently acquired an Accu Shadow and have a Czechmate on the way and don't have any freking powder to speak of. Sucks....

[GTOGuy06]

Powder is still the toughest component to find around here too. You can get any large bore rifle powder and, more recently, some more small bore rifle powder. Pistol powder is still near impossible. I lucked out and found a pound of 800-x at my LGS.

[Just4FunLP]

I'm getting totally discussed with this. Heck, this is America. Once you make up your mind that your going to do something, like I did about 6 months ago with reloading, you do it. This issue of powder is ridiculous.

I bought 1 pound of Accurate 5 when I first got my re loader back in November. It was a lot of fun to reload and shoot, but I haven't seen anymore. I did buy some IMR PB a few times, and have enough to last for a couple of months. It feeds great and seems to work well, but if you use the published loads in 9mm it won't even cycle my XDM 5.25. I've worked up to about 3.7gr, which is way over max, and it still wont quite make minimum power factor. I love the powder, but that max load thing has me a little worried.

I've placed back orders for Accurate No 5 and Solo 1000, but I have no idea if these will ever come in. When I placed the order they said they had back orders that had been on the books for almost a year.

I would really appreciate any insight on how to get the stuff. I assume someone is getting it, and I'm just not doing it right. If not, then I guess there are a lot of guys out there that ordered big back when when it was available, and they're going to be disappointed when they start shopping around.

I have read some explanations about supply chain, and how some shortages far up the chain can hold things up. I work in manufacturing, and understand how companies wouldn't want to spend a bunch of cash to set up production that will last a while and then fade away when everything settles down. I get all that, but I would still like some independent verification on what's going on, because nobody i've read seems to have any facts. I can tell you when my company doesn't supply our customers with good quality product on time, the customers will be crawling all over our facility demanding to know what's going on, and exactly what we are going to do to fix it. And let me tell you, changes are made real fast.

Who's getting the powder? Why don't I ever see pistol powder for sale on line? How long does this have to go on until the manufacturers do something about it. Perhaps the management of USPSA could look into this. I would assume they carry some weight, and could get answers. USPSA is an association, and associations represent their members. I work in an ISO rated manufacturing facility, and there are lot's of consultants you can hire that will figure out exactly where the problem is. Just take them to the manufacturers and ask them what's going on? What's their plan to fix the problem? And whether or not they are dedicated to providing supplies to our sport? If they start dancing around the questions, let the consultants push them a little. At some point there should be enough information to write an in depth report on the subject.

I don't think its a big conspiracy. It's just that there is a demand, and the customers should know what the manufacturers are doing to meet the demand. Yes it may be a few guys out there buying everything up, but they're building awesome ranges where I live, and more and more people are taking classes and shooting in matches in large numbers. I would think that the sport is growing.. And we need supplies.

If a vendor would commit themselves to meeting the needs of competitive shooters they would have many loyal customers.

Sorry for the rant. I've been wanting to get that one off my chest for a long time. Tell me where I'm wrong. I usually am.

This components thing is nuts. It's hard enough to work all day, have time with the family, reload and practice enough to have fun and improve. Then throw in having to scrounge for powder. It's pretty frustrating.

There must be a way to have a steady supply, but I just haven't found it. I really don't hear that much about it in these forums. I would appreciate any help. Thanks.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Just4FunLP

[Studlee]

I'm getting totally discussed with this. Heck, this is America. Once you make up your mind that your going to do something, like I did about 6 months ago with reloading, you do it. This issue of powder is ridiculous.

I bought 1 pound of Accurate 5 when I first got my re loader back in November. It was a lot of fun to reload and shoot, but I haven't seen anymore. I did by some IMR PB a few times, and have enough to last for a couple of months. It feeds great and seems to work well, but if you use the published loads in 9mm it won't even cycle my XDM 5.25. I've worked up to about 3.7gr, which is way over max, and it still wont quite make minimum power factor. I love the powder, but that max load thing has me a little worried.

I've placed back orders for Accurate No 5 and Solo 1000, but I have no idea if these will ever come in. When I placed the order they said they had back orders that had been on the books for almost a year.

I would really appreciate any insight on how to get the stuff. I assume someone is getting it, and I'm just not doing it right. If not, then I guess there are a lot of guys out there that ordered big back when when it was available, and they're going to be disappointed when they start shopping around.

I have read some explanations about supply chain, and how some shortages far up the chain can hold things up. I work in manufacturing, and understand how companies wouldn't want to spend a bunch of cash to set up production that will last a while and then fade away when everything settles down. I get all that, but I would still like some independent verification on what's going on, because nobody ive read seems to have any facts. I can tell you when my company doesn't supply our customers with good quality product on time, the customers will be crawling all over our facility demanding to know what's going on, and exactly what we are going to do to fix it. And let me tell you, changes are made real fast.

Who's getting the powder? Why don't I ever see pistol powder for sale on line? How long does this have to go on until the manufacturers do something about it. Perhaps the management of USPSA could look into this. I would assume they carry some weight, and could get answers. USPSA is an association, and association represent their members. I work in an ISO rated manufacturing facility, and there are lot's of consultants you can hire that will figure out exactly where the problem is. Just take them to the manufacturers and ask them what's going on? What's their plan to fix the problem? And whether or not they are dedicated to providing supplies to our sport? If they start dancing around the questions, let the consultants push them a little. At some point there should be enough information to write an in depth report on the subject.

I don't think its some big conspiracy. It's just that there is a demand, and the customers should know what the manufacturers are doing to meet the demand. Yes it may be a few nuts out there buying everything up, but they're building awesome ranges where I live, and more and more people are taking classes and shooting in matches in large numbers. I would think that the sport is growing.. And we need supplies.

If a vendor would commit themselves to meeting the needs of competitive shooters they would have many loyal customers.

Sorry for the rant. I've been wanting to get that one off my chest for a long time. Tell me where I'm wrong. I usually am.

This components thing is nuts. It's hard enough to work all day, have time with the family, reload and practice enough to have fun and improve. Then throw in having to scrounge for powder. It's pretty frustrating.

There must be a way to have a steady supply, but I just haven't found it. I really don't hear that much about it in these forums. I would appreciate any help. Thanks.

Myself I found a local gunbuilder that sells reloading supplies. He's got a good relationship with his distributors. At first it was you couldn't get primers, but now primers are available everywhere.

Now the problem is powder. My guy told me he was talking to his distributor the other day. He's been in the business for over 40yrs and has never seen it so bad. He says it looks like it's going to get worse.

Just4FunLP - do you ever make it down to the Tampa Bay area? I can ask what he's got. I don't think he has any Titegroup any more cuz last time I saw him about 3 weeks ago a buddy and me bought his last 2 8lb jugs of TG. I do have a couple of 1lb jars of TG. To help a fellow floridian, I can let you have one of them if you ever are in the area.

[3djedi]

Remember when you couldn't find ammo last year? I think all the powder is going to ammo manufacturing. Now ammo is plentiful so, hopefully, the powder will start showing up again. This is just speculation. Could be people are just hoarding it.

[RDA]

I have been able to buy pretty much every type of powder I have wanted in the past six months (load 9mm, .223/5.56 and 300BLK) either on-line or at local gun shops. I have purchased these:

• Vihtavuori N320
• Hodgon Titegroup
• Alliant E3
• Hodgon Clays
• Accurate Arms #2 (although haven't seen any recently)
• Accurate Arms #5 (although haven't seen any recently)
• Accurate Arms #7 (although haven't seen any recently)
• Winchester 231
• Reloader 15
• Accurate 2230 (although haven't seen any recently)
• IMR XBR8208
• Vihtavuori N133
• Vihtavuori N135
• Accurate TAC (although haven't seen any recently)
• Accurate 1680 (although haven't seen any recently)
• Hodgon 110

I regularly see these locally (even in the past week) although I don't use them:

• WST
• WSF
• IMR PB
• Winchester 296
• Winchester 748
• All sorts of Alliant (1 and 8 pounders) showed up recently.
• All sorts of IMR powders (mostly 1 pounders)

And a whole bunch I am forgetting.

[3djedi]

lucky bastard.....

[Brooke]

"I have read some explanations about supply chain, and how some shortages far up the chain can hold things up. I work in manufacturing, and understand how companies wouldn't want to spend a bunch of cash to set up production that will last a while and then fade away when everything settles down. I get all that, but I would still like some independent verification on what's going on, because nobody i've read seems to have any facts. I can tell you when my company doesn't supply our customers with good quality product on time, the customers will be crawling all over our facility demanding to know what's going on, and exactly what we are going to do to fix it. And let me tell you, changes are made real fast. "

I know there is a post a couple past this quote that says all kinds of powders are available, but not here. I consider myself lucky to get anything at all and just one pound of that at a time. The only supplier that I know of locally says things are really going to get much worse this summer. My argument is that things can not get any worse. Zero availability is the end of the road for me. The actual size of the backorder does not matter. No powder, no shoot, and no gun or accessory purchases. I'll just put the Glockies in a drawer and do something else. This is pretty darn aggravating and it will take its toll on gun buyers eventually. I'm lucky that the price does not deter me, but many people are forced to cut back at current ammo and supply prices. They will get pissed off and never come back. Maybe that's a good thing, but rationing by price isn't a pleasant choice to encourage participation in gun sports and the business will feel the result at some point.

It appears to me that the corporate mergers in the powder industry correlate closely with the shortages. Some people will claim more shooters and I think that's true, but it isn't that overwhelming in my view. I shoot regularly at a very impressive indoor range and while business is up it's not enough to cause problems getting in. Enrollments in CDW classes and gun purchases going out the door seem to be pretty impressive , but somehow range business does not follow in comparable numbers. Seems like a lot of these people just buy a cheap gun and put it in a drawer.

I do not understand this and I have not met anyone who can explain it.

[Knp1288]

Try living in Australia

I'm stocking up on any kind of usable powder I can get my hands on.

[truborshooter]

http://bearingarms.com/will-a-belgian-gunpowder-plant-explosion-affect-the-u-s-ammo-market/

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/10/01/huge-explosions-from-columbian-gunpowder-plant-caught-on-camera/

[RDA]

lucky bastard.....

It isn't just luck, I have kept a close eye on-line in order to purchase powders as soon as they became available that I couldn't find locally (the Vihtavuori for example) and I bought enough to make the haz mat worthwhile.

Locally, I visit the LGS every week and I am prepared to purchase when I find something and I have helped others when I saw what they were looking for and alerted them.

My point is, many people say no powder is available. I beg to differ, it is available at times and when it is, be prepared to purchase it. That is what many have and are doing. It certainly isn't going to just fall in your lap and it isn't going to be available just anytime you want to show up at your LGS. I have bought enough of my primary choices (Vihtavuori N320, Accurate Arms 1680, Hodgon 110 and IMR 8208 XBR) to last me for a few years and I purchased at semi-reasonable or good prices. The N320 was only available for a very short time (measured in hours) from two locations during the past six months that I am aware of.

[joedirt]

I'm getting totally discussed with this. Heck, this is America. Once you make up your mind that your going to do something, like I did about 6 months ago with reloading, you do it. This issue of powder is ridiculous.

I bought 1 pound of Accurate 5 when I first got my re loader back in November. It was a lot of fun to reload and shoot, but I haven't seen anymore. I did by some IMR PB a few times, and have enough to last for a couple of months. It feeds great and seems to work well, but if you use the published loads in 9mm it won't even cycle my XDM 5.25. I've worked up to about 3.7gr, which is way over max, and it still wont quite make minimum power factor. I love the powder, but that max load thing has me a little worried.

I've placed back orders for Accurate No 5 and Solo 1000, but I have no idea if these will ever come in. When I placed the order they said they had back orders that had been on the books for almost a year.

I would really appreciate any insight on how to get the stuff. I assume someone is getting it, and I'm just not doing it right. If not, then I guess there are a lot of guys out there that ordered big back when when it was available, and they're going to be disappointed when they start shopping around.

I have read some explanations about supply chain, and how some shortages far up the chain can hold things up. I work in manufacturing, and understand how companies wouldn't want to spend a bunch of cash to set up production that will last a while and then fade away when everything settles down. I get all that, but I would still like some independent verification on what's going on, because nobody ive read seems to have any facts. I can tell you when my company doesn't supply our customers with good quality product on time, the customers will be crawling all over our facility demanding to know what's going on, and exactly what we are going to do to fix it. And let me tell you, changes are made real fast.

Who's getting the powder? Why don't I ever see pistol powder for sale on line? How long does this have to go on until the manufacturers do something about it. Perhaps the management of USPSA could look into this. I would assume they carry some weight, and could get answers. USPSA is an association, and association represent their members. I work in an ISO rated manufacturing facility, and there are lot's of consultants you can hire that will figure out exactly where the problem is. Just take them to the manufacturers and ask them what's going on? What's their plan to fix the problem? And whether or not they are dedicated to providing supplies to our sport? If they start dancing around the questions, let the consultants push them a little. At some point there should be enough information to write an in depth report on the subject.

I don't think its some big conspiracy. It's just that there is a demand, and the customers should know what the manufacturers are doing to meet the demand. Yes it may be a few nuts out there buying everything up, but they're building awesome ranges where I live, and more and more people are taking classes and shooting in matches in large numbers. I would think that the sport is growing.. And we need supplies.

If a vendor would commit themselves to meeting the needs of competitive shooters they would have many loyal customers.

Sorry for the rant. I've been wanting to get that one off my chest for a long time. Tell me where I'm wrong. I usually am.

This components thing is nuts. It's hard enough to work all day, have time with the family, reload and practice enough to have fun and improve. Then throw in having to scrounge for powder. It's pretty frustrating.

There must be a way to have a steady supply, but I just haven't found it. I really don't hear that much about it in these forums. I would appreciate any help. Thanks.

Myself I found a local gunbuilder that sells reloading supplies. He's got a good relationship with his distributors. At first it was you couldn't get primers, but now primers are available everywhere.

Now the problem is powder. My guy told me he was talking to his distributor the other day. He's been in the business for over 40yrs and has never seen it so bad. He says it looks like it's going to get worse.

Just4FunLP - do you ever make it down to the Tampa Bay area? I can ask what he's got. I don't think he has any Titegroup any more cuz last time I saw him about 3 weeks ago a buddy and me bought his last 2 8lb jugs of TG. I do have a couple of 1lb jars of TG. To help a fellow floridian, I can let you have one of them if you ever are in the area.

I think I found out why. I was told by a family friend who works in"northern Va", that the UN ban on imports may be a huge part of the problem. Many of the powders we use come from Europe, VV, a lot of ramshot, ( I like silhouette) and many others marketed by American companies are actually made in other countries. The ban drastically cut the amount allowed into the U.S. I'm not sure this is true, but I wouldn't put it past the people running this country.

[joedirt]

I have been able to buy pretty much every type of powder I have wanted in the past six months (load 9mm, .223/5.56 and 300BLK) either on-line or at local gun shops. I have purchased these:

• Vihtavuori N320
• Hodgon Titegroup
• Alliant E3
• Hodgon Clays
• Accurate Arms #2 (although haven't seen any recently)
• Accurate Arms #5 (although haven't seen any recently)
• Accurate Arms #7 (although haven't seen any recently)
• Winchester 231
• Reloader 15
• Accurate 2230 (although haven't seen any recently)
• IMR XBR8208
• Vihtavuori N133
• Vihtavuori N135
• Accurate TAC (although haven't seen any recently)
• Accurate 1680 (although haven't seen any recently)
• Hodgon 110

I regularly see these locally (even in the past week) although I don't use them:

• WST
• WSF
• IMR PB
• Winchester 296
• Winchester 748
• All sorts of Alliant (1 and 8 pounders) showed up recently.
• All sorts of IMR powders (mostly 1 pounders)

And a whole bunch I am forgetting.

damn, where do you live?

[tbrtt1]

I'm getting totally discussed with this. Heck, this is America. Once you make up your mind that your going to do something, like I did about 6 months ago with reloading, you do it. This issue of powder is ridiculous.

I bought 1 pound of Accurate 5 when I first got my re loader back in November. It was a lot of fun to reload and shoot, but I haven't seen anymore. I did buy some IMR PB a few times, and have enough to last for a couple of months. It feeds great and seems to work well, but if you use the published loads in 9mm it won't even cycle my XDM 5.25. I've worked up to about 3.7gr, which is way over max, and it still wont quite make minimum power factor. I love the powder, but that max load thing has me a little worried.

I've placed back orders for Accurate No 5 and Solo 1000, but I have no idea if these will ever come in. When I placed the order they said they had back orders that had been on the books for almost a year.

I would really appreciate any insight on how to get the stuff. I assume someone is getting it, and I'm just not doing it right. If not, then I guess there are a lot of guys out there that ordered big back when when it was available, and they're going to be disappointed when they start shopping around.

I have read some explanations about supply chain, and how some shortages far up the chain can hold things up. I work in manufacturing, and understand how companies wouldn't want to spend a bunch of cash to set up production that will last a while and then fade away when everything settles down. I get all that, but I would still like some independent verification on what's going on, because nobody i've read seems to have any facts. I can tell you when my company doesn't supply our customers with good quality product on time, the customers will be crawling all over our facility demanding to know what's going on, and exactly what we are going to do to fix it. And let me tell you, changes are made real fast.

Who's getting the powder? Why don't I ever see pistol powder for sale on line? How long does this have to go on until the manufacturers do something about it. Perhaps the management of USPSA could look into this. I would assume they carry some weight, and could get answers. USPSA is an association, and associations represent their members. I work in an ISO rated manufacturing facility, and there are lot's of consultants you can hire that will figure out exactly where the problem is. Just take them to the manufacturers and ask them what's going on? What's their plan to fix the problem? And whether or not they are dedicated to providing supplies to our sport? If they start dancing around the questions, let the consultants push them a little. At some point there should be enough information to write an in depth report on the subject.

I don't think its a big conspiracy. It's just that there is a demand, and the customers should know what the manufacturers are doing to meet the demand. Yes it may be a few guys out there buying everything up, but they're building awesome ranges where I live, and more and more people are taking classes and shooting in matches in large numbers. I would think that the sport is growing.. And we need supplies.

If a vendor would commit themselves to meeting the needs of competitive shooters they would have many loyal customers.

Sorry for the rant. I've been wanting to get that one off my chest for a long time. Tell me where I'm wrong. I usually am.

This components thing is nuts. It's hard enough to work all day, have time with the family, reload and practice enough to have fun and improve. Then throw in having to scrounge for powder. It's pretty frustrating.

There must be a way to have a steady supply, but I just haven't found it. I really don't hear that much about it in these forums. I would appreciate any help. Thanks.

IMR PB is good stuff. I have an old load data PDF from IMR and the loads are 4.9 for 124 Rem MC- it is a compressed load. The new data has it very low. No one seems to be able to get their guns to cycle at the current load data posted on the site. If you have a chrono it is worth working up to PF loads with this powder. I have bunch of load recipes for PB but I am out of town and won't get back home tip late in the week.

FWIW I use 147gr Bayous at 3.2 of PB with 1.140 OAL. 132 PF. My #1 pet load.

[RDA]

damn, where do you live?

NE Ohio

[gm iprod]

No UN ban on imports to US of Powder. Shipping can be difficult, just order the whole container fill it up and you are away. Shame it will cost close on $750K to get a 40ft from Europe to the US.

Hodgdon Universal is short due to a supply problem from the maker. They had a fire. Not a good thing in powder manufacturing it appears. That puts a lot of pressure on what remains of the factory to keep up. Vihtavouri has changed hands, but according to the Vihtavouri guys,, production has continued (except for a short period of maintenance) at full speed. But they have a huge amount of other contracts to fulfill to the detriment of powders we like.

Winchester / Hodgdon Ball powders made in US, Factory is running extra shifts to keep up. Again non domestic reloading contracts have to be kept to. So they find themselves short of powder that we like. IMR made in US and Canada, same problem. Hodgdon Extruded Powders made in Australia. They are going full on to keep up. Not too many problems with most powders from there except the usual shipping delays.

I know where there is 1000lbs of TG, and hopefully it is getting closer to my house as we speak, but no guarantees, as we are waiting on other powders to make the shipment viable.