N105 another 2-3 months?

[RacerX1166]

I just got off the phone with Powder Valley and apparently, they have a shipment of N105 that came in but they can't ship it because VV/the Importer just noticed that N105 never passed a flammable certification for the US.

Without that certification, the powder has to stay put, even though it's been shipped here for years. 2-3 month I'm told to get the appropriate paperwork.....

[ChuckS]

Wow,

You would think that folks would pretty much conclude that GUNPOWDER is flammable?

edit to add --->

Edited March 1, 2008 by ChuckS

[38superman]

I can't speak for anyone else but I don't know that I'll go back to N105.

It takes time and costs money to do load development.

I can't hitch my wagon to companies that may or may not be there with product when I need it.

As far as I'm concerned, I was forced to find another supplier for powder to feed my open gun.

Now that I've done it, why go back to a company that threw us under the bus?

Tls

[zhunter]

I can't speak for anyone else but I don't know that I'll go back to N105.

It takes time and costs money to do load development.

I can't hitch my wagon to companies that may or may not be there with product when I need it.

As far as I'm concerned, I was forced to find another supplier for powder to feed my open gun.

Now that I've done it, why go back to a company that threw us under the bus?

Tls

I try to keep "X+4" pounds in stock for loading, when I get down to "X", I order more to stay well stocked

I use the term "X" so as not to worry anyone about powder levels being stored

I see this type of stocking on my part as just good preventative measures against possible shortages

[G-ManBart]

I can't speak for anyone else but I don't know that I'll go back to N105.

It takes time and costs money to do load development.

I can't hitch my wagon to companies that may or may not be there with product when I need it.

As far as I'm concerned, I was forced to find another supplier for powder to feed my open gun.

Now that I've done it, why go back to a company that threw us under the bus?

Tls

I try to keep "X+4" pounds in stock for loading, when I get down to "X", I order more to stay well stocked

I use the term "X" so as not to worry anyone about powder levels being stored

I see this type of stocking on my part as just good preventative measures against possible shortages

The problem with that (as far as it applies to N-105) is that you'd probably need 25lbs or so to get you through the shortage we've been looking at....10gr+ per round and you're not even getting 700 rounds per pound. The fact that it only comes in 1lb bottles would make it a real pain to store. Granted, I'm not saying it's a bad idea, just harder than when dealing with many other powders.

[zhunter]

I can't speak for anyone else but I don't know that I'll go back to N105.

It takes time and costs money to do load development.

I can't hitch my wagon to companies that may or may not be there with product when I need it.

As far as I'm concerned, I was forced to find another supplier for powder to feed my open gun.

Now that I've done it, why go back to a company that threw us under the bus?

Tls

I try to keep "X+4" pounds in stock for loading, when I get down to "X", I order more to stay well stocked

I use the term "X" so as not to worry anyone about powder levels being stored

I see this type of stocking on my part as just good preventative measures against possible shortages

The problem with that (as far as it applies to N-105) is that you'd probably need 25lbs or so to get you through the shortage we've been looking at....10gr+ per round and you're not even getting 700 rounds per pound. The fact that it only comes in 1lb bottles would make it a real pain to store. Granted, I'm not saying it's a bad idea, just harder than when dealing with many other powders.

I am not an Open shooter, so dealing with smaller powder charges, but....

"X" IS an unknown amount

I won't be running out soon

[scirocco38s]

The real problem is now that Hogdon is an importer of Viht, I dont know that they will do any better than anyone else. Yeah they have the infrastructure to do it, but they also have their own powders to sell at much higher profit levels. I have talked to Hogdon and they say that they are at the mercy of Viht, but I dont know that that is the full truth either. As bad as it was with Kaltron, and the other importer we had a more reliable and steady stream of powder comming our way. I dont know that Viht threw us under the bus but maybe some of the importers not doing their part in the documentation department did. It is sad because we basically lost Vectan the same way. I would still be using SP-2 if it where available as it was the best I ever have used. 3n38 is very close but I still like the way SP-2 performed. I am down to about 4 lbs of it and when its gone, oh well. I will use 3n38 until it is impossible to get and then I will probably move over to either Longshot or 4756. If Hogdon wants to make alot of money with Viht they will import what we want in the quantities we need.

[G-ManBart]

I can't speak for anyone else but I don't know that I'll go back to N105.

It takes time and costs money to do load development.

I can't hitch my wagon to companies that may or may not be there with product when I need it.

As far as I'm concerned, I was forced to find another supplier for powder to feed my open gun.

Now that I've done it, why go back to a company that threw us under the bus?

Tls

I try to keep "X+4" pounds in stock for loading, when I get down to "X", I order more to stay well stocked

I use the term "X" so as not to worry anyone about powder levels being stored

I see this type of stocking on my part as just good preventative measures against possible shortages

The problem with that (as far as it applies to N-105) is that you'd probably need 25lbs or so to get you through the shortage we've been looking at....10gr+ per round and you're not even getting 700 rounds per pound. The fact that it only comes in 1lb bottles would make it a real pain to store. Granted, I'm not saying it's a bad idea, just harder than when dealing with many other powders.

I am not an Open shooter, so dealing with smaller powder charges, but....

"X" IS an unknown amount

I won't be running out soon

Uh, yeah, I know X is an unknown amount that doesn't apply in this situation. You're dealing with a powder that's never been available in large quantities. So, stocking up with something like 25 to X pounds isn't very likely. That's why I was saying it was a problem....even if you wanted to, it would be hard to stockpile enough to last through the kind of shortages we've seen with N-105. To make it even worse, if you manage to have enough to get you through a shortage, when it becomes available again, everyone else is going to be stocking up, so there won't be enough for you to rebuild your stockpile....catch-22 it seems

[zhunter]

To make it even worse, if you manage to have enough to get you through a shortage, when it becomes available again, everyone else is going to be stocking up, so there won't be enough for you to rebuild your stockpile....catch-22 it seems

VERY good point.

[38superman]

"Threw us under the bus" might not be the best choice of words, but I don't know what to make of the situation.

I am on Viht's promotional mailings list, and that list comes with contact info.

I called the number and spoke to their representative directly.

She could give me absolutely no reason to explain the shortages.

N105 seems to be readily available in Europe but not here.

She said "I can only tell you that importers are being told to expect some in a few months".

No one (that I can access) seems to really know the nature of the problem.

If they do know, they aren't saying.

N105 is the biggest availability problem but it seems there have been spot shortages of other powders as well.

I use several Viht powders but am developing alternative loads so that when my stocks on those powders are used up I have other options.

I love their products, but if they cannot or will not service the US market, what choice do I have but to find more reliable suppliers?

Tls

[Carlos]

because VV/the Importer just noticed that N105 never passed a flammable certification for the US.

Without that certification, the powder has to stay put, even though it's been shipped here for years.

Seems like this is the SECOND time such a situation has happened with Vihta Vouri in recent memory (yes i realize their distributor has changed to hodgdon).

Ever since the US World Shoot team got screwed by the failure to ship their ammo internationally, I am really not surprised by import/export fiascos we continue to hear about. And to think I was once interested in working in the field of international import/export.