Is there really a powder shortage or are reloaders spoiled?

[Savage Jav]

I still havent been able to find alliant steel powder in store or online. Curious if anyone has a good substitute

 

[Mono1]

And anal fissures….

Sounds like it might sting a little tho'.

 

[2ndtimer]

I acknowledge there are some very popular powders that are not being restocked and local retailers are failing in their efforts to obtain powder for their stores. But there are a lot of powders available online and at decent prices given the inflationary pressures everybody is dealing with.

Reloaders in recent times have had a rediculously wide selection of powders to choose from and new ones being introduced relatively often.

I wonder if that hasn't allowed reloaders to get overly selective about which powders they should have available to them.

Comparing smokeless powder to paper hygiene products, we have tons of brands and types of tp, facial tissue, paper towels, napkins, wipes, etc. Most could serve the purpose of each other, although each product might not be an ideal equivalent for the other. The same could be said for powder.

I bought a bunch of powder in the last couple of months and the prices have been fair even after factoring in hazmat and shipping. If you are limiting yourself to Varget, Retumbo that shows up on the local Bimart shelf, then you will feel like there is a shortage. If you are willing to try some different powders that will accomplish similar task then check online because there is a bunch of powder available out there to cover loads from super fast pistol powder up to the 50BMG burn range.


Edit: As for the picky powder users, there is nothing wrong with not shooting a firearm because you can't find your favorite powder. Just as there is nothing wrong with a person not wiping their backside because they can't find their favorite toilet paper.

I don't think there is a shortage of powder. Hodgdon claims to have shipped more powder in 2021 than ever in their history. What we have seen is a tremendous rise in demand, coupled with sudden rapid inflation overall. Popular powder is either dramatically overpriced or gone in minutes online. IF it shows up at a local store, it is gone in minutes if reasonably priced. Particularly the very popular powders H-1000, Retumbo, Reloder 23 and 26, for magnum rifles, along with the Creedmoor faves, H-4350, IMR-4350, Reloder 16 and 17, IMR-4451, and then the more likely available .223/5.56 powders AR-Comp, Varget, H-322, TAC, IMR-8208XBR and others. A lot of us have FOMO (fear of missing out) when it comes to powder and primers. I just ordered another 8 lb keg of TAC from Powder Valley to join the other two in my reloading room. If that makes me a hoarder, so be it. If I see something I can use at what I consider a fair price, I will continue to stock up. If not for me, for my son.

 

[American123]

no because when you develop a handload its custom to your needs and switching a component in that recipe means you have to start over with load development. So if someone for years has been reloading a recipe... they need those exact components.

Starting over right now, its a huge problem if you want something specific. You might get lucky but probably not and if you do find something you probably should buy in bulk. There are some things that are showing up on store shelves but we are still very deep in this ammo crunch.

Yeah, no kidding. Ammo prices are still through the roof.

 

[DizzyJ]

If there's more demand than there is product, there's a shortage.

 

[osprey]

I don't whine about it much but when you have went through load developement and come up with a combination that works well it is hard to want to spend time and money to develop a new load using a different powder. So here I am patiently waiting on a few select powders to hit the shelves again. Luckily on most of my loads I stocked up on the needed powders before the Rona but I got caught with my knickers down on a couple. Rl22 is one of them.

 

[VanceInWA]

I still havent been able to find alliant steel powder in store or online. Curious if anyone has a good substitute

Alliant powders are a mystery. Hodgdon, IMR, Ramshot, Accurate, etc. all available and have been for some months now (mostly online). But try to find Alliant ANYWHERE and nothing but strikeout. Alliant is owned by Vista. Vista has not proven to be a friend of reloaders for two years now, not even close. No doubt Alliant powders are being directed to Vista ammo production, and screw the needs of reloaders. Same old Vista...

 

[arakboss]

Alliant powders are a mystery. Hodgdon, IMR, Ramshot, Accurate, etc. all available and have been for some months now (mostly online). But try to find Alliant ANYWHERE and nothing but strikeout. Alliant is owned by Vista. Vista has not proven to be a friend of reloaders for two years now, not even close. No doubt Alliant powders are being directed to Vista ammo production, and screw the needs of reloaders. Same old Vista...

I have noticed that as well.

 

[crossbow5]

I have noticed that also, however there is Alliant Reloader 10X for sale at Natchez right now.

 

[arakboss]

This is a good deal on some local (to Willamette Valley) powder. I bought some powder from this member recently which wasn't quite this cheap but still a good deal.

handgun powders $30

$30 each. less than a year old, unopened. ftf near Lebanon/Albany . not interested in trades at this time.

www.northwestfirearms.com

 

[PTB]

I find that it can vary regionally as well. Ever since Sportsmans Warehouse has been showing their individual stores stock online, I search as far as I'm willng to drive. But Alliant has been ever elusive, And that damn H4895. lol

P.S. We have Varget (1 & 8 lbs) Retumbo, 8208 (which I paid waaaay too much for 2 mos ago) LeverEvolution, and a host of other great powders in stock at reasonable prices in my neck of the woods as I type. Limit 1 bottle per day, but I know a guy.

 

[PTB]

I've also seen some weird anomolies while checking websites. Once I was perusing the big B a few months ago and saw probably around 10-12 powders in stock that were slow movers. I refreshed the page then all of the sudden BAM, no powder for sale at all. It lasted that way for a good couple of weeks before they listed any powder again. I have a hard time thinking all of it sold that minute in one fell swoop. Then the big M did something similar with none in stock for a long period of time. Maybe catering to local walk in sales?

I recently had a forum member PM me to say AR Comp was in stock at PV. I checked many times but still out of stock and messaged him that back. He claimed he shopped there often and was seeing it in stock during our multiple msgs back and fouth. I didn't want to offend by asking him if he was sure it was the PV website. Made my tinfoil senses tingle.

Then don't get me started on the whole PV 20 min "cart" thing. I spent a half hour one morning refreshing the page trying to get some SPP's that would keep rolling off the cart time limit deal. Felt like an auction site. Finally got 'em, tho. hehe

Seems like the gradual uptick in primer stock kind of faded off a couple of months ago as well.

 

[arakboss]

I've also seen some weird anomolies while checking websites. Once I was perusing the big B a few months ago and saw probably around 10-12 powders in stock that were slow movers. I refreshed the page then all of the sudden BAM, no powder for sale at all. It lasted that way for a good couple of weeks before they listed any powder again. I have a hard time thinking all of it sold that minute in one fell swoop. Then the big M did something similar with none in stock for a long period of time. Maybe catering to local walk in sales?

I recently had a forum member PM me to say AR Comp was in stock at PV. I checked many times but still out of stock and messaged him that back. He claimed he shopped there often and was seeing it in stock during our multiple msgs back and fouth. I didn't want to offend by asking him if he was sure it was the PV website. Made my tinfoil senses tingle.

Then don't get me started on the whole PV 20 min "cart" thing. I spent a half hour one morning refreshing the page trying to get some SPP's that would keep rolling off the cart time limit deal. Felt like an auction site. Finally got 'em, tho. hehe

Seems like the gradual uptick in primer stock kind of faded off a couple of months ago as well.

That 20min PV cart thing drives me nuts.

 

[PTB]

That 20min PV cart thing drives me nuts.

werd