What has this has situation done? In the past year I bought 4 lbs of Titegroup, 4 lbs of HS-6, and 8 lbs Hodgden Universal. Not to mention I'm set on magnum revolver and rifle powder for a few years.
Some 4 lb jugs of Power Pistol and one lb jugs of Bulls Eye and Unique recently came available and I almost pulled the trigger until I came to my senses. I stopped the purchase after realizing I had already enough powder to last me several years.
Anyone else come to this conclusion? I'm glad I saved some for the next guy.

But I don't have any BE or Unique. I have some Titegroup that may be a BE substitute, but no medium burning powder other than what I already had in stock. I do have some Acc #7 and PB. Unfortunately at this time I'm broke and won't be buying gun stuff for a while, but I believe that I have plenty to last until I can get on my feet again. I'd really like to have some BE and Unique for the long term.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Man don have enough for months much less years. At my current rate of say 800rds a month, I have enough stuff for about 3yrs. I am still a Buyer at the right price.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Yep...ended up with a bunch of trail boss for .38, some titegroup and a couple lbs of power pistol for everything else...none of which I was looking for, but ended up with. I'm good with that and have quit looking for or buying powder. Saw a ton of titegroup for sale at the LGS last week and just laughed.

hmmm, now that I think about it - I'm almost out of the trail boss, better run back to that store

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But then, what do I know?

I scored a deal locally on 10 pounds of IMR PB and two pounds of Ramshot Silhouette, in addition to the 4 pounds I still had of Titegroup. All I reload in handgun is 9mm and a small amount of 380. My fiance and I shoot about 400-500 rounds a month, so I have powder for years.

I won't buy anything at the current inflated prices, but anytime I find a good deal (I got that 10 pounds of PB for $120) I will jump on it.

I do the same with primers, if I can get them at a cost of less than 2.5 cents a primer I will jump on them, otherwise I have about 10K so I am set for a little.

The only thing I seem to not be stocked up on is bullets, only about 4000 9mm projos and 500 for 380 currently on hand.

Until there are 8 lb. cans of 2400 and Unique there are no pistol powders. Larry

Throw wst into that wish last. Although I just scored 8# from an old friend getting out of shooting fo health reasons. $160, not uber cheap but helps him out.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Lucked into 2lbs of Unique at a local gun shop yesterday for $17.50 a pound. Not a big fan of Unique for what I load, but it was a good deal, and I'll use it.

Quite a bit of powder around locally, but W231 and some Alliant powders are hard to find.

Larry

I use the now-discontinued IMR SR4756 in my revolver target loads and AutoComp in my .38 Super and .45ACP 1911s. AutoComp usually is readily available and thanks to a tip from another member of this forum, I came across a supply of 4756 at SARCO Sporting Goods in Easton, Pennsylvania. They had several of the powders you guys are wanting as well.

Ed

There's gonna be some great estate sales...

I Agree with this...
2400 is the one powder I really need but cannot find. I got a lb of HS6 & Power Pistol this weekend though. The Power Pistol just came off the truck when I arrived. Owner only had 2 lbs so I bought 1.

I applaud the OP for his consideration of other reloaders. I wish everone would stop hourding for about 6 months and let the supply get right again so other may enjoy reloading.

Here in SC, pistol powders are still quite scarce. Rifle powders are in abundance, though.

Last month I got 8lbs of Unique and 4lbs of Power Pistol off of Guns America, and that will last me a long time.

Most all the powders are in stock at my LGS, just the cost is high.
$30.00 a pound is high in my book.

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John

I look at the power shortage as a matter of perspective on many levels. For the guy who shoots a thousand rounds a year...4 pounds of powder is a nice supply and prudent reserve.

If you shoot in competition and go through thousands of rounds each month...then maybe 20 pounds wont last long at all. Or maybe you shoot a .500 Magnum and go through a lot of powder in short order.

Its none of my business how many pounds of powder a man/woman/family have in the closet.

With that being said in the past year I have purchased what powder I could as it was available in a cost effective manner. Sometimes at the LGS...and more often than not online bulk purchase. I now have a reasonable supply for the foreseeable future.

The only thing that interest me today is a very specific powder that I seek or a medium burn rate powder at a very attractive discount rate. I have passed on any number powders for the next guy many times...and cleared the shelves a couple times.

Each man must take his own inventory and go from there.

There is no such thing as a "hoarder" and there is no nobility in loading on a 30 year old single stage press. Each tub must sit on its own bottom...Whatever works for each individual has merit.

I really think if one wants powder that badly... its out there. But just like our beloved S&W revolvers, prices/availability vary from one section of the country to the next.

May Santa bring everyone a large stocking full of powder....

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The American dream is alive

I gave up on waiting for the W231/HP-38 to come out of hiding. Last month I located a pound each of Unique and Bullseye, and today i got a 5lb jug of Trailboss and 2 pounds of 2400 at a small gunshow. Things are a bit better, if pricey. This should keep my 38/357/44 spl habit happy for quite a while. I can even use the Unique and TB as plinking loads in 30-30 and 25-20. Hang in there, but don't wait til too close to the next elections.

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

IMO, 231/HP38 and Power Pistol are the two powders that are still VERY hard to find at regular prices. There are a bunch of "people" (and I use that word lightly) that are trying to scalp these powders for big profits.

W231 and HP38 are the only powders that I have not seen in 2014. Gunbot showed 8# jugs of W231, on March 17, ordered immediately, called a week later, and they said they had never gotten any. Kept it on back order for 8 months before I called it quits.

I feel fortunate. I can get everything I want and more. Have enough TG to last a long time and I like it. 8lbs each of varget, H335 and HP38. Several more 1 lbs of H335, 231 and one HS6 I would like to get rid of. And, hate to say this but I have 5 lbs of 2400 and I have not even worked up my loads for it yet. I am more worried that I have too much in my basement. And we didnt talk primers.

Yes, but the Bullseye sounds good. Just cannot find it here at home...had to settle on Red-Dot last I bought.

Learned the hard way many years ago to buy in bulk quantities so I have been able to ride through the shortage. We are friends with a guy who dominates the gunshow powder business in central Iowa. 231/HP38 is just not being made and shipped which appears to have been caused by problems at Primex in Florida. Also, Vihtavouri powders are not available...I know the company got sold recently so we can only wait and see if the stuff ever shows up again.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

I only buy what I need, can't really afford to buy at the rate the hoarders do these days. Since the winter has come, I tend to shoot much less anyway, hopefully the spring will bring some powder relief.

Picked up 2 lbs of Bullseye, gave one to the range master at the gun club, he is shooting a match in Oklahoma next week, figured he could use it.

My grand plan is to die with great memories, broke, out of powder, primers, and ammo with my widow well stocked with ammo in her favorite calibers, emphasis on "plan".

My current shortage is targets.

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S&WHF 366

You have a start on your inventory, not too much. Powder and primers are like guns, range trips, and money. You never can have too much or too many.

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S&WHF 366

I think that's the new norm until demand backs off, or supply picks up. I don't see either happening soon. If you need powder: See offer, hit offer. That's my take for the time being anyway.

I haven't looked for powder for months now, I was able to buy an 8 lb. jug of Bullseye, which is/has been my "go to" powder. I went for almost a year without finding any pistol powder at all. Bought Red Dot and was using it. Then, out of the blue, a LGS got in some TiteGroup, 700X and CFE Pistol. A few months later, a buddy and I made a 6 hour round trip to buy the Bullseye and neither of us has bought any powder since.

I can't afford to hoard powder and have sold 2 pounds of the TG to another reloader. I haven't used the 700X or the CFE Pistol and wouldn't mind selling it off to others. The Red Dot I'll keep, as it worked well for what I load and will give me a "cushion" if needed again.

After 1st of the year I need to stock up on bullets, otherwise I'll leave for other's who are still looking :-)

Same here , a few months ago at a show I got 3lbs titegroup and 4 of power pistol already have several pounds of HS6 and American select but I am still wanting to go to the next show this coming weekend for more. I think since the shortage it made me obsessed about getting powder. what I have will last me for several years. Yes my name is Bob and I am a powderholic

I scored some H110 at the shooting club I belong to... somebody beat me to the 4# of Bullseye I was supposed to get from that order. I'm still OK on BE though, because I got a bunch from an estate sale. The one powder I still want for pistols is Unique, and I need to squirrel away some 4759 for my schuetzen rifles. Oh yeah, I wouldn't turn down a couple of jugs of HP38 or W231 if they showed up at a reasonable price.

Froggie

I just got some WSF and Longshot from PV a week or so ago. I don't have any experience with either, but it looks like they will both do for intermediate calibers like 9 MM. I still have a couple pounds of 296 plus 4 bls of H110, so I'm sitting pretty good on 357/44 powder and still have a little 231 and a very little Bullseye left I can use for 380 Auto and 38 Special. As for rifle powder I am sitting pretty good with 9 lbs of IMR4350 and a couple each of H4831 and Hybrid 100V. For 223, I have enough LT-32 and A 2200 to last for 4-5k rounds. So all I could really need would be a couple of lbs of Unique or Bullseye.

I'm not a hoarder but would probably buy my favorites at the right price even if not necessary at the time. If I felt I didn't need it after I purchased, I'd sell to a friend that might be in need.

Longshot I find it to be a bit harsh feeling compared to other powders. If you don't mind snappy, it works ok. I do like WSF in 9mm, I think you will be pleased with that powder.

I just bought 5# of Red Dot, couldn't find any WST, down to my last 4#. A buddy is getting out of shooting/reloading for health reasons & offered me an unopened 8# of WST. Of course I said yes, & would again tomorrow if I found another for $160. So even though I now have enough powder for about 4yrs of shooting, waiting to buy can end up biting you in the butt as it did many the beginning of 2009 & 2013. Having it & not needing, always better than needing & not having. 10K primers per size & 4# of powder per type are now my personal min before restocking.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I have 20 lbs of powder. I might use 5 lbs a year. Maybe 6 if the Taliban show up in my neighborhood. There will never be enough powder to go around ever again. Some people buy gold, I buy powder. I have to be able to sleep at night.

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That's just somebody talkin.

Wow..The Taliban is showing up?? Powder is truly the least of my worries. Both rifle and pistol I may have a bit more than 400 lbs. But certain ones are in short supply. Heck I am still using HS5 Alcan 5 7 and 8.. Win 230(but I just bought it for a buck a pound). I even have one can of Dupont P-5066 left. I just bought 6000 rounds of 45 auto brass so a lot of the 230 will be gone.

Wow, I haven't read about Alcan powders in a longgggg time. I don't even remember what I was loading with AL7 with back in the day. Maybe 20 gauge shotgun?

Oddly enough, I have some al7 and al8 hiding in my stash of odds and ends

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it just needs more voltage

Us folks with Wisconsin roots sure do tend to hoard stuff. I thought WW 452 was old school.

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S&WHF 366

Some of the older powders work better than new stuff for certain loads. I have the remains of a 3 lb can of Hi Vel #2 that I use in my 30-30 loads. Dated 1937.. Still shoots great. Use it mainly in Bolt guns. The 130 gr spritzer in the old Win 54 shoots good. I have a bunch of Win 295 I have to find some loads for..or use it on the garden.. Ah yes.Win 452. I have some of that.. Hodgdon called it Trap 100...have it too. At the gun show last weekend I bought a pound each of PB 4756 4759 and 4lbs(caddy) of 7625. All sadly discontinued. the PB and 4756 are in 8 ounce cans And have almost no use for 4759 as I no longer load cast boolits in rifles.. But ya never know. I sold a friend a 3 lb can of AL-8 2 weeks ago. He might be older than me.

Alcan 7..still remember the load I used. Win AA case.. 27.5 gr of AL-7 Red Win wad 1 3/8 oz of Copper 5s. Oh that load shot great. It was my diving duck load. cans redheads and blackheads(Scaup to you Yankees). I shot a lot of those loads over the 30 years guiding waterfowl on the Chesapeake and it's rivers. Used it on tolling geese too. I literally wore out a hydrocoil stock on a WIn M-12 shooting them.

I'm a Piker. 20 lbs is a lot for me. I'm pretty sure WY will be the Taliban's last stop right after ID and MT. No sense in getting banged up early in the season.
:

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That's just somebody talkin.

Well they don't want to come to Wyoming anyway..Least populous state..BUT we do have a couple hundred years of oil here..if the gummit would let us drill for it.
I have a lot of different powders..especially the old stuff mainly because I saved everything. I loaded shotshells by the hundreds of thousands..When we found a cheaper load we used it. I loaded for a bunch of guys that shot pigeons. Had a business doing it. Then I sold reloading supplies for 30 ys or so. What didn't get sold in a timely manner I kept and used. And of course I still buy newer powders too. Just bought 2 8 lb kegs of Unique 2 weeks ago.. It is my most used powder.

They were given to me several years ago by a kindred spirit.
Cans have a certain charm about them.

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it just needs more voltage

I picked up 4# of unique the other day at a good price. I have some 2400 and H110 so I am ok for awhile on pistol powders that I use. I do also have some AL-5 sitting around, just because I liked the cans.

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Regards
Ray S&WCA #2810