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04-24-2022, 08:39 AM
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Bullsye Powder
Went to a gun show in Montpelier, Oh. yesterday. Powder is showing up some there, but NO primers. They had Bullseye, Blue Dot, and Red Dot. $30 a pound. Not a great deal but beats shipping and Hazmat fees. Bought 1. Bob
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04-24-2022, 09:39 AM
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Last show I was at about a month ago was $50/lb.
A guy had a lot of CCI SPPs for $150/1000.
I didn’t see much of either selling.
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04-24-2022, 06:16 PM
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The show here in Great Falls had powder for $40 a lb and primers at $15 per 100.
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04-24-2022, 07:13 PM
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$30 a pound total might be doable if you are really in need of powder
but I refuse to pay a seller 5x the amont of $$ for primers, even if I need them !!
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04-24-2022, 07:44 PM
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Well, I sure wish I could find a couple of pounds of Bullseye around this neck of the woods for $30/lb.
BB
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04-24-2022, 07:50 PM
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I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that $30/lb with no hazmat fee is as cheep as you'll get these days by a long shot, anywhere. I would have scooped up the maximum allowable.
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04-24-2022, 07:55 PM
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"but I refuse to pay a seller 5x the amount of $$ for primers, even if I need them !!"
Unfortunately, it's probably more like 3 times the future going rate, after things settle down.
73,
Rick
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04-24-2022, 08:32 PM
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My LGS has CFE, 231, and a few others… about $35/lb.
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04-24-2022, 10:13 PM
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Fin Feather and Fur in Rossford Oh. had Bullseye for $42 a pound today, limit one bottle of any powder. Had a few powders in 4 and 8 pound jugs. Back in August of 2019 I picked up an 8lb. jug of 2400 for $119 and got a $2 a pound rebate from Alliant. They used to be cheaper than the online places.
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04-24-2022, 11:13 PM
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Moderator SWCA Member Absent Comrade
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bananaman
Went to a gun show in Montpelier, Oh. yesterday. Powder is showing up some there, but NO primers. They had Bullseye, Blue Dot, and Red Dot. $30 a pound. Not a great deal but beats shipping and Hazmat fees. Bought 1. Bob
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IMO $30/lb is not bad at all. Most powders back in 2018 were in the $25/lb range so I would be happy @$30/lb. I would have bought 2 lbs at that price.
You may not think so but I think you did well. Enjoy shooting and be safe...
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04-24-2022, 11:55 PM
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$30/lb seems realistic to me.
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04-25-2022, 12:56 AM
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Actually $30 per pound is low for what I've seen.
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04-25-2022, 10:19 AM
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I use a lot of Alliant Bullseye. The 4 pound container that I'm using now still has the sticker on it. It is $48.00! It'll be a while until I start using the 8 pounder!
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04-25-2022, 10:47 AM
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Bullseye is one of the oldest smokeless propellants on the market, and still one of the most useful. Name just about any handgun caliber and there is probably a decent loading for Bullseye. Right off the top of my head I remember using Bullseye in .38 Special, 9X19, .45ACP, and a few others. IIRC, Bullseye was the standard powder for military .45ACP for many years.
It is also quite economical for practice ammo. With cast bullets and charge weights of ~3 grains (.38 Spl), ~3.5 grains (9X19), ~4.5 grains (.45ACP) we are talking about 2000-plus rounds per pound of powder. So even at $30 per pound we are still talking less than 2 cents per round, under a buck per box of ammo.
Primer prices are still tough to swallow, and I'm starting to feel the pinch because I'm down to my last few thousand from my pre-panic supplies.
I got spoiled years ago when GI surplus powder and primers were just about everywhere. I knew one dealer who bought surplus powders by the barrel, sold it by the pound for about $2, and I carried it home in a paper bag then transferred it to screw-top cans for storage. NRA magazines and Gun List always had pages of ads offering military surplus powders, primers, bullets, brass, everything at chump change prices.
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04-25-2022, 11:25 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArchAngelCD
IMO $30/lb is not bad at all. Most powders back in 2018 were in the $25/lb range so I would be happy @$30/lb. I would have bought 2 lbs at that price.
You may not think so but I think you did well. Enjoy shooting and be safe...
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I bought 20 lbs of powder in Jan. 2020 and I recall that $25/lb was the price for 8 lbs. The supply of some powders had already started to disappear. A few months later the troubles started.
I had a real bad feeling about 2020.
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Last edited by LostintheOzone; 04-25-2022 at 11:35 AM.
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04-25-2022, 03:32 PM
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There are indications that the powder market is tightening again. Alliant powders have been the hardest to get for years now. This was true even before the shutdowns. Don't panic buy and don't buy powders you don't use. But if you see something you use often and would like to have more of, and you think the price is reasonable, just buy it.
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04-26-2022, 09:12 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul in Nevada
There are indications that the powder market is tightening again. Alliant powders have been the hardest to get for years now. This was true even before the shutdowns. Don't panic buy and don't buy powders you don't use. But if you see something you use often and would like to have more of, and you think the price is reasonable, just buy it.
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If you have powder that you don't use, trade it for powder that you do use. That way two people are happy!
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04-26-2022, 09:13 AM
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The last Bullseye I bought at Cabelas is priced at $16.95. Don't remember I bought it. Bob
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04-26-2022, 09:23 AM
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The lack of primers should hurt powder sales and let the powder supply catch up. A recession should be along here in the not too distant future. Maybe primers will come back then.
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04-26-2022, 04:16 PM
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About the only reliableish powder source has been Ramshot/Accurate powders. Hodgdon being next except varget, h4350, and the monster magnum rifle powders. Alliant might as well be out of business as far as I’m concerned.
It’s been two years, expand production.
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04-26-2022, 06:49 PM
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I was able to find 2 lbs of Bullseye and 2 lbs of Unique at powdervalley a few months ago (at different times). They just randomly show up one day and the next day they're gone. If you're really running low and need some, you have to look every day, early in the day to have a chance of getting some.
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04-29-2022, 09:46 AM
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Back in the day.
When I started reloading, I just used either Bullseye or Unique powder for all pistol loads. Worked well.
That was about 40+ years ago. Still using the stuff.
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04-29-2022, 11:28 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by metalman60
When I started reloading, I just used either Bullseye or Unique powder for all pistol loads. Worked well.
That was about 40+ years ago. Still using the stuff.
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I could have only Bullseye, Unique, and 2400 and be happy for the rest of my days.
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04-29-2022, 11:46 AM
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I did find one thing out about Bullseye when testing light target loads in my 5" 9mm pistol.......
and that was when you use starting data or lighter with 115 to 147 gr plated bullets.....
The cases do not seal in the chamber and there is "Soot" all over the case, for 75% of its length.
Just plain filthy.
I also learned that light charges of BE-86 are just as dirty.
So if your cases are covered with burnt powder, add .2 more powder and see if things clean up.
You should also see an inprovement in accuracy.
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04-29-2022, 11:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by diyj98
I could have only Bullseye, Unique, and 2400 and be happy for the rest of my days.
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But, then we do have our rifle calibers to feed as well. ?
Oh, and if they were just always available!
Cheers!
P.S. I know what you meant!
Last edited by STORMINORMAN; 04-29-2022 at 11:49 AM.
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04-29-2022, 12:36 PM
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Found a 4lb jug of BE a few days ago and did a F2F buy for $100.
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04-29-2022, 04:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZ Buckshot Bill
Well, I sure wish I could find a couple of pounds of Bullseye around this neck of the woods for $30/lb.
BB
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I have a 1 lb. metal tin of Bullseye with a metal pop lid. I keep it around to remind me of days long past.
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04-29-2022, 11:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by diyj98
I could have only Bullseye, Unique, and 2400 and be happy for the rest of my days.
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Those three powders are the original powder trinity.
My powder trinity is slightly different.
I can load anything for handguns with:
W231/HP-38, W540/HS-6 and W296/H110 ( of course W540 is now discontinued)
If ever W231 and HS-6 are discontinued I can now substitute W244 and W572 respectively.
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04-30-2022, 09:11 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nevada Ed
$30 a pound total might be doable if you are really in need of powder
but I refuse to pay a seller 5x the amont of $$ for primers, even if I need them !!
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I would be happy to pay $30 a pound for powder with no Haz-Mat fees.
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04-30-2022, 09:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeplorabusUnum
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that $30/lb with no hazmat fee is as cheep as you'll get these days by a long shot, anywhere. I would have scooped up the maximum allowable.
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$30 per pound powder is the new normal for good pricing.
We will never see it cheaper than that again. I’ll buy it any day for that price.
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04-30-2022, 09:22 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dfish1247
About the only reliableish powder source has been Ramshot/Accurate powders. Hodgdon being next except varget, h4350, and the monster magnum rifle powders. Alliant might as well be out of business as far as I’m concerned.
It’s been two years, expand production.
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I think a lot of our powder came from Australia, and exports of
it are being cut drastically for political reasons.
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05-01-2022, 11:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smoothshooter
I think a lot of our powder came from Australia, and exports of
it are being cut drastically for political reasons.
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I think a lot of Hogden powders are relabeled ADI powders, which are made in Australia.
In the past Alliant, Hogden, and Winchester (which are the same as Hogden) were the only powders I could reliably get locally. So I standardized on those. I use more Bullseye than anything else. I have enough to get me through the next few years, but I really wonder what availability will look like in the future.
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05-01-2022, 12:46 PM
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$30 to put powder in over 2,000 .38 Special rounds isn't terrible, in reality. And if you compare "scalper" powder and primer prices, it's still cheaper than buying ammo.
With $150/1,000 primers, $50/pound Bullseye, $13/100 lead boolits (that's what Runnings is running right now, no pun intended) and $50 for 500 once-fired casings that will last let's say five times, that puts a box of 50 at about $16.14, or 37 cents each. And honestly, that's a worst-case scenario right now -- and I wouldn't be caught dead buying powder or primers at those prices.
Good luck finding 38 Special at $16/50 (Federal is $28/50 at Target Sports USA right now). Yeah, it sucks compared to three years ago, alas it's not three years ago anymore.
Last edited by drumminor2nd; 05-01-2022 at 12:49 PM.
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05-01-2022, 01:49 PM
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I'm seeing more and more powder on store shelves. Prices range from $35-45 per pound. Unique is still rarely found but I'm getting enough 2400, 4227, 3031, 4064 and 4198 to see to all of my needs. Bought an 8 lb jug of Bullseye during the Obama years for $130 and it will last me to the end... I think.
Bullet wise, I cast for everything except my 30-06, 222 Remington, and 6.5 Swede.
Still using the same 50 year old cases for the first two and have plenty of brass for everything else.
Primers are our Achilles Heel.
John
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05-01-2022, 04:48 PM
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Last show I was attended, powder was $50/lb
Robert
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05-07-2022, 01:47 PM
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Recent gun show in Houston had Bullseye for $35 a pound and SPP for $115/1000. I bought two of each. Neither is a bad price for these days.
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