Heard an interesting segment on Gun Talk radio with Tom Gresham today. Looks like there may be a shortage of this important component in ammo. Due to all the wars going on, and China is buying lots of it. We have depleted our stocks of ammo, supporting these wars. The military gets first pick. So the civilian market will take the hit. Ammo prices will be going up. Get what you need now, esp. hard to find cals.
NITRO CELLULOSE
- Thread starter Rudi
- Start date
Alk8944
US Veteran
How did the person making this statement come to this conclusion? Nitro cellulose is not a natural material that is mined, it is manufactured as part of the process of manufacturing both single and double-based propellants/explosives! The basic material is any agricultural product that contains cellulose such as trees, cotton, etc. These are processed with a combination of Nitric and Hydrochloric acids. How can there be a a shortage o nitrocellulose??????
I agree with the observation of "The Sky is Falling, and whoever made this statement is Chicken Little.
I agree with the observation of "The Sky is Falling, and whoever made this statement is Chicken Little.
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An actual shortage comes about - logically - when you are consuming more of anything than you routinely produce. Or, leaving aside political considerations, which we aren’t able to discuss here, there might be a perceived shortage if you are scheming around for more money to modernize old capacity and/or add new capacity AND, at the same time, you have a “new” audience that will pay whatever price it has to to get what it wants that the older audience can’t or won’t. Likewise, there might be a perceived shortage if the manufacturer/wholesaler/retailer chain is looking around and thinking, “They’re routinely getting $65/M for primers (similar prices for propellants) in the sporting market in Europe, why aren’t we doing that here? We’re being suckers and leaving money on the table! Let’s get after it!” 
Just a couple of thoughts there. I have a couple more, but I can’t support any of them with facts. What I can say factually is recreational shooting is only worth so much to me. For now, I’ve reduced my purchases and usage according to prevailing supplies and prices. Often I find I can’t get what I want (certain propellants and LR and LRM primers), so I understand others are willing to pay more than I am, and I just do without. If that’s the way it’s going to be from now on, so be it. No one is forcing me to buy this stuff.
Just a couple of thoughts there. I have a couple more, but I can’t support any of them with facts. What I can say factually is recreational shooting is only worth so much to me. For now, I’ve reduced my purchases and usage according to prevailing supplies and prices. Often I find I can’t get what I want (certain propellants and LR and LRM primers), so I understand others are willing to pay more than I am, and I just do without. If that’s the way it’s going to be from now on, so be it. No one is forcing me to buy this stuff.
kev74
Member
I came across this a few days ago.
Alliant Powders Suspended Shipments Of Smokeless Powders For Reloading)
Alliant Powders Suspended Shipments Of Smokeless Powders For Reloading)
I think this is a real situation developing.
gwpercle
Member
Wait ... Cellulose ... That stuff grows on Trees !
Come to Louisiana we got all the tree's ergo cellulose... you want !
I joined the Powder Hoarder's Club in 1995 ...
Our Motto ... Stack it High , Deep and Wide !
Gary
Come to Louisiana we got all the tree's ergo cellulose... you want !
I joined the Powder Hoarder's Club in 1995 ...
Our Motto ... Stack it High , Deep and Wide !
Gary
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OLD NEWS.........Been out for weeks......See Vista Outdoors post on Alliant Powder.......We bought nitrocelulose from China.......Now they ain't selling.
DWalt
Member
Cellulose is a plant cell component. Nitrocellulose is made by reacting cellulose, usually in the form of cotton or paper, in a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids. At least for smokeless powder, making the nitrocellulose is the first step in the smokeless powder production line. Nitrocellulose is not purchased as a separate component by the propellant manufacturers. Producing nitrocellulose is the most complex part of propellant manufacture. It can be dangerous to make and is usually made in fairly low quantities at a time so it can be carefully controlled. A typical propellant plant will have a large number of small volume nitration reactors running simultaneously rather than one large reactor. One plant I worked on had five separate propellant production lines, and each line started with a nitration building which contained 16 separate nitration reactors. Nitration fires occasionally happened, but were not serious, being limited to one reactor and easily controllable. The nitrocellulose must go through a series of additional processing steps after nitration before it can be made into smokeless powder.
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.38SuperMan
Member
It’s not availability, it’s capacity to make nitrocellulose from the raw products.
Cotton prices will most likely rise too and wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a shortage. So be prepared for a return of the 70’s and polyester. Guys I hope you saved your polyester leisure suit.
No evidence of this but it wouldn’t surprise me if the EPA cracked down on the nitric and sulfuric acids used in the manufacturing. Nitroglycerin is also a component of double base powders and it’s another one that’s vulnerable to regulation and or shortages.
Cotton prices will most likely rise too and wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a shortage. So be prepared for a return of the 70’s and polyester. Guys I hope you saved your polyester leisure suit.
No evidence of this but it wouldn’t surprise me if the EPA cracked down on the nitric and sulfuric acids used in the manufacturing. Nitroglycerin is also a component of double base powders and it’s another one that’s vulnerable to regulation and or shortages.
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DWalt
Member
Very early in my career, I was an operator in a NG plant for awhile. That was at the U.S. Naval Propellant Plant in Indian Head MD. At that time it was the most advanced NG plant in the world. Built on an Italian design (Biazzi). Now called NSWC-Indian Head. Interference with nitric and sulfuric acids production and use would shut down most of the American chemical industry overnight and also most other industries.
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