Powder more available?

[Green Frog]

Well, I went over to the gun show at Roanoke, VA yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see powder in much better supply than in recent memory... not just the amount of powder but the types as well. I saw lots of Bullseye and Unique (!) as well as some that had been around but in short supply. Average price was about $30/lb or so. There were also a good number of primers but the US brands were still $30+/thousand and the Tulas were $23/thousand IIRC.

It isn't cheap or even back to the range of prices reloading supplies were before the madness, but at least stuff is becoming available, so we will be able to do a little more reloading without wondering whether there will be anything left to use. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst!

Froggie

 

[Peak53]

I'm seeing this too, as I picked up HP-38 and Unique locally in the last week.

 

[hanno]

I bought an 8 lb jug of Win 231 last week for $130.

The same shop had 8 lb jugs of Red Dot Bulseye, Universal Clays, CFE and Clay Dot.

Red Dot, Bulseye, Win 231, Clays, Universal Clays and some others were available in 1 lb bottles.

 

[MN2944]

As it starts to show up in stores, the hoarders that lined up every morning outside the stores to "stock up" are trying to unload their overpriced stash.

 

[Duster340]

Hey Green Frog,

Yep, the local BassPro here has consistently had powder on the shelves for the last 3-4 weeks. Red Dot, Blue Dot, Bullseye, Unique among them. Sure is nice to see the powder showing up again!

 

[EugeneNine]

Cabelas had Power Pistol and Unique in stock this week. I'm still waiting for tightgroup.

 

[jag22]

A Dallas gun show dealer has had HP 38, Win Autocomp and Win 231 for several weeks now. Once I went on the second day, sunday, and still had plenty in stock. Nothing yet for any Accurate pistol powder, Bullseye or Unique.

 

[Green Frog]

Cabelas had Power Pistol and Unique in stock this week. I'm still waiting for tightgroup.

I bought a pound of TiteGroup just as the price was going up and availability down... planned to use it as a possible replacement for Bullseye in some of my midrange 32s and 38s, but got a bunch more Bullseye in an open keg so I sold my one odd pound of TG to a friend who was already loading with that powder... didn't want to go through load development not knowing when or if I could get more.

Froggie

 

[EugeneNine]

Tightgroup was the first powder I tried and so far the most accurate but I haven't been able to find any since the first 1lb.

 

[Argonnakid]

It's still hit or miss around here in southeasten VA. Went to the gunshow last week and my favorite source didn't have anything to speak of. LGS did have some powder's I so three weeks ago.

 

[Green Frog]

Arragonnakid,

You might try Mac's Reloading down your way. IIRC he had some at the Roanoke show this weekend. He had more powder and more kinds than I have seen him carry for a long time!

Froggie

 

[shortbil]

My LGS got in some 231 today! They had 10 one pounders,4 four pounders and 4 eight pounders! I'm a busy man tonight.

 

[JeepinSoldier]

I bought an 8 lb jug of Win 231 last week for $130.

I would kill for an 8 lb jug of 231. I am buying the first one I see.

Still pretty tight for powder in the Denver area but got lucky and picked up one pound each of 231 and HP 38 this last weekend.

The store owner said he got 10 1 pound cans of each and they were all gone within 3 days.

 

[JeepinSoldier]

I'm seeing this too, as I picked up HP-38 and Unique locally in the last week.

Where?

I will drive all the way to CO Springs for HP 38.

 

[Moe Mentum]

Its coming back, I see many stores with a large assortment of powders around town.

 

[WVSig]

Can't find anything in my area. Looking hard for Win 231 or Hogdon HP-38.

 

[Calliope]

My LGS (se-MN) has Bullseye, Unique and Power pistol, and most all of the other Alliant powders, but still no Universal or Clays.

 

[FishingPilot]

My dad was at the Roanoke show and picked up an 8lb jug of Alliant 410 for almost $200. Prices are still way higher from where they used to be just a few years ago. I doubt we will see anything close to those prices in the next 3-5 years.

 

[ChiefStealth]

I would kill for an 8 lb jug of 231. I am buying the first one I see.

Still pretty tight for powder in the Denver area but got lucky and picked up one pound each of 231 and HP 38 this last weekend.

The store owner said he got 10 1 pound cans of each and they were all gone within 3 days.

Yea, see... there's the difference. A year ago, it would not have lasted three hours!

 

[hanno]

My dad was at the Roanoke show and picked up an 8lb jug of Alliant 410 for almost $200. Prices are still way higher from where they used to be just a few years ago. I doubt we will see anything close to those prices in the next 3-5 years.

Not necessarily, there are still some honest gun shops around. I bought a 8 lb jug of Win 231 last week for $130. A 8 lb jug of Red Red Dot was $125. I bought a 8 lb jug of Bullseye the day before Christmas at the same shop for $125.

The same gun shop had primers during the great primer shortage a few years back and continued to charge the same price as before the shortage. Other gun shops in the area raised their prices $10 per thousand (and they were getting their primers from this gun shop).