Powder shortages coming???

[twodog max]

Just got an email from a large ammo supplier about possible shortages coming soon. It said nitrocellulose for powder making will be in short supply due to all the wars going on.
Just a word to the wise!

 

[venomballistics]

Bull. The foreign combatants have their own independent stocks and means of manufacture.
It's all manipulation by Vista outdoors.
I fully expect to see alliant powders vanish again, because they are a vista holding along with CCI, Speer, and Federal ammunition.
They need to be starved out of the market.
When that happens, things will find their way to normal

 

[cmj8591]

Powder is the easiest component to manufacture. There certainly could be shortages of the raw materials used to make it but I wonder how much of this panic is induced to get people to buy more powder at inflated prices. This isn't COVID with the whole supply chain shut down. Any real shortages will be temporary.

 

[burneyr]

Bull. The foreign combatants have their own independent stocks and means of manufacture.
It's all manipulation by Vista outdoors.
I fully expect to see alliant powders vanish again, because they are a vista holding along with CCI, Speer, and Federal ammunition.
They need to be starved out of the market.
When that happens, things will find their way to normal

You left out Remington which Vista also owns.

100% correct on your analysis - this consolidation of manufacturers into one hand isn't going to be good for loaders or consumers. I've noticed all the rumor milling and increases always start with Federal and their "announcements" to distributors.

People paying attention see the high pricing/availability issues ALWAYS starts with Vista products. I've worked anything involving Vista off my component shopping list. Hated giving up CCI and Alliant but I'm not going to get gigged with their price hikes. I've found a lot of components that perform competitively at less cost without the availability issues.

The Czech group CSG that bought Vista recently acquired Fiocchi too. They might get them all if their financing holds out. It's going to be an expensive trip before we get to the final destination.

 

[venomballistics]

You left out Remington which Vista also owns.

100% correct on your analysis - this consolidation of manufacturers into one hand isn't going to be good for loaders or consumers. I've noticed all the rumor milling and increases always start with Federal and their "announcements" to distributors.

People paying attention see the high pricing/availability issues ALWAYS starts with Vista products. I've worked anything involving Vista off my component shopping list. Hated giving up CCI and Alliant but I'm not going to get gigged with their price hikes. I've found a lot of components that perform competitively at less cost without the availability issues.

The Czech group CSG that bought Vista recently acquired Fiocchi too. They might get them all if their financing holds out. It's going to be an expensive trip before we get to the final destination.

Been doing much the same.
Some of the alliant powders were hard to say goodbye to. Unique wasn't too hard.... Blue Dot and 2400 took some work.

 

[BE Mike]

It could just be good marketing to speculate on coming shortages. It sure makes products fly off the shelf. Toilet paper anyone?

 

[CH4]

It could just be good marketing to speculate on coming shortages. It sure makes products fly off the shelf. Toilet paper anyone?

But if it's not based in fact and mere FUD, I would consider those marketing tactics unethical, dubious at best.

 

[BE Mike]

But if it's not based in fact and mere FUD, I would consider those marketing tactics unethical, dubious at best.

You're right of course, but I see ads on tv every day touting medications to prevent COVID, RSV, shingles and the flu. Do pharmaceutical companies do this? You betcha! GlaxoSmithKline TV Spot, 'Cut Short by RSV: Outings' - iSpot.tv

 

[Telecaster]

Well, this is a good way to sell powder, and cause a price increase.

 

[tom2]

This consolidation under one overlord is bad in the respect that they can manipulate pricing and choke off supplies on the whim of people that do not have us non-gov. customers interests at heart. Then again it is maybe easier for antis to bankrupt a smaller operation. I am all for alternatives except have heard bad stuff about some ammo companies rushing to fill the voids in the market. Luckily word gets out on the net unlike prenet if something is bad news. IF you take the time to check.

 

[Huskerguy]

I don't disagree with the problem of consolidation of components and ammo under Vista. For reloaders, that problem generally shows up in primers. Bullets, brass, and powder are easier to find and less costly.

For those who want to bring Vista to their knees by not buying their products should take a look at this listing of all the companies they own now. 403 Forbidden They list two categories so scroll down. If you don't want to use Vista, which I understand, they only make Reliant Powders but Outers and Hoppes along with several scope and optic companies. In other words, your refusal to use them is going to be casting a wide net and still not get at the heart of the problem.

Hodgdons is the major player in the powder game. Hodgdon – Hodgdon Powder Company They make Hodgdon, IMR, Winchester, Accurate, Blackhorn and Ramshot. Try reloading without using their products.

We can all talk big and tough but nothing will change.

 

[burneyr]

I dont realistically think my boycott of Vista is going to make .000000001% difference in their bottom line. But it sure makes ME feel better.

Hodgdon as you mention is one of the powder alternatives to Alliant. If you check pricing you will find their cost for equivalent Alliant products is less, and often far less especially in their Accurate/Ramshot lines. VihtaVuori long known as a premium propellant is priced under Alliant now in many instances.

And it isn't just their powder - it's across their entire product line of primers, ammunition, etc.

It isn't that any of us want Vista to go away, but damnded if we have to bend over and take it. It's evident to many that they are taking advantage of their strengthened marketing position to capitalize on price.

 

[BE Mike]

I dont realistically think my boycott of Vista is going to make .000000001% difference in their bottom line. But it sure makes ME feel better.

Hodgdon as you mention is one of the powder alternatives to Alliant. If you check pricing you will find their cost for equivalent Alliant products is less, and often far less especially in their Accurate/Ramshot lines. VihtaVuori long known as a premium propellant is priced under Alliant now in many instances.

And it isn't just their powder - it's across their entire product line of primers, ammunition, etc.

It isn't that any of us want Vista to go away, but damnded if we have to bend over and take it. It's evident to many that they are taking advantage of their strengthened marketing position to capitalize on price.

It's purely conjecture on my part, but I think that hoarding is still a huge factor in keeping gun powder prices inflated. Of course when Hodgdon announced that they would be suspending sales of their line, including Clays (and others), that probably made the demand for Alliant powders increase.

 

[burneyr]

I think you are entirely correct in the belief hoarding is an issue. Hardly a week goes by the rumor mill isn't stoked by something or other. Heard in November that the plant making Unique was transitioning to artillery powder, and it would not be manufactured for a ten month period. True? Who knows for sure? I do know my friend who told me about that story bought 24lbs of Unique because if it. Enough to last him eight years at least...

Compounding the problem is most all of the powder brands are essentially distributors of products doesn't help. If I recall correctly the only product Hodgdon manufactures is Pyrodex. Most everything else is imported from ADI of Australia, General Dynamics of St. Marks, FL, etc. Product suspensions are the result of the original manufacturer taking it out of production. Bofors supplies a good portion of Alliant's line, Lovex does for Shooters World, Valleyfield for IMR, Clermont for some Ramshot types, etc.

 

[Huskerguy]

I think you are entirely correct in the belief hoarding is an issue. Hardly a week goes by the rumor mill isn't stoked by something or other. Heard in November that the plant making Unique was transitioning to artillery powder, and it would not be manufactured for a ten month period. True? Who knows for sure? I do know my friend who told me about that story bought 24lbs of Unique because if it. Enough to last him eight years at least...

Compounding the problem is most all of the powder brands are essentially distributors of products doesn't help. If I recall correctly the only product Hodgdon manufactures is Pyrodex. Most everything else is imported from ADI of Australia, General Dynamics of St. Marks, FL, etc. Product suspensions are the result of the original manufacturer taking it out of production. Bofors supplies a good portion of Alliant's line, Lovex does for Shooters World, Valleyfield for IMR, Clermont for some Ramshot types, etc.

This article suggests they manufacture some of their powders at least. Hodgdon Powder Co. - Today in Kansas Manufacturing

I live in KS and Herrington is not far from me.

 

[bluetopper]

For a good while now around here, Accurate powders has been the most available by far.

 

[boatbum101]

Was recently powder shopping for 308 target powder & following are 8lber prices : Varget $350 , BL-C2 $ 265 , IMR 4895 $318 , IMR 4064 $319 , RL 15 $325 , TAC $ 227 , N-135 , 140 & 150 $ 279 . Kinda surprised me that the Vihtavouri powders were the cheapest for single based extruded powder .