Powder price increase

[RabbitSlayer]

Shooting is pretty cheap compared to other hobbies. A diesel and a toy hauler alone is more than a lifetime of shooting for most people.

 

[jxb]

I got an email today from Drifters that Hodgdon is going up 11-35% this year.

I looked at Hodgdon's site this morning and they have already raised their prices 30% since November.

Luckily I stocked up again when they had their 20% off Christmas sale. Even with their silly high shipping+hazmat charge it was less than anywhere else's powder charge so it was a no brainer.

 

[searcher]

Vista and other reputable sources say there is a worldwide gunpowder shortage that is only expected to get worse - and that is without additional wars fought. Seems the U.S., U.K. and other countries, both friendly - and not - are seriously shoring up ammunition stockpiles which, in some cases were depleted. A U.K. official recently allegedly commented "the U.K. would run out of ammo within a matter of days if engaged in a war with Russia". While that might have been said in jest (?) - it was to drive home a point of ammo insufficiencies. Seems to be a lot of that going on. So, I'd say that doesn't bode well for us shooters. I still can't believe our government allowed the sale of Vista to foreigners - friendly or not.

 

[searcher]

How did we get screwed by the Czechs?…. We got screwed by Vista Outdoors selling to the Czech's
Wayne

I agree on this. The sale is for 5x fiscal year 2024 EBITDA, per Vista website. Under those sale terms, I'd be inclined to think that cranking those prices through the roof right now will net the Vista sellers a tidy profit. Figure every dollar added to bottom line x 5.

 

[Camper]

Some people blame the people that are buying powder and primers now as the reason why prices remain high. As if they should not buy anything until prices go down. lol Anybody here know for sure you're even going to be here tomorrow?

I had a friend a 1.5 years ago that decided to get into reloading... just his 2 preferred calibers. Equipment prices were back to normal but primer and powder was still high. He spent a few thousand bucks on primers and powder and has enough to last him the rest of his life at the rate he shoots. I told him other people would tell you to wait till prices go down but I have a feeling this is not letting up. Maybe not ever as long as we have this self destructive mentally ill democrat party that has clearly shown everyone that their lives mean nothing. I've always said democrats would rather you die than defend yourself. Liberals can't even deny that at this point.

It took BLM and Covid to wake up the average non gun owning American to realize they might want to get a gun and a bunch of ammo that goes along with it. I'm not sure the country will lull back into that complacent lifestyle they used to live in anytime soon, if ever with what violence is poised to occur that this administration has created the conditions for here at home. The liberals have created psychopaths with their narcotics and gender agenda, catered to criminals and illegals, and made everything easier for terrorists to come on in and set up camp. And Hezbllah has been working right across the border in Mexico since 08.

Even if Trump gets reelected, is there some bright side I'm not seeing in the near future? I'm not seeing the bright side as we watch the next 10 years of consequences unfold for a generation of crack and heroin addicted, marijuana smoking, America hating, psychotropic drug using, Hamas/terrorist sympathizing losers that cater to illegal aliens and criminals at the same time they vote their freedoms away.

So if you need powder... and primers, I say get your powder and primers now, while they are on the shelves.

 

[Longtrain]

I’ve bought a new 1:12 barrel for my 223, have a 1:8 AI and a 1:8 223 on the shelf with lots of life left in them. Lots of powder, brass, budget bullets and primers to keep them going for a while. My bigger caliber guns are designed for a couple special matches. The 223 will be go to for a bit now.

 

[L.Sherm]

Some people blame the people that are buying powder and primers now as the reason why prices remain high.

So what your saying is if they cant sell it they will still raise the price?

 

[Rsadams]

Just fyi guys I have been shooting shotgun ( skeet , sporting clays ) since COVID when primers got hard to find etc.... during that time I could get shotgun reloading stuff still cheap.... In the last year or two not so much but it was still there and if you bought a little extra when it was still on the shelves we kept shooting...

Here's the kicker to keep in mind when the Winchester 209 disappeared we went to cheddite when alliant e3 powder disappeared we changed powder and worked up new loads that worked the same , maybe a little dirtier load but that's about it... Just some extra cleaning involved and some experimenting....

Here's what we found out... We did everything as safely as we could but we broke the rule of changing things in a shotgun recipe which we all know is taboo... Well it was either that or stop shooting..., we backed off here and there etc and worked up some very nice loads we would have never found if it wasn't for these stupid times.... Plus we learned a lot about shotgun reloading for sure we never would have...

Now please don't do anything that could get you hurt , don't be stupid with your life and health.... But just because you can't get brand X or they want stupid money for it doesn't mean you have to stop shooting... There's primers out there , plenty of bullets for sale and PLENTY of different powders you never tried... Just because you were told brand X is the best thing since sliced bread it definitely doesn't mean it's the only powder that will work well...

Like us it will take some work to find your new load and definitely some experimenting but it can be done no problem... Then you can save your good stuff for matches or maybe find a new load with a powder you never thought would work etc... You even get to go shoot while testing so that's a win win... Just look at federal gold medal , the stuff shoots pretty dang good for factory and federal is definitely not weighing each charge or sorting bullets much less cutting kernels in half... Like another poster said... Things don't stay high when they sit on shelves.... Try something new what do you have to lose maybe some time and a few bucks... If you buying powder right now and especially with this price hike you don't care about a few bucks..

 

[Camper]

So what your saying is if they cant sell it they will still raise the price?

No. What i actually said was that if you need it, buy it. If you think you need it, buy it. If you think you will need some down the road and it will not be available, buy it.

You might want to even buy some while these prices are this low. You get what I'm saying now?

 

[Kracken McGraw]

No. What i actually said was that if you need it, buy it. If you think you need it, buy it. If you think you will need some down the road and it will not be available, buy it.

You might want to even buy some while these prices are this low. You get what I'm saying now?

I get what your saying and one major supplier says the prices are definitely going up Monday whether we like it or not.

 

[L.Sherm]

No. What i actually said was that if you need it, buy it. If you think you need it, buy it. If you think you will need some down the road and it will not be available, buy it.

You might want to even buy some while these prices are this low. You get what I'm saying now?

You get what I'm saying, the more the willingness to pay the prices the more they will go up.
Do you think the Czechs would have bought Vista if there wasn't alot of profit?
Sleepy Joe, Putin, ukraine, or Vista didn't put a gun to anybodys head and have them pull out there credit card and hit the buy button

 

[Camper]

You get what I'm saying, the more the willingness to pay the prices the more they will go up.
Do you think the Czechs would have bought Vista if there wasn't alot of profit?
Sleepy Joe, Putin, ukraine, or Vista didn't put a gun to anybodys head and have them pull out there credit card and hit the buy button

I get what your saying, but if you're on the fence about buying cause of prices, then you really dont have anything to worry about. If availability is your concern, you have something to worry about.

But if there is a date or prediction you have in mind when this shortage will end, then share it... just give me a year. My take... this is unprecedented and unpredictable. There are quite a bit more catastrophes Biden can cause this year. I havent bought anything above 2019 prices and will most likely never need to, but im not going to blame people buying stuff now as the reason prices are this high. Some people buying today were not even contemplating reloading before 2020. Better late than never for them.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

I have what I need bought before high price so I’m not buying at these prices. So I’m not the one running the prices up. I remember way back when think the 70’s when we had the gas shortage people where filling every container they had with the high (back then) price gas. After the price went down they were still using the gas they paid high prices for and others were paying less at the pump. just my $0.02

 

[KMW 1954]

A couple years ago when Primers were $100.00k a shooting friend commented, "welcome to the new normal!". I didn't believe him.

Just before Christmas I ordered 3k primers and 2# of a new powder I wanted to try. With the hours of my PT job drastically cut back my disposable income has also become limited or I would have ordered twice what I did. Since that order prices have jumped.

 

[Richard308]

How did we get screwed by the Czechs?…. We got screwed by Vista Outdoors selling to the Czech's
Wayne

All by design, I'm sure.

 

[drop_point]

I picked up 8 lbs of Varget yesterday. Stopped by Academy Sports on my way home and they had Winchester large rifle primers. I bought a few thousand. I'd like to pick up a few more powders for variety, but I'll make due for this year. Hopefully somebody pumps the war wagon brakes.

 

[bozo699]

I have what I need bought before high price so I’m not buying at these prices. So I’m not the one running the prices up. I remember way back when think the 70’s when we had the gas shortage people where filling every container they had with the high (back then) price gas. After the price went down they were still using the gas they paid high prices for and others were paying less at the pump. just my $0.02

Maybe you have forgotten I don’t know but I remember that as well!…. Most or shall I say many of you call this hoarding!… I do not!… my Father and I was running a small cattle ranch back then we also bought as much as we could at the inflated prices,…. Why?…. Because on tv we could see the mile long lines getting fuel and gas station after gas station with closed signs!… I don’t expect to die tomorrow but I have insurance in case I do and that’s what buying up fuel was all about,.. insurance!… we was dead in the water without fuel, we hadn’t farmed with horses for 25 years so all the harness and horses were gone so we needed fuel. We never regretted buying it and I did it again when Obammy took office along with $1000’s of dollars worth of reloading supplies and again after Trump took office. My gamble “insurance “ paid off as I’m setting good on shooting but I continue to buy when I see an opportunity. I have enough flour beans and rice to feed an army, at some point it will go bad and I’ll have to replace it as I’ve done already a few times,… “insurance “ I don’t like the idea of being hungry!….
Wayne

 

[1K6BRA]

But if there is a date or prediction you have in mind when this shortage will end, then share it... just give me a year. My take... this is unprecedented

I will give you my humble prediction.The world has changed for good and I don’t mean for the good. A fella doesn’t have to look far to see that. Still lots of good people and things out there, but in the hobby that we enjoy there is a cold war against it.

 

[SeabeeKen]

It isnt getting better. The book of Revelation is a testament to that. We know where this is headed and how to get ready for it whether a shooter or not. We know who wins in the end.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I don’t want to sound like a Prude, but I lost interest in air guns at age fourteen.

Not a prude but needing an education. Buy a top spring air rifle. Learning curve requires work .