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The Great Powder Shortage of 2020 is upon us

That's what happens when you send your manufacturing overseas. Lots of these powders are made in Australia, Belgium, etc. Disruption of global supply chains are a major downside to the supposed benefits of "free trade". Just wait until you need antibiotics or other generics, 90% of which are made in China and India-which gets most of its precursors from China. China has already threatened the US with not supplying needed pharmaceuticals, as well as nationalizing a 3M plant that makes all types of personal protective equipment and keeping its product for internal use. Ain't globalism great?

Here you go https://www.infowars.com/ Take your angry off topic BS somewhere else. This is Accurate Shooter.
 
Of course it was too good to be true. Alas, other than a handful of powders in particular, 2019 had good availability.

But as of today? Try to find some AR Comp. Or RL15. Or Varget. Or 8208, H4895, etc etc etc.

As it happens, I'm low on .223 powder and the only thing I'm well stocked on is RL16 for my 6.5. Live and learn.

Note to self-- never let on hand inventory drop below 2-3 pounds.

Went to a LGS (a mom'n'pop operation) two days ago with my grandson. Picked up 8# of H4350, 8# 8208, 4# AR Comp. And his cabinet was still pretty full...
 
6P always bites the unprepared...

Prior
Planning
Prevents
Piss
Poor
Performance

Powder will last a lot longer than five years, if stored properly. I keep mine in an old refrigerator.
Every year, I evaluate how much of what powder I used the year before. I purchase that much, perhaps even a pound or two more. My preference is to buy a case (12) of one pound containers, to get the same lot number. I used to do 8lb kegs, but it worried me to keep opening and closing the keg over a year or a bit longer.

It may be too late until the latter half of this year to resolve this issue. You can, however; keep other comestible shortages from happening by assessing your other component needs.

Rich
Sua Sponte
 
6P always bites the unprepared...

Prior
Planning
Prevents
Piss
Poor
Performance

Powder will last a lot longer than five years, if stored properly. I keep mine in an old refrigerator.
Every year, I evaluate how much of what powder I used the year before. I purchase that much, perhaps even a pound or two more. My preference is to buy a case (12) of one pound containers, to get the same lot number. I used to do 8lb kegs, but it worried me to keep opening and closing the keg over a year or a bit longer.

It may be too late until the latter half of this year to resolve this issue. You can, however; keep other comestible shortages from happening by assessing your other component needs.

Rich
Sua Sponte
I always heard it as....
Piss poor planning on your part, dosen't constitute a F¿{\ing emergency on mine.
 
I wish I had more of some new powders that I have begun testing this year, but I do have a decent supply IMO (but NOT compared to some of you guys:() of stuff for developed loads so I can go shoot. I also have some ammo already loaded (prior pd trip) so I do have something to do.
 
Hell, most of us are probably going to die of the virus if our wives don't kills us first after we go to a national lock down.:eek:

Would like to get one more ground hog season in before I pass but I'm having my doubts - lock down seem imminent here in eastern PA.:( So much for the "golden years" in retirement. :(

The Governor is closing all non-essential business here so you couldn't buy gun supplies at your local gun shop even if they had supplies. Got to get to the liquor store before 9:00 PM tomorrow, the time the shut down begins and stock up on Maker's Mark.;)
we all gotta die sometime Red. :D
 
Due to the shortage of H4350 I decided to try some 1984 Dupont IMR4831 in my 6mm Creedmoor
It shot fantastic and is easy to find.

Stats - Average 3042.18 fps
Stats - Highest 3062.94 fps
Stats - Lowest 3021.66 fps
Stats - Ext. Spread 41.28 fps
Stats - Std. Dev 11.96 fps

Shot ID V0 V10
1 3048 3027
2 3032 3012
3 3036 3016
4 3063 3043
5 3043 3023
6 3049 3029
7 3052 3033
8 3052 3033
10 3037 3016
11 3044 3025
12 3022 3002
13 3048 3027
14 3022 3002
 
I am stocked up for a few years since I got into this bench rest shooting game It is a wise thing to do But truly I yearn for the days when I was a boy with a full box of 100 Sierra 270 bullets, I was much happier then.
 
Our local store has ordered and received conformation of 8 lb and 1lb jugs of Varget. So I guess it's back in stock.
 
Here you go https://www.infowars.com/ Take your angry off topic BS somewhere else. This is Accurate Shooter.

Off topic? How so? It is a fact that many of the powders made today have been offshored to other countries such as Australia and Belgium, and that an interruption of supply chains will affect the supply of some types of powder, as is being seen.

If you have a problem with the facts, then the problem is not with the facts, but with your acceptance of them.
 
I'd argue that buying up large amounts of components all at once is a rude, anti-social behavior. Carrying this practice over to a different situation: would you say it is polite to your community to walk into the grocery store once a year and buy every gallon of milk in the fridge?

Now, if you like to keep 150 pounds of powder on hand, and replace what you use as you go in smaller increments of 8 or 16 pounds at a time per type, that's hardly the same thing as going out and buying 150 pounds of powder, emptying the shelves all at once, and causing a local shortage.

I like keeping enough components for 3 years of shooting and I replace as I go in smaller increments: a single case of 5k primers at a time, an 8lb jug of powder, 1000 bullets. I feel like this practice makes it easier on the whole supply chain to judge and keep up with demand: from the store I walk in to all the way back to the manufacturer, my purchasing stays steady so that they can plan around it.
 
I thought I'd only have to shoot against @Dave Way if I bought ALL the Rest of the Powder, and components that he had left behind, so whadda they do??
Cancel All The Matches. :eek:


Edited; ^
The above was strictly in jest!
 
Last edited:
I bought or won everything I have when there was no shortage and there was plenty left after I did. Yes, I wait about a year for Vapor Trails like everyone else. Call it what you want but when you have five barrels in service, as I soon will, I think it’s prudent to have enough matched components for the life of each barrel.

Don’t worry @kneedtospeed, this flu bug will pass. There will be plenty of matches for you to kick my butt again!

Dave.
 

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