Whoa - Hodgdon Powder Price Increase

[K22]

Just got an email from my long-time gun shop informing me that Hodgdon's power prices are going up 35% along with an increase in shortages expected!  That's $71 for 1 lbs. of powder with tax, if they have it!

I am wondering how much longer I can afford to continue centerfire rifle shooting even with my rationing approach at the range of cold bore concentrated precision shooting (10 - 12 rounds) and shooting the economical 223 Rem bolt rifles.

 

[CA_Shooter]

Oof powder prices are through the roof!

 

[Eagle Six]

I guess you may find out!!

 

[M-61]

I’m glad I got involved with the BR’s
Not only because of the accuracy but they are easy on the powder consumption as it turned out. And my 222 is the same.
My other rifles are all hunting style and large. Since I no longer hunt they’re not a problem.
Problem with them is I’ll never sell them so they sit happily in the safe and I’m happy knowing they’re there.
Never sure at all what is meant by ‘ middle class’ but when you start looking at the cost of a hobby…..well.
Years ago I was a hard core sailboat racer. All in the North Atlantic. There came a time when the cost became so prohibitive I had to stop and sell. Happy about it? No. But for one of the few times in my life realism set in.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Cost is almost a secondary thought since no body has much in the way of powder anyway.

 

[1K6BRA]

UNCLE!!!!

 

[itchyTF]

This is going beyond ridiculous.

 

[K22]

I’m glad I got involved with the BR’s
Not only because of the accuracy but they are easy on the powder consumption as it turned out. And my 222 is the same.
My other rifles are all hunting style and large. Since I no longer hunt they’re not a problem.
Problem with them is I’ll never sell them so they sit happily in the safe and I’m happy knowing they’re there.
Never sure at all what is meant by ‘ middle class’ but when you start looking at the cost of a hobby…..well.
Years ago I was a hard core sailboat racer. All in the North Atlantic. There came a time when the cost became so prohibitive I had to stop and sell. Happy about it? No. But for one of the few times in my life realism set in.

I began transitioning from the 22 250 and 308 to 223 Rem bolt rifles a few years ago motivated by all the politically inspired panics then the COVID panics, now runaway inflation. While I still have a few 243 Wins, each year they see less and less action.

Since I don't hunt deer anymore, just varmints and predators, the 223 Rem does just fine for the areas I hunt where the vast majority of shots are under 300 yards. Still, these new powder prices do give me pause. A few months ago, I was able to get my preferred primers, a brick of Federal 205M match but at over $100 with tax.

 

[TrapperBR549]

The good news is it should become much more available.

 

[rsbhunter]

Yeah, around Xmas, got an email from Brownells which might have had a price error, but showed 8 lbs of rl16 for 599.99! With shipping and haz mat, cart total was right at $700.00 !!! No, I didn't pull the trigger on that one !!! I've gone to 6 dasher and 22 brai , and 22 arc (for ar) to keep costs down. rsbhunter

 

[boltfluter]

Simple economics. If people just say "no thanks " for a little while, the price point will come down. At this point, I think they are testing the waters to see just what the upper price limit is for most people. During covid they got a glimpse of how to take advantage of the general public, price wise, due to supposed shortages. This will continue until people just say "no". I notice Varget getting much more available as the price keeps going up. Time to take a stand. Just my personal opinion and nothing more.
Paul

 

[RustyInBend]

Just got an email from my long-time gun shop informing me that Hodgdon's power prices are going up 35% along with an increase in shortages expected!  That's $71 for 1 lbs. of powder with tax, if they have it!

I am wondering how much longer I can afford to continue centerfire rifle shooting even with my rationing approach at the range of cold bore concentrated precision shooting (10 - 12 rounds) and shooting the economical 223 Rem bolt rifles.

Luckily (or skillfully) I have enough of the powders I shoot to last me the rest of my life. Remember ... it's not "hoarding" if you really really want lots of it !!!

 

[DonkeyHote]

Downsized from 308 to 6mm dasher, managed to source enough primers and powder to last me at least 10 years, if I live that long.
Just picked up 8lbs of Varget at a local to me shop for 360 with tax.
Alliant powders are 60 per pound .... no longer use them. Primers are even more ridiculous.
BR2 list at 179 ?????

 

[FrankG]

The good news is it should become much more available.

Not poking at you TrapperBR549

What powder?

Not happening! It's going to get tighter from everything I'm hearing/seeing.

Consumer demand is still up.
Two wars going on.
From a manufacturing standpoint and shipping issues still left over from 2020....

You all need to be dealing in reality and not from a hoping perspective.

I just talked to another ammo manufacturer yesterday that we make ammunition test barrels for ( I with hold name and company) and they told me there is powder they cannot get even prior to 2024. They are trying to work with powder they can get and see what recipes they can come up with to work with a given cartridge and hope they can make it work.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

 

[FrankG]

The days of $30 per pound powder and primers are a thing of the past. I was happy to get primers last year or the year before and only paid $80 per 1k.

In a retail store on the shelf the only thing I can find right now are small pistol and small rifle primers.... prices on the store shelves are $100 to $110 per 1k.

$80 per 1k primers I think are going to be a thing of the past as well.

Powder I'm looking for that I need.... when I find it I'm going to buy enough to cover my needs for a minimum of the next 2 years with a long range need to cover up to 4 years. If you buy ammo for this or that gun... I'd be doing the same thing. If you go thru 2 boxes a year of 30-30 for your lever action hunting rifle...I'd be sitting on 10 boxes right now.

 

[Clancy]

You guys are still using Hodgdon?

 

[F Class John]

My buddy is a small retailer and he sent me this the other day... "My cost without shipping for RL16 is now $490 per 8lb and CCI 200s went up to $96". He's a small guy, clearly not the discounts a larger company would get but still pretty nuts to see.

 

[nakneker]

Just got an email from my long-time gun shop informing me that Hodgdon's power prices are going up 35% along with an increase in shortages expected!  That's $71 for 1 lbs. of powder with tax, if they have it!

I am wondering how much longer I can afford to continue centerfire rifle shooting even with my rationing approach at the range of cold bore concentrated precision shooting (10 - 12 rounds) and shooting the economical 223 Rem bolt rifles.

Vihtavouri and never look back.

 

[rjtfroggy]

You guys are still using Hodgdon?

I'm not. I've changed and am changing to VV at this time, I have enough on the shelf for 2-3 years. At 72 I figure that is enough for now.

 

[TrapperBR549]

Not poking at you TrapperBR549

What powder?

Not happening! It's going to get tighter from everything I'm hearing/seeing.

Consumer demand is still up.
Two wars going on.
From a manufacturing standpoint and shipping issues still left over from 2020....

You all need to be dealing in reality and not from a hoping perspective.

I just talked to another ammo manufacturer the yesterday that we make ammunition test barrels for ( I with hold name and company) and they told me there is powder they cannot get even prior to 2024. They are trying to work with powder they can get and see what recipes they can come up with to work with a given cartridge and hope they can make it work.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

At some point the law of supply and demand will even things out. It might take quite a bit more but you already see people switching to smaller capacity cases so they burn less powder.