powder shortage

[Faststeel]

well not all powders of course, Varget seems to be the first powder to disappear in shortage times. Was a time when Reloder 22 was in short supply some years ago. Some boys are paying $60 a pound for Varget.....?

[whitetail Junkie]

I was just looking around tonight online and was thinking/wondering the same thing....I’m only getting low on 7828 however feel like it would be a good idea this week to make a run to the local gun shops in town and spend some $$$ on powder,bullets,etc.

[Pioneer2]

A lot of the more popular powder are near $60 a lb. Few learn to stock enough for personal use when times like these come.

[brass410]

I have'nt bought powder or any other supplies since the late eighties because when I started reloading I had overbought so much (everything was in 8lb and drums and primers were by the case and cheap by comparison now) about when wholesale sports was folding their tents I did the same thing and bought up quantity I'm probably set for another few years my brother reloads as well so we split it up between us. Its good if you can do it not all can, when it gets skinny you dont suffer and can even help out othher shooters and recoup your $

[6MT]

There's a retailer in Calgary selling Varget for $70 a pound. If you don't live there....add shipping and taxes. Most likely over $80 a pound for the stuff.

Insane!

.....and who said there was a shortage...?

Found two 8 pound jugs in the last two days. Private sales both.

[JohnB]

Guy selling Varget for $50/# on town post.

https://townpost.ca/marketplace/gran...-powder-varget

[NicoyaHunt]

last week I paid $75 for 1Lbs Varget in Calgary

[Dick284]

This was already predicted last summer!

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=387123

Is it too hard to fathom this outcome, when you already navigate the web

[Dean2]

My post from October on the above thread. I haven't changed my mind. Shortages are even worse now than 6 months ago and likely to keep getting worse. Even at 70 bucks a pound it is far cheaper to reload than to buy factory ammo.

The shortage issues have been around regularly since the 70s. So has the pattern of increasing pricing. Since the prices of everything continues to rise regularly I am okay with paying more to get what you need, as long as you can actually get it. Anyone who doesn't keep at least 3 years supply on hand risks not being able to get what they need, regardless of the price they are prepared to pay. The States already have shortages of Primers, some powders and many popular types of loaded ammo like 9mm, 223, 308 etc. You know this is going to hit Canada even harder because manufacturers will retain stock to sell in the States.

Like you guys have said, despite being warned many refuse to take control of their world. You just can't help some people.

[Pioneer2]

Is just about cleaned out

[Big Sky]

I've got enough of a supply, but in times like these I like to shoot off those small quantities of components that I have no real use for.

1/4 pound of 4350
Thirty 165 grain SST's
etc
etc

Find a load recipe from the binder.
Helps to keep the bench clean.

[blackburbot]

Firm believer in buying bulk amounts. Proper storage and they should last quite a while. Find something that will work in a couple toys and stop trying to chase the dragon on the newest and greatest. Not the wisest kid, but learnt trying to have the most ideal in every situation is too expensive. By giving up 35fps but saving $300 on powder is alot easier on the wallet and the head.

But it still is nice to look at the powder storage and having more bottles than cabelas

[32-40win]

What we may have to watch for in the near future is primers. US has had major issues with them for reloaders over the last 6mos. They are still shipping, they are still making them, but, they are being bought up faster than they can get them out there. With Rem plant having cut back last year and only just beginning to start up again, Covid shutdowns and the absolute mayhem down there on ammo sales, the bulk of them are being used in production.
So far, it doesn't seem to have hit too bad here yet, but, noticed 3 places last wk that had CCI BR 2 & 4 @ 9.99/c. I saw some of the Win Match primers posted at 11.99/c and then put on a Black Friday sale @ 9.99/c, they were gone in a week's time. There are other primers at 7.99 and 8.99/c as well. You can still get S&B cheaper and there are still primers around @ 6.99/c. But, how long that will last is perhaps questionable due to order lead times, they are out to 6-8 months now. So, it depends on what orders the dist have in there from last yr and what they preordered for this yrs supply, if they did, and when that is due to arrive.
Saw one post from Chris Hodgdon on Varget, saying in one wk, they'd shipped 44,000 lbs last fall, people couldn't find it the next wk. IMR7828 and H1000 have been a constant issue as well. Hodgdon also said shipping rules had changed, they had to go outside the normal channels to get powder from ADI, and pay extra for doing that. Varget comes from ADI.
And the manufacturers are saying the ammo/primer issues will last into 2022 now.

[fordtruckin]

Was going to use varget when I bought my .208 but since you can never find it I went with what I had on hand, 4064. Right now I buy a pound every time I find it. Primers I haven’t seen anything but 209s for 8 months now. It’s not just reloaders having problems, seems that factory loaded ammo is also feeling the shortage. Sucks whatever way you look at it!

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by NicoyaHunt

last week I paid $75 for 1Lbs Varget in Calgary

[whitetail Junkie]

Scored 3 pounds of the IMR 7828 SSC today....happy about that.

[elkhunter11]

Exactly why I buy enough to last me a few years when I develop a load for a new rifle.

[Jerry D]

Just got powder from Hummasons in Ontario. $330 for 8lbs of H4350 and Varget.

Not sure if they ship or what that costs but there have been group buys from the other Ontario source as well for reasonable shipping rates.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

I was just looking around tonight online and was thinking/wondering the same thing....I’m only getting low on 7828 however feel like it would be a good idea this week to make a run to the local gun shops in town and spend some $$$ on powder,bullets,etc.

Got a bunch of 7828 Id sell you.

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by chuck

Got a bunch of 7828 Id sell you.

Should be ok for now but I’ll keep that in my back pocket in case things get really bad.