Great...

[Dougfirtree]

I guess this is cold water for anyone who thought prices were going to come down from where they are now. Looks like they'll get worse...

Ammo prices set to rise "substantially"

Vista Outdoor said it would increase prices due to unprecedented demand for and an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder.

www.newsweek.com

 

[VikingsGuy]

More concerning is the implication availability will go down.

 

[Dougfirtree]

More concerning is the implication availability will continue to go down.

I added to your sentence... I hate to say it, but the more I think about the issue, the more I think a bit of hoarding is the solution for folks like me, going forward.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Wait, I heard there was this thing called "Bidenomics" ??? Oh, maybe that's the reason....

 

[44hunter45]

I added to your sentence... I hate to say it, but the more I think about the issue, the more I think a bit of hoarding is the solution for folks like me, going forward.

Have mountains of brass, primers, and bullets. It's a shame Alliant powder is so good. I will have to break up with them for sure now and rework a lot of go-to loads.

 

[LuketheDog]

Welp, I guess I'll make a run down to Murdochs for some...stuff. You all can sit at home and ignore what I'm doing.

 

[Bowmannate2000]

As a guy just getting into reloading, what powders and primers should I be on the lookout for? Going to start reloading .223 and 22-250. Going to add .308 and .30-06 after I figure out what I'm doing, but am hoping to keep it simple with powder and would like to find one for multiple cartridges.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Personally I’ve picked up a supply of good universal powders, something like Varget and 4350, that covers me from 22250 up to the 375HH. Not the best choice on either end but covers the 25;26;28;30 and 338 ok. With the exception of Varget in the 308, I don’t have any of my favorite loads covered.
When I see the rare Alliant available I’ll snap that up so I can cover my favorite loads.
Im 68, planning on shooting until I’m 88, just a WAG. Currently shoot 1500 to 2000 rounds a year. That’ll probably drop below 1000; so I think I’d like to have those needs covered before the next election. I need to get busy before the hoarders get it all.

 

[Beignet]

Reasoning seems kind of ambiguous, no?

Especially strange with them attributing losses in the sporting division as recently as Nov. 2023 to “normalization of channel inventory” and “lower pricing.”

 

[rjthehunter]

Have mountains of brass, primers, and bullets. It's a shame Alliant powder is so good. I will have to break up with them for sure now and rework a lot of go-to loads.

I had some higher-ups at federal premium on a fishing trip this past fall. I inquired a bit about alliant powders, and they said right now it's all being used to try and bring back ammo stock to the shelves. Then they will start selling it again once they catch up. Hopefully they don't hit another ridiculous demand period here.

 

[44hunter45]

Reasoning seems kind of ambiguous, no?

Especially strange with them attributing losses in the sporting division as recently as Nov. 2023 to “normalization of channel inventory” and “lower pricing.”

View attachment 305206

The whole thing seems weird with them selling the shooting sport divisions to Czechoslovak Group. A rival bid which would have kept the brand in the US was rejected.
If we all band together, we ought to be able to scrape up $2B for a counter offer.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/vista-outdoor-rejects-colt-czs-merger-offer-2023-11-30/

 

[44hunter45]

I had some higher-ups at federal premium on a fishing trip this past fall. I inquired a bit about alliant powders, and they said right now it's all being used to try and bring back ammo stock to the shelves. Then they will start selling it again once they catch up. Hopefully they don't hit another ridiculous demand period here.

This is in line with what I hear from the CCI/Speer folks in Lewiston. Funny that they are not as Alliant loyal as one would think in their own ammo products.
Break open a Speer Gold Dot pistol round and you will find a very non-Alliant powder inside. The old Nitrex line used Vihtavuori powder in many loads.

But since Alliant is itself a rebranding of various European powders and blends, why not?

If I find any jugs of RL-22, RL-23, RL-26 you don't want to be in my way. I like 2000-MR also, but it has been relatively easy to find.

 

[morley.tyler]

The reason is more geopolitical than you want to think. Russia is the top country producing ammonium nitrate. Russia is the number 3 producer of potassium nitrate (Potash). These 2 ingredients make up ~75% of gunpowder.
The sanctions that NATO countries have placed on Russia have effects globally. Europe is short of heating fuel, and fertilizer, and we're now short of gunpowder.

 

[rjthehunter]

This is in line with what I hear from the CCI/Speer folks in Lewiston. Funny that they are not as Alliant loyal as one would think in their own ammo products.
Break open a Speer Gold Dot pistol round and you will find a very non-Alliant powder inside. The old Nitrex line used Vihtavuori powder in many loads.

But since Alliant is itself a rebranding of various European powders and blends, why not?

If I find any jugs of RL-22, RL-23, RL-26 you don't want to be in my way. I like 2000-MR also, but it has been relatively easy to find.

I liked RL-19 for my 338. But once Covid hit and everything got stupid, I went to 4350 since it's probably the most common and readily available powder out there.

Knock on wood, but I was able to walk in to the store and buy the ammo I needed last night, which hasn't happened in awhile. The shelves show a comeback is starting!

 

[Bowmannate2000]

Knock on wood, but I was able to walk in to the store and buy the ammo I needed last night, which hasn't happened in awhile. The shelves show a comeback is starting!

Hopefully the comeback isn't short lived.

 

[44hunter45]

The reason is more geopolitical than you want to think. Russia is the top country producing ammonium nitrate. Russia is the number 3 producer of potassium nitrate (Potash). These 2 ingredients make up ~75% of gunpowder.
The sanctions that NATO countries have placed on Russia have effects globally. Europe is short of heating fuel, and fertilizer, and we're now short of gunpowder.

And we don't here over fear of another ANFO incident? Environmental regulations?

 

[MtnElk]

ugh... I hate that my first reaction was to google my preferred ammo and availability, and immediately want to order 10 more boxes ha

 

[Don Fischer]

I added to your sentence... I hate to say it, but the more I think about the issue, the more I think a bit of hoarding is the solution for folks like me, going forward.

Guarantee If prices on powder and bullet's ever come down I'm hording! have about 30k LR primer's stuck away and lifetime supply of cartridge case's for the rifles I shoot now. Hording I think is largely responsible for the shape we are in but if that's the only way to stay active then I'm going for it!

 

[VikingsGuy]

The reason is more geopolitical than you want to think. Russia is the top country producing ammonium nitrate. Russia is the number 3 producer of potassium nitrate (Potash). These 2 ingredients make up ~75% of gunpowder.
The sanctions that NATO countries have placed on Russia have effects globally. Europe is short of heating fuel, and fertilizer, and we're now short of gunpowder.

I would guess the amounts of these materials used in gun powder are a rounding error in the global supply. Much bigger industrial and ag users drive these markets.

 

[mtmuley]

Don't care much about the loaded ammo market. The Alliant powder availability is a concern though. Gonna be an ultra hoarder. mtmuley