Powder Availability

[Ivorygrip]

I agree about the little mom and pop shops, I've had the best luck there recently!

 

[robpiat]

Also get with local shooters groups. Everyone has some odds and ends laying around. Trading locally seems to be a good path too. I managed to trade some Large match for Small match primers with no issue. I'm sure powder is similar if you have some desirable stuff.

 

[Murtfree]

If you change your "I check 5 different websites every couple days" to "I check five different sites multiple times per day, every day," you'll find powder. The good stuff lasts only minutes, not hours or days. It's not a casual shopping experience. It's a part time job right now and the hunt favors us pencil pushers with dual monitor setups and really long, boring, and pointless Zoom meetings we don't really have a point in attending.

Or, just hang around the classifieds section on here and wait for @Veteran to post about powder. He's been keeping us posted on powder and primer drops, non stop for weeks. Probably multiple updates per day about powder and primers in the reloading section of the classifieds.

If you're looking for H1000, Varget, RL26, Retumbo, or similar??? That's going to be tough. All of them have shown up in 2021, a couple of times, but they're sold out in a couple of minutes. Then, the only place you'll find it is gunbroker.com.

I went to a local Gun Show 2 weeks ago and there was one vendor there that had 2 tables filled with just about every powder imaginable…….I thought I had to be in a dream since it was late in the day and his table was full, why was he not wiped out??? Well not to look a gift horse in the mouth I saw he had 6 Retumbo on the table at $50 a pound (everything else was $35/lb. I asked if he would work a deal on multiples of the Retumbo and he said if I took all six he would sell them for $40……needless to say the wallet came out immediately. No tax, no shipping, no hazmat. That was the last powder I needed to replenish my supplies. I would have paid the $50 if need be but I always ask for volume discount…..never expected him to say $40

 

[slowshot18]

People have bots that refresh online retailers websites almost constantly for a change of in stock status. Once something is in stock it's usually gone within minutes. I use the reloading discord and receive notifications for whatever I'm seeking. If I'm not fast enough to log into the website the items will likely be out of stock. Look up the reloading group on the discord app.

 

[Lee Deming]

Now if I could just find some Remington 9 1/2 M primers somewhere, anywhere. A guy I know happened to be on the road, a long way away and picked up a pound of RL15 to which I added another pound when a guy I know saw some at the local Scheel's and called me near closing time. I only live 20 miles away so I ran in and bought it. I go into the local Scheel's and when I ask if they have primers, the guy just laughs.

 

[ColoradoElkHunter]

Im just looking for validation from this group, who i know have the best insight. I check 5 different websites every couple days, sites from which ive bought a lot of powder for 10 years. Continuing into the present, nobody has ANY smokeless rifle powder AT ALL. 6 months ago i was able to get a few pounds of V-n130, nothing at all since then.
Frankly I expected it to be a major subject of discussion… is there some secret I'm overlooking? Im not fishing for conspiracy theories, just facts and insights…

Exactly which specific powders are you looking for at this time? The powders have been coming up more frequently online and in the stores. Scheels, BassPro, Sportsman's Warehouse, and a few other "local" stores have had many in stock recently. However, those "local" stores are over an hour away from me. I'll never get there when the popular powder is still in stock. So, I track 8 online outlets multiple times each day and have grabbed a lot of powder. Even H4350 and Retumbo. Let me know what you're actually looking for and PM me a number to text. I'll send you a text if I see it. You'll need to move fast but they are showing up.

 

[cabelasken]

Also it pays to know somebody that works at the retail outlet as some employees have taken to snatching up the desireable powders as they arrive or having friends do so. There are ways around the 2 lb limit as some have imposed.

 

[ColoradoElkHunter]

Im just looking for validation from this group, who i know have the best insight. I check 5 different websites every couple days, sites from which ive bought a lot of powder for 10 years. Continuing into the present, nobody has ANY smokeless rifle powder AT ALL. 6 months ago i was able to get a few pounds of V-n130, nothing at all since then.
Frankly I expected it to be a major subject of discussion… is there some secret I'm overlooking? Im not fishing for conspiracy theories, just facts and insights…

You're too new. I can't PM you or you PM me. Here is an example of powder in stock right now:
https://www.defenderammunition.com/collections/rifle-powder

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

Its tuff right place right time. I picked up 5 lbs of N570 a month ago. But also since i moved i went into my boxes and never knew i had 2 lbs of retumbo. That was a score for me.

 

[capona]

I've bought 8 lb's of Varget, I4895, 1680, CFE BLK, and RL15 in the last 3-4 months with Varget and RL15 being the most difficult to get. Be flexible in alternate powders to use instead of waiting for that perfect powder to show up.
It is difficult, but not impossible. I'm done looking for the next few years.

 

[Veteran]

For those protesting the prices of primers in particular but really everything in some measure,

Just heard on the news that rail and trucking transport costs are up 90% since 2019. There are some supply chain and fuel cost increase issues these days. Maybe they will go away, but I don't see that happening until we get a new administration in 3-5 years. Fuel prices ripple through the whole economy and this administration is hostile to fossil fuels, and is causing the firings of many good workers throughout the economy over mandates. Not a good term prescription for efficient economy, low fuel prices and low prices for goods any time soon. Just my opinion. Shipping stacked up at the ports, Many Many ships anchored offshore can't come in because no one to unload them, warehouses not operating. All of the Hodgdon's powders coming from Australia are particularly susceptible to these problems. Swiss powders from Alliant and Finnish powders from Vhitavuori too. Bout the only powders not affected are Western (Accurate and Ramshot) and maybe IMR, maybe Winchester, since I believe they are made here in U.S. And they have been more the powders I have seen available recently too.

Primers, I'm not sure where they are made, but I notice its mostly CCI and some Federal. Haven't seen any Winchester or Remington
primers at all.

Let's Go Brandon!

 

[JAYgs8163]

Im just looking for validation from this group, who i know have the best insight. I check 5 different websites every couple days, sites from which ive bought a lot of powder for 10 years. Continuing into the present, nobody has ANY smokeless rifle powder AT ALL. 6 months ago i was able to get a few pounds of V-n130, nothing at all since then.
Frankly I expected it to be a major subject of discussion… is there some secret I'm overlooking? Im not fishing for conspiracy theories, just facts and insights…

Not looking enough or at enough different places. Defender ammunition has powder (13 different types as I type this), third generation shooting supply has powder, PV has had good powder choices the last 6 months. Anyways, it's available and we all need to adjust our loads to whats available. Defender has a excellent choice of powder available.

 

[middleofnowhere]

Part of the problem is people like me. I am new to serious reloading, so I don't really remember the "good ol" days when I could go out an buy a pound to try out. When what I've been looking for became available, I bought a ton. I have a supply now that will likely last more than a lifetime. I will continue to buy powders just to have variety, no way am I ever going to be affected by a shortage again.

 

[Chas1]

It's going to be at least early next year before we start seeing any powder with any regularity.