Where are the powder and primers?

[Teri Anne]

I can't find a single person who has been able to find powder or primers. Where are they really going?
Why are non of the component companies adding tooling to make more?
I am trying to find just one blinking pound of powder, and there is nothing anywhere. Everyone says it has been weeks/months since a shipment and they have no idea when more will arrive.

I just want to know if anyone has a straight answer, because this is stupid. Some one must have a basement/warehouse full of powder, or something crooked is going on....

Well now you have found someone. I have purchased powder, primers and bullets at Cabelas. They seem to get shipments of reloading products on a pretty regular basis. The issue is that whenever received there are some, shall we simply say...inconsiderate people who buy up whatever is on the shelf without any consideration for anyone else. As far as smaller stores are concerned I have no real experience with the exception of one local gun shop who has been on top of placing orders and does in fact get the primers and powders but suffers from the same gluttony of a few individuals. He does however try to head the greed off by limiting the sales to these individuals. It's out there, but is being hoarded just like toilet paper.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I can't find a single person who has been able to find powder or primers. Where are they really going?
Why are non of the component companies adding tooling to make more?
I am trying to find just one blinking pound of powder, and there is nothing anywhere. Everyone says it has been weeks/months since a shipment and they have no idea when more will arrive.

I just want to know if anyone has a straight answer, because this is stupid. Some one must have a basement/warehouse full of powder, or something crooked is going on....

Manufacturers of powder, primers, brass, & ammo, produce to the capacity that they can. People have hoarded for the past year and a half. Manufacturers won't add machinery to increase production because they know that demand will back off at some point.

 

[rroope]

I can't find a single person who has been able to find powder or primers. Where are they really going?
Why are non of the component companies adding tooling to make more?
I am trying to find just one blinking pound of powder, and there is nothing anywhere. Everyone says it has been weeks/months since a shipment and they have no idea when more will arrive.

I just want to know if anyone has a straight answer, because this is stupid. Some one must have a basement/warehouse full of powder, or something crooked is going on....

I have a friend who works for a company that makes primers. He said it will be mid year 2022 until they catch up on ammo manufacturers orders before they will be able to start filling retailers and wholesalers orders in any quantity. He said they are running 24/7, maxed out at the facility. It would take the EPA years to issue a license to expand or open another facility, and they probably wouldn't even consider it. I think they feel this is a temporary situation and cannot afford to invest hundreds of millions of dollars for a couple of years. I think their obligation is to the large ammo manufacturers. The reality of it is that retail sales of reloading components doesn't pay the bills.

 

[FEENIX]

100 million gun owners are virtually all hoarding bullets, powder and primers. Shooters are grabbing everything/anything that hits the shelves. No one wants to get caught short again so over-buying is quite common.

For 40yrs I bought powder in 1lb cans and bought it as I needed it. No need to do anything else because it was easy to find and prices were competitive. Now I buy 8lb jugs when I can find them. I typically give a few pounds to friends who need them but I keep the rest.

I'm constantly working up new loads with new bullets because I buy bullets that become available and not what I really want/need. These are crazy times.

I never leave my local gun store empty-handed https://www.longrangehunting.com/th...the-local-gun-store-empty-handed-rule.255740/ and do NOT care what others think.

The beauty of reloading is the ability to work with what you have - adapt and overcome. I have purchased powders that I do not usually use but know others who trade them for what suits my needs. There are lots of members that are doing the same.

It is funny that those that prepare for the worst are all labeled hoarders.

 

[Outfall]

It is out there but you have to look all the time and be 100% ready when you find it. I know in my area powder and primers have been showing up and even sitting a day or two. Right now i know where there are small and large rifle primers sitting along with powder at slightly higher prices than before but still not bad. Ya just got to up your game and keep on the sites and check all your local big stores. Alot of ammo is now sitting on the shelf and prices are dropping some.

 

[isaaccarlson]

I understand having enough, but hoarding is different. I don't see any problem with buying a box or two at a time, but when you have more than you can use, let others get some. I know of people who have hundreds of thousands of rounds in their basements and they won't sell a single round. They are convinced they will need it and that they will be able to use it all. Very few people know they have it, so if something ever happened, nobody would know it was there. It's a shame people behave this way.

 

[HuntingBronco]

Been finding powder here and there, and better inventory of random ammo, but absolute drought on primers in the areas in Michigan I have been frequenting.

 

[RetiredSniper]

The last week there have literally been primers dropping every day at all the big retailers. Midway, Natchez, Brownells etc.

Powder valley has been getting a decent amount of powder depending on what your looking for. Same with Midsouth and if you have a Scheels nearby they have been getting quite a bit of Vihtavuori powder.

I just checked Midway for large rifle primers and large rifle magnum primers. All are out of stock.

 

[Blacktailer]

What PO's me is the places that "charge what the market will bear". Was in a hardware store the other day and they had a couple of bricks of 22lr. Price was $74.99!
Thanks anyway.

 

[Veteran]

If you watch what is for sale and trade under the classifieds for reloading components right here on LRH, I bet you find what you need or something close.

Now H4895 is a hard one and I have not seen any recently. But IMR 4895 a close substitute is widely findable. Even right this minute right on this site you can find it for sale.

Good luck.

 

[isaaccarlson]

I saw boxes of 12 ga shot shells this week for $50. I just walked away, and so did everyone else, because the boxes are still there.

 

[WildernessBob]

Varmint hunter is exactly what I'm seeing and doing. I'm in Florida and tried to get Imr4350, H4831sc, and RL 17 for over a year. Fortunately for us we had a few pounds. I have longshot and reddot for the pistols but can't find small pistol primers so the 45 gets fed. No reloading the 9 or 40 s&w.
A few months ago we bought 2 lbs of 4166 to work on.. The bullets will kill deer at 2700+/- fps instead of 3000 fps but at least we have ammo.
The first time I see 8 lbs of any of our favorite powders I'll also buy 8 lbs instead of our typical 2 or 3 one pound bottles. And as to the primers if we can we'll buy multiple bricks of each we will. What will the future be? The same? Worse? Who knows. We'll plan for the worse and hope for the better.

 

[FEENIX]

I understand having enough, but hoarding is different. I don't see any problem with buying a box or two at a time, but when you have more than you can use, let others get some. I know of people who have hundreds of thousands of rounds in their basements and they won't sell a single round. They are convinced they will need it and that they will be able to use it all. Very few people know they have it, so if something ever happened, nobody would know it was there. It's a shame people behave this way.

If you look at the link I provided in #18, that's exactly what I do.

As far as your comment, you are wrong about people having hundreds of thousands of rounds in their basement, and they won't sell a single round. I see it all the time; you just need to be persistent in your search. There are also good folks here that alert us all when they are available online or face-to-face transaction.

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/brunos-10-lb-case-reloader-22-and-5-lb-reloader-17.280590/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/n570-and-r26-in-sw-mt.280576
/#post-2294511

https://www.longrangehunting.com/th...f-imr-4895-staball-6-5-and-hybrid-100.280593/

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/bullets-of-various-calibers.280564/#post-2294064

 

[RetiredSniper]

Rifle primers, including magnum all out of stock at Midway, Brownells, Ballistic Products, Graf & Son, and others. It's a Plandemic!!!