Where's the powder?

[cornshank]

I think that people that put these crazy bids on GB do not have any idea of what they are doing and definitely do not, have not, any shooting friends or involved in a network like LRH. If you are a hunter then you could always use a substitute powder to get you by. If you are shooting competition and almost out of powder - Where are your shooting friends? Most people I know in the comp world will help out a fellow shooter.
Maybe these crazy bids are being done by the people selling to get the price up.
If someone came to us and said that they are in a real bind & need powder bad, then said they would give us $140 a pound to be able to shoot. We would just give the powder to them and wish them luck.
There has to something wrong if a person can't find help from fellow shooters in their area.

I agree in part , but if a fellow is not connected to a hunting group or shooting group or a bunch of others that hunt or shoot, who is going to help him?
So those guys will pay what ever,to get the stuff they need
And then there are those who bought a bunch of powder that they will probably never use, but they gotta get on here and brag about it. Why aren't they helping out?

 

[JAYgs8163]

I agree in part , but if a fellow is not connected to a hunting group or shooting group or a bunch of others that hunt or shoot, who is going to help him?
So those guys will pay what ever,to get the stuff they need
And then there are those who bought a bunch of powder that they will probably never use, but they gotta get on here and brag about it. Why aren't they helping out?

How do you know there not helping out others and their friends. I see people on here helping out others all the time. You can't ship powder or primers legally so it's not quite that easy. I just gave a fellow member 50 pieces of 7mm WSM brass on a email handshake and with the understanding he will replace it some day. I gave a local Aquaintance a lb of powder last week. I've got a bunch of powder and I gladly help others out that I feel are deserving of it but I'm not breaking the law and mailing powder and primers.

 

[cornshank]

How do you know there not helping out others and their friends. I see people on here helping out others all the time. You can't ship powder or primers legally so it's not quite that easy. I just gave a fellow member 50 pieces of 7mm WSM brass on a email handshake and with the understanding he will replace it some day. I gave a local Aquaintance a lb of powder last week. I've got a bunch of powder and I gladly help others out that I feel are deserving of it but I'm not breaking the law and mailing powder and primers.

My bad, I guess I am venting a little about the powder ,I failed to take the shipping into account.
I also had a fellow I don't even know from this site ,offer to sell me some powder hopefully shipped through his FFL.
I have my fingers crossed.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I agree in part , but if a fellow is not connected to a hunting group or shooting group or a bunch of others that hunt or shoot, who is going to help him?
So those guys will pay what ever,to get the stuff they need
And then there are those who bought a bunch of powder that they will probably never use, but they gotta get on here and brag about it. Why aren't they helping out?

Cornshank
Good point about not being connected to a group. The way I am looking at it is if you are reloading:

1. You probably shoot/hunt a lot.
2. Most likely have some friends that do the same.
3. There is so much information on the internet about powder/primers for sale or looking for it. Just do a search and you will see many posts from members of LRH.
4. Join a forum and post that you are in need and looking for powder/primers/brass/bullets
5. Be willing to travel a little ways to purchase and also try to have something to trade
6. The shooters/hunters that have a supply of components now most likely been doing trading/buying/storing for years (they saw the writing on the wall many years ago and prepared).

If you are just getting into reloading and don't have the supplies look at #3,4&5 to get started. No need to pay $140 for a pound or $700 for a jug. Also why buy an 8# jug if just starting to reload. One Pound of powder with get you about 160 reloads of .308 parent type case cartridges. If you are shooting more than that it is probably for Matches and there are plenty of contacts there.
You can't help someone out unless they are asking for help. As long as you are on forums you don't even need to advertise that you need components. Alot of members post that they are selling or trading. You just need to be in their areas. You see this all the time on LRH. We posted several trips that we made specifically for trading Components in the South East States. We met some really down to earth members and had some great trades. Was a lot of work/time/miles for all parties, but we all got what we wanted/needed.
Sure prices are inflated. There is Absolutely no reason to pay outrageous prices for powder/primer when you can get by doing some networking and putting some time in.
As far as the "Bragging" on LRH. I am sure it is just joking and ball busting. Also if those members had extra powder i am sure they would part with some to help other shooters.

 

[cornshank]

R

Cornshank
Good point about not being connected to a group. The way I am looking at it is if you are reloading:

1. You probably shoot/hunt a lot.
2. Most likely have some friends that do the same.
3. There is so much information on the internet about powder/primers for sale or looking for it. Just do a search and you will see many posts from members of LRH.
4. Join a forum and post that you are in need and looking for powder/primers/brass/bullets
5. Be willing to travel a little ways to purchase and also try to have something to trade
6. The shooters/hunters that have a supply of components now most likely been doing trading/buying/storing for years (they saw the writing on the wall many years ago and prepared).

If you are just getting into reloading and don't have the supplies look at #3,4&5 to get started. No need to pay $140 for a pound or $700 for a jug. Also why buy an 8# jug if just starting to reload. One Pound of powder with get you about 160 reloads of .308 parent type case cartridges. If you are shooting more than that it is probably for Matches and there are plenty of contacts there.
You can't help someone out unless they are asking for help. As long as you are on forums you don't even need to advertise that you need components. Alot of members post that they are selling or trading. You just need to be in their areas. You see this all the time on LRH. We posted several trips that we made specifically for trading Components in the South East States. We met some really down to earth members and had some great trades. Was a lot of work/time/miles for all parties, but we all got what we wanted/needed.hey thanks for the nice reply
Sure prices are inflated. There is Absolutely no reason to pay outrageous prices for powder/primer when you can get by doing some networking and putting some time in.
As far as the "Bragging" on LRH. I am sure it is just joking and ball busting. Also if those members had extra powder i am sure they would part with some to help other shooters.

Hey, thanks for the nice reply.
I'll explain a few things so you have an idea of who I am . I have been hunting deer, elk and pigs , for 50 years.
I have also been hand loading for 49 years , started when I was in highschool, And don't even try to compare my methods To any of the bench rest shooters ,for all I know ,I could be doing it all wrong according to some.
I shoot two model 70 pre 64 s, one 30-06 and one 300 weatherby mag.
I don't like to say how many deer and elk I have killed , but plenty to know what bullets and powder work real well for me.

In regards to members posting components for sale, you have to be literally watching the classifieds and hitting "new posts", I have been doing it for weeks and every time someone has beat me to the reply. It's not as easy as you think. Then if you get close to being first ,they won't ship,or it's in a different state.


The internet has bee a waste of time , so far , and out of stock and not back orderable ,are the norm, or they have some crazy powder I've never heard of.
Even if I could get a substitute powder do I want to start over and work up a new load? Not yet.

 

[Teri Anne]

Cabela's near me hasn't received anything much in months. The other sporting goods places either. I don't see anything advertised online.

Well it then appears that maybe your local Cabelas store never got any orders in. If they don't request, they won't get. Store management has a lot to do with what is available. You might want to ask your store manager why they don't have what you are looking for when other Cabelas and Bass Pro stores do. Better yet complain to Johnny Morris direct if you can find a way. There are a lot of Store Managers out there not doing their jobs the way they should which is affecting what is available on their shelves.

 

[Veteran]

As I have said many times I would rather that folks here on LRH gets first dibbs on putting powder and primers in their carts vs. the scalpers who will get it otherwise.

Then folks here will only have
the option to buy at double or triple if they want to shoot.

Take it outta their carts. Dont let them fill their carts then make you
buy it from them at insane prices.

They do not like having to compete especially in times like this where there is hardly any powder for anyone, good folk or thieves..
...and maybe their clientele are drug dealers and thieves? Who knows who pays $150 per lb. for powder and why?

 

[MW204]

I think that people that put these crazy bids on GB do not have any idea of what they are doing and definitely do not, have not, any shooting friends or involved in a network like LRH. If you are a hunter then you could always use a substitute powder to get you by. If you are shooting competition and almost out of powder - Where are your shooting friends? Most people I know in the comp world will help out a fellow shooter.
Maybe these crazy bids are being done by the people selling to get the price up.
If someone came to us and said that they are in a real bind & need powder bad, then said they would give us $140 a pound to be able to shoot. We would just give the powder to them and wish them luck.
There has to something wrong if a person can't find help from fellow shooters in their area.

Great post and it is as you said.
I don't have a lot of long-range bullets, most of mine are hunting bullets, but I do have hunting bullets in a few different calibers that if someone needed for an upcoming hunting trip or competition I'd work with them as you said. The only competition type bullet I have is Sierra's 30 cal, 168gr BTHP Match that I've moly coated years ago. I have a few of them I could help a guy out with if he's down to nothing and needs them for a competition.

The sad thing is that I honestly believe the powder, primers, and bullet shortage is by design to make less, charge more, all while promising we're doing all we can to get them out there. That line has been used for over a year at least and yet other than Hornady, which I don't load, not yet anyway, I still can't find powder, primers, and bullets online or locally without thinking I'm buying gold.

I contacted Nosler today, again, and told them the same thing above, what their reply is, I don't know yet, but I'm tired of being lied to. The real problem may be that they can't hire enough people to work in the plants because nobody wants to work. If that's the real reason then spell it out, but after at least a year being told we're making more than we ever have and you can't find them online or anywhere else for the most part has worn thin with me. Maybe back in the day, I shouldn't have put all my eggs in the Nosler basket but I have several rifles like most people on here and I really don't want to use up what powder and primers I have developing new loads for a new bullet, but I won't go through what I did last hunting season trying to find some Nosler bullets to hunt with. I'll see what their reply is this time, if it's the same old song and dance I will order some Hornady, Hunter. or Barnes bullets and start over and I will not go back to Nosler if I'm forced into this

I'm sorry for the rant, but enough is enough already.

 

[JAYgs8163]

I'm paying what I consider to be pretty normal prices for powder and bullets at my LGS's. Unless $30-35 a LB is abnormal and $50-60 is abnormal for most the Bergers I shoot. I did pay a little more for RL23 at $42 about 2 months ago and before it was around $35-36. There's a bunch of new gun owners and I personally know 3-4 fellas from the local gun club that have taken up reloading in the last 18 months. Prior they strictly shot factory ammo. I don't buy the conspiracy theory, it's simply supply and demand and some increase in costs related to doing business.

A friend of mine is a trucker and I will say that trucking/freight has gone through the roof for everything. Enough that he's bought another rig and has put his son in it. He's making 2-3 times what he was pre COVID. I'm happy for him that he's been able to put his son to work and that they're both making a very respectable wage as small business owners.

 

[Veteran]

Im shore glad CCI is putting out the primers...

Federal, Winchester, and Remington are no shows mostly.......if it werent for CCI , there'd be no bang in a lot of brass out there.

Likely 8 of 10 postings I make on primers are CCI.

And mostly small rifle
.......wheres the large rifle primers?

 

[cornshank]

I'm paying what I consider to be pretty normal prices for powder and bullets at my LGS's. Unless $30-35 a LB is abnormal and $50-60 is abnormal for most the Bergers I shoot. I did pay a little more for RL23 at $42 about 2 months ago and before it was around $35-36. There's a bunch of new gun owners and I personally know 3-4 fellas from the local gun club that have taken up reloading in the last 18 months. Prior they strictly shot factory ammo. I don't buy the conspiracy theory, it's simply supply and demand and some increase in costs related to doing business.

A friend of mine is a trucker and I will say that trucking/freight has gone through the roof for everything. Enough that he's bought another rig and has put his son in it. He's making 2-3 times what he was pre COVID. I'm happy for him that he's been able to put his son to work and that they're both making a very respectable wage as small business owners.

To bad he doesn't haul Gun power.

 

[Teri Anne]

Great post and it is as you said.
I don't have a lot of long-range bullets, most of mine are hunting bullets, but I do have hunting bullets in a few different calibers that if someone needed for an upcoming hunting trip or competition I'd work with them as you said. The only competition type bullet I have is Sierra's 30 cal, 168gr BTHP Match that I've moly coated years ago. I have a few of them I could help a guy out with if he's down to nothing and needs them for a competition.

The sad thing is that I honestly believe the powder, primers, and bullet shortage is by design to make less, charge more, all while promising we're doing all we can to get them out there. That line has been used for over a year at least and yet other than Hornady, which I don't load, not yet anyway, I still can't find powder, primers, and bullets online or locally without thinking I'm buying gold.

I contacted Nosler today, again, and told them the same thing above, what their reply is, I don't know yet, but I'm tired of being lied to. The real problem may be that they can't hire enough people to work in the plants because nobody wants to work. If that's the real reason then spell it out, but after at least a year being told we're making more than we ever have and you can't find them online or anywhere else for the most part has worn thin with me. Maybe back in the day, I shouldn't have put all my eggs in the Nosler basket but I have several rifles like most people on here and I really don't want to use up what powder and primers I have developing new loads for a new bullet, but I won't go through what I did last hunting season trying to find some Nosler bullets to hunt with. I'll see what their reply is this time, if it's the same old song and dance I will order some Hornady, Hunter. or Barnes bullets and start over and I will not go back to Nosler if I'm forced into this

I'm sorry for the rant, but enough is enough already.

I for one like Nosler bullets, they are my favorites, however I also use Barnes, Sierra, Speer and a few others. I like to tinker with loads primarily to get the smallest group possible, but when it comes to hunting for me with a max of 300 yards on a deer sized target if I don't have what it takes to shoot a 1/2 MOA group for hunting I am comfortable with a 1 MOA or maybe even a bit larger providing that I have bullets that will work at the range that I am shooting at, as well as the game I am shooting at.

I have several different loads worked up for all of my rifles. If I run out of components for one load I simply switch to another that works in most cases just as well.

If one is so concerned about what they have available to them that they are unwilling to try something else, then they are not a true shooter, long range or otherwise. Long range as well as people who like to shoot also like to experiment. We will usually experiment with whatever is available. I have bullets for all of my rifles, mostly hunting bullets but some match too. I have several types of powder. I prefer IMR but also have some Hodgdon and Alliant on my loading shelf. My humble thought is that if you are so hung up on a particular load and only that load then you might as well sell or give away your loading equipment and buy factory loads.

It's not a conspiracy by the manufacturers no matter how much you want to believe so. The nobody wants to work problem is true in all industries. People are too lazy to work. I see supposed homeless people begging on street corners right next to help wanted signs offering $15 to $18 to start as well as sign on bonus's. I have also found out that a lot of these supposed homeless people do work, at panhandling and actually make a pretty good tax free income while defrauding the people who feel sorry for them and give them money.

 

[Hugnot]

I probably have more powder on hand now than I ever had. The problem is my favorite kinds are not included & I don't have much of any one kind. I use my olde IT acquired skills to keep good records of what works best. A simple spread sheet with references to numbered & dated target photos helps. My load manuals have grease/oil spots on the pages having data for each of my rifles. Internet favorite load data sites get longer. My .300 WM sits at the back of my safe to save 70 grains plus powder per load. Planning for rodent shooting involves smaller rifles like .20P &,.223. The big caliber for rodents is now a .22-.250 with mid 30's powder charges. Spread sheets are used to allocate powder use among cartridges.\

 

[Highvoltage]

Got fortunate this weekend local gun shop had 12 lbs of h1000, 10 lbs of h4350 and varget. I didn't buy it all but I put a dent in it. I haven't seen h1000 in 2 years. I bought what I thought would keep me going for a while and left the rest for someone else. I think things are turning the corner. Best part was everything was $40 a lb. not the $25.95 I use to pay pre covid but times have changed unfortunately. Best wishes and hopefully things turn around.