mooredj
Well-Known Member
The US military uses a lot. Varget is extremely stable and reliable powder for 5.56 and .308.
Where's the powder?
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WildRose
Well-Known Member
No argument from me, but the question was about primers.
Fortunately with no major wars going on, the DOD contracts aren't putting anywhere near the pressure on the manufacturers we had for the last 22 years and that should be starting to pay us dividends as consumers.
mooredj
Well-Known Member
Borrowed the below from another site. Interesting read on primer shortages. Might also be why powder is coming available but primers don't seem to be.
Disruptions in the Supply Chain
Demand, however, is just one part of the story. Disruptions in the supply chain have also made a big impact on the availability of primers. When it comes to ammunition supplies, bullets are easy to manufacture, brass can be re-used, and powder is generally stockpiled by companies (though perhaps not the kind you're looking for). This leaves primers, which are relatively difficult to make, as the component that causes the bulk of ammo shortages.
In the U.S., only four companies (Winchester, Remington, Federal, and CCI) manufacture primers for civilian use, law enforcement, and the military. Even under perfect circumstances, there's only so much they can produce at once, and needless to say, circumstances have not been perfect during the pandemic. People getting sick, missing work to take care of their kids, and self-quarantining – from factory workers to delivery drivers, and all throughout the supply chain – caused a lull in manufacturing this spring.
The Remington bankruptcy has had a large impact on the shortage of ammo and primers. With Remington in a state of financial insolvency for the past two years, suppliers were demanding payment upon delivery for products. Remington simply did not have the financial capabilities to have an abundance of raw materials on hand and had to shutter some of their production capacity. Barnes bullets and primers were hit particularly hard in the reloading market. With the recent purchase of Remington by Vista, there is a good chance that Vista will be diverting CCI and Federal primers that would typically go to reloaders to Remington ammunition production. Remington primer production capacity has never been great. The hope would be that Vista will place more emphasis on getting the Remington primer production capacity increased substantially and quickly. The best news coming out of this is for Barnes fans. With Sierra's purchase of Barnes we anticipate the availability of Barnes bullets to increase substantially in a very short period of time.
In 2008 we saw a huge influx of Russian primers. We are not seeing that this time as the Murom Apparatus Producing plant is only producing at partial capacity due to the COVID-19 restrictions. On top of that, there have been changes in upper management at Murom which have caused further disruptions. But, we are very hopeful that these changes will have a positive effect on production and distribution in the long run.
With import restrictions out of Russia, we do not anticipate seeing the help we had from them in 2008-2012. We had also seen S&B, Unis Ginex and other foreign brands of primers enter the market during the shortages to relieve some of the pressure, but aren't seeing that influx of primers this time around. The lack of foreign primers on the market is a major reason we believe this shortage is going to last for quite some time. We may see some help from foreign primers, but we don't anticipate the large volumes we've seen previously.
Disruptions in the Supply Chain
Demand, however, is just one part of the story. Disruptions in the supply chain have also made a big impact on the availability of primers. When it comes to ammunition supplies, bullets are easy to manufacture, brass can be re-used, and powder is generally stockpiled by companies (though perhaps not the kind you're looking for). This leaves primers, which are relatively difficult to make, as the component that causes the bulk of ammo shortages.
In the U.S., only four companies (Winchester, Remington, Federal, and CCI) manufacture primers for civilian use, law enforcement, and the military. Even under perfect circumstances, there's only so much they can produce at once, and needless to say, circumstances have not been perfect during the pandemic. People getting sick, missing work to take care of their kids, and self-quarantining – from factory workers to delivery drivers, and all throughout the supply chain – caused a lull in manufacturing this spring.
The Remington bankruptcy has had a large impact on the shortage of ammo and primers. With Remington in a state of financial insolvency for the past two years, suppliers were demanding payment upon delivery for products. Remington simply did not have the financial capabilities to have an abundance of raw materials on hand and had to shutter some of their production capacity. Barnes bullets and primers were hit particularly hard in the reloading market. With the recent purchase of Remington by Vista, there is a good chance that Vista will be diverting CCI and Federal primers that would typically go to reloaders to Remington ammunition production. Remington primer production capacity has never been great. The hope would be that Vista will place more emphasis on getting the Remington primer production capacity increased substantially and quickly. The best news coming out of this is for Barnes fans. With Sierra's purchase of Barnes we anticipate the availability of Barnes bullets to increase substantially in a very short period of time.
In 2008 we saw a huge influx of Russian primers. We are not seeing that this time as the Murom Apparatus Producing plant is only producing at partial capacity due to the COVID-19 restrictions. On top of that, there have been changes in upper management at Murom which have caused further disruptions. But, we are very hopeful that these changes will have a positive effect on production and distribution in the long run.
With import restrictions out of Russia, we do not anticipate seeing the help we had from them in 2008-2012. We had also seen S&B, Unis Ginex and other foreign brands of primers enter the market during the shortages to relieve some of the pressure, but aren't seeing that influx of primers this time around. The lack of foreign primers on the market is a major reason we believe this shortage is going to last for quite some time. We may see some help from foreign primers, but we don't anticipate the large volumes we've seen previously.
I got a reply from Nosler and it's the same old song and dance. I'm fixing to order some Hornady, maybe some Barnes, and for sure Hammer bullets.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Other than their Accubond's I quit shooting Nosler's about 25 years ago so I have no clue what their availability is or has been.
They are all struggling to keep pace with demand right now, that much I do know.
What is it you're looking for?
I have had good success with them is why I keep using them all these years, but as I said they are next to impossible to find and if you do then they're so high I will not buy them.
I was looking for 180gr or 200gr for my new 300WM so at this time I'm up to something that I can buy more than once a year. I plan on buying some Hammer bullets to see how they perform or maybe some Hornady or Barnes, which seems to be in a lot of places today. I haven't tried much of anything else for a long time, but I'm tired of searching the web for Nosler's and not finding anything.
I'm interested in the Rem ultra bullets but those are like Nosler's right now so I don't see that being a choice.
What bullets do you use for hunting under 500 yds?
cornshank
Well-Known Member
Nosler accubonds and Nosler ballistic tips work for me ,out to 500 yds,for hunting, I found some l80 gr accubonds ,from a member he sold me 3 boxes ! They are on the way to me , if you are desperate I will sell you a box of 50 ,for same price I paid ,when they arrive.
PM me if interested
I appreciate the offer and last year I'd jumped all on it, but after contacting Nosler today I think I'm going in a different direction, I refuse to go through what I did last year trying to get their bullets. If they screw around I will eventually switch all my rifles to something I can buy if I can get the loads <moa.
cornshank
Well-Known Member
No problem
cornshank
Well-Known Member
I'm with you on switching bullets, it's hard to go with another brand when you have personally proven for years how the one you like works!
A lot of people use a lot of different bullets and weights and for me i stick with what I started out with years ago, I find it difficult to want to test a new bullet out on an elk.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
I shoot the Peregrine VLR4's over everything else.
Not far behind on the list is the Hornady Interbond then the Nosler Accubond.
I had some decent luck with the Hornady ELD-X's at ranges over 400 yards but everything I shoot other than the 260's are really screamers with MV's exceeding 3,000fps at the muzzle.
In my Winnies which I don't shoot a whole lot anymore the VLR4's just tore it up in Africa along with the 180gr accubonds and interbonds.
Hornady is really doing the hunting world a disservice not keeping Interbonds high on their production priority list. If they'd make a 200-210gr Accubond in 30 cal it would probably be the best bullet for the money on the market as far as terminal performance goes.
If they'd use the same bonding process with the ELD-X as with the Interbond they'd really have something special but each of the 3 times I've talked to them about it the answer was a polite, "no".
I've had some decent luck with the Barnes LRX and MRX but the MRX is off the market and I haven't seen any LRX's on the shelves in a very long time.
They didn't shoot as well for me as the Peregrine but they were close and not quite as reliable for terminal performance but close.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Nosler AccuBond Long Range Bullets 30 Cal (308 Diameter) 210 Grain
Nosler AccuBond Long Range Bullets were specifically developed for the increasing popularity of long range hunting. Nosler's unique manufacturing...
www.midwayusa.com
I've killed a lot of whitetail with my 308, 30-06, and 300 WSM and I've used the same bullet for them all until last year. I did not use the 308 so it was no problem but I was out of the Nosler bullets for the most part so I found a load for the 30-06 using a Sierra 165gr BTHP GK and it was my backup rifle. I had just enough bullets to load my 300 WSM in my Rem Mod 7 to use for hunting, all I needed was 3 bullets in all to take a whitetail and a mule deer. The whitetail I shot twice because honestly, he did not react to the first shot, which was a kill shot, but he didn't know and nor did I so I took a spine shot, and of course that took him down. When I looked at him the first shot went through the ribs from midway downward as I was shooting from a steep angle. You never know how they'll react until you squeeze the trigger but it's been a while since I shot one that good that it didn't react.
I like pass-through shots that expand so I have a blood trail if the deer doesn't know it's dead and it runs off. I hunt in lots of trees and it's not always possible to watch them go down and that's why I like the pass-through bullets.
I was hunting in Nebraska last year when I shot the WT and MD and it was completely different terrain. Lots of gullies/ravines whatever you want to call them and on top of them there were some trees that also went down into the ravines, but nothing like at home where I hunt.
Up there I could use a different bullet that dumps all its energy into the deer because of it being so wide open, again compared to what I hunt at home, That's why I'm probably going to try the Hammer line of bullets. I just put together a Rem 300 WM and with it, I have some magazine room to play with the seating depth that I didn't have with the Model 7 300 WSM, which is why I'm going to try something different. I'll start out finding something for the 300 WM, but if I cannot find some Noslers online soon I will start finding a new load for those other rifles I mentioned.
I was hunting in Nebraska last year when I shot the WT and MD and it was completely different terrain. Lots of gullies/ravines whatever you want to call them and on top of them there were some trees that also went down into the ravines, but nothing like at home where I hunt.
Up there I could use a different bullet that dumps all its energy into the deer because of it being so wide open, again compared to what I hunt at home, That's why I'm probably going to try the Hammer line of bullets. I just put together a Rem 300 WM and with it, I have some magazine room to play with the seating depth that I didn't have with the Model 7 300 WSM, which is why I'm going to try something different. I'll start out finding something for the 300 WM, but if I cannot find some Noslers online soon I will start finding a new load for those other rifles I mentioned.
