How are y'all doing with powder?

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ligonierbill

New member
Me - better. Recently found some Reloder 17 and 22, two of my favorites. In looking for potential replacements, I've been grabbing what I could. And now I'm looking for uses for some of these. Here is what I've learned thus far:

Reloder 15.5 seems to match the discontinued IMR-4320. This is ironic, as I bought 4320 during the last shortage, when I couldn't find Reloder 15. Have plenty now, but sometimes 4320 is a better mid-range powder.

Reloder 16 is too bulky in most of the rounds I've tried. It may have a home in 250-3000.

StaBall 6.5 works well in 257 B...ah Roberts, but as yet I have no other home for it. Has potential.

Finally, Alliant 4000-MR. Hate that they won't share data so I can run Quickload projections, but I definitely have a home for it in 300 H&H. I bought a Remington 700 Classic earlier this year, and 4000-MR is delivering great velocity, consistency, and accuracy.
 
R

rclark

New member
Yep... We were going along just fine .... until... Well, you all know...

I think I have enough powder for years as well as primers. I feel though for those just starting into the hobby. Hopefully prices will depress... But not holding my breath with people more than willing to shell out for double/triple the cost of primers or powder (and .22LR) of two-three years ago, there is simply no pressure to reduce prices.....

How are y'all doing with powder?
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Just fine. I've found my favorite loads for my favorite cartridges, so no push to try something new.
 
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M

Metal god

New member
I’m good , the longer the shortage goes the more worried I get . I have enough pistol powder to last the rest of my life and then some . Rifle powder I have enough for quite awhile , long enough to not be overly concerned but looking for another 16# of IMR 4064 or 4895 . That would ease my mind quite a bit . I’m actually looking to trade a 8# jug of H-110 for some 2400 . Where can I get those kegs of 2400 ?


Primers ? I’m fine for now but could use some large pistol . Looking to only use Win LPP do to there multi use capabilities.
 
T

tlm225

New member
I'm OK on powder and primers for about two more years. Using my stockpile from before the panic. Hoping things get back to more normal by then.
 
R

reynolds357

New member
ligonierbill said:
Me - better. Recently found some Reloder 17 and 22, two of my favorites. In looking for potential replacements, I've been grabbing what I could. And now I'm looking for uses for some of these. Here is what I've learned thus far:

Reloder 15.5 seems to match the discontinued IMR-4320. This is ironic, as I bought 4320 during the last shortage, when I couldn't find Reloder 15. Have plenty now, but sometimes 4320 is a better mid-range powder.

Reloder 16 is too bulky in most of the rounds I've tried. It may have a home in 250-3000.

StaBall 6.5 works well in 257 B...ah Roberts, but as yet I have no other home for it. Has potential.

Finally, Alliant 4000-MR. Hate that they won't share data so I can run Quickload projections, but I definitely have a home for it in 300 H&H. I bought a Remington 700 Classic earlier this year, and 4000-MR is delivering great velocity, consistency, and accuracy.
Click to expand...
Staball 6.5 is awesome in 6.5 creedmoor, 6.5x55, and its wicked in the .270 Winchester.
 
S

std7mag

New member
Powder i'm doing fairly well.
Bullets are good!
Primers are nonexistent in my area of central PA.
Namely large rifle & small pistol.
 
M

Mike / Tx

New member
Sittin in high cotton for the time being. My oldest grandson and I got a new small caliber toy a while back. Up until then, most everything I had was based off either a 308 or '06 case so powders were fairly easy to use across calibers but nothing for the small cased fodder.

Being good on primers helped a ton, but had to do a bit of research and waiting to get powder. Finally bit the bullet so to speak and picked up some TAC and Precision Rifle. We shot some preliminary loads yesterday that produced 1/2 - 3/4" groups at 100yds with 4 different bullets so we are excited to continue with our development of loads.

The tricky part of it all was finding stuff that could be used for other calibers, and then finding it period.
 
J

jetinteriorguy

New member
I’m estimating that I probably have enough of everything to last me as long as I’ll still be shooting. Yes, I’m that well stocked.
 
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gwpercle

New member
After the 2012 shortage I saw the handwriting on the wall of the way things were going to be ... So I became a Full Fledged Card Carrying Buyer and Hoarder of Powder , Primers, Brass , Bullet Moulds and Lead . It was a wise investment !!!
I have a lifetime supply X 2 stashed .
I'm Good ...
Gary
 
M

mikejonestkd

New member
Here in upstate Ny components are starting to show up more frequently and in great numbers. Primers are still scarce and expensive though
Powder is better than its been in several years, although high demand ones are still challenging to find
 
W

Wag

New member
I haven't been loading much for about five years and back then, I bought a bunch of components just because I found some items on sale. I'm low on small pistol magnum primers so that's my only real concern when I get back into it.

--Wag--
 
K

kilotanker22

New member
Last year I sold a lot of stuff and modeled my stock of firearm cartridges around powders that are plentiful for me. As a result, I have larger amounts of specific powders without increasing costs. This has worked out well so far.
 
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Metal god

New member
Last year I sold a lot of stuff and modeled my stock of firearm cartridges around powders that are plentiful for me. As a result, I have larger amounts of specific powders without increasing costs. This has worked out well so far.
Click to expand...

Although not exact I do something similar. I will not buy a firearm that uses a new to me cartridge. I don’t want to need new components specific to only that firearm and have no desire to tool up for new cartridges.

Been wanting a 338 Lapua and a 10mm auto but every time I think of all the extra component cost I stop my self .
 
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K

kilotanker22

New member
Metal god said:
Although not exact I do something similar. I will not buy a firearm that uses a new to me cartridge. I don’t want to need new components specific to only that firearm and have no desire to tool up for new cartridges.

Been wanting a 338 Lapua and a 10mm auto but every time I think of all the extra component cost I stop my self .
Click to expand...
About the same here. I am only shooting cartridges for which BLC-(2), Varget, PPV, H-4350, and CFE Pistol work well in. Lucky for me, CFE Pistol actually works very well with 10mm Auto and 9mm Luger.

H-4350 is great for 30-06, 280, and 6.5 Creedmoor. The other powders I listed I use for 308/7.62 and 223/5.56.

Then I switched all my short action rifle brass to small rifle, except for 7.62 rounds I load with BLC-(2). I have enough powder, primers, and bullets to support my current habit for another two years or so.
 
L

ligonierbill

New member
Being a caliber junkie, I not only failed to drop rounds, I added a couple. But I do think powder is becoming more available. And I don't think prices are unreasonable. Primers are another story, of course, Hope I'm wrong, but 10X the pre-shortage price seems the new norm.
 
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Metal god

New member
FWIW this shortage doesn’t have anything to do with me not wanting new cartridges. I’ve had this issue for many years . I’ve considered and likely will get a 357sig instead of the 10mm . The only thing I’ll need different then I already have plenty of is brass and dies .
 
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