The Availability of Reloading Components.. up to and beyond January 20th, 2017.....??

[rojogrande]

Let's just presume that the US economy does not implode in a black hole of debt and martial law is not declared before then, and a new president is elected.....What will be the status of the reloading market---on both sides of the law of supply and demand.....when and if a new president is sworn into office....? Will it be 3, 4, or maybe 5 years before we see a return to normalcy....? Are the good ol' days gone forever...?

We have panic buying.....we have hoarding.....we have prices skyrocketing.....we have limited supplies to select and purchase......we have conspiracy theories......we have corruption and secret agendas at all levels of government.......we in Canada see the DHS in the US buying 2 billion rounds of ammo......

I go back to one example: The availability of Reloder 15.....the powder of choice in the M118 sniper round out of Lake City Arsenal......When was the last time you noticed a row of this stuff on the store shelf....??
If the DHS wants 200 million sniper rounds for the 7.62 Nato cartridge, well folks, that's a lotta RL-15....Obviously somebody is gettin' rich....and somebody is getting the short end of the powder stack....

I wish I had a crystal ball to know where all this is going.......If things are bad now, are they going to get worse...? And will our sport survive until then....?

Rojogrande

 

[hound2013]

no matter what happens you will still be able to buy reloading stuff and guns its like a bad cold its hard to shake ... as long as the wars go on so will guns .. in my opinion. hound 13

 

[thump_rrr]

Let's just presume that the US economy does not implode in a black hole of debt and martial law is not declared before then, and a new president is elected.....What will be the status of the reloading market---on both sides of the law of supply and demand.....when and if a new president is sworn into office....? Will it be 3, 4, or maybe 5 years before we see a return to normalcy....? Are the good ol' days gone forever...?

We have panic buying.....we have hoarding.....we have prices skyrocketing.....we have limited supplies to select and purchase......we have conspiracy theories......we have corruption and secret agendas at all levels of government.......we in Canada see the DHS in the US buying 2 billion rounds of ammo......

I go back to one example: The availability of Reloder 15.....the powder of choice in the M118 sniper round out of Lake City Arsenal......When was the last time you noticed a row of this stuff on the store shelf....??
If the DHS wants 200 million sniper rounds for the 7.62 Nato cartridge, well folks, that's a lotta RL-15....Obviously somebody is gettin' rich....and somebody is getting the short end of the powder stack....

I wish I had a crystal ball to know where all this is going.......If things are bad now, are they going to get worse...? And will our sport survive until then....?

Rojogrande

I do not know what the future holds so I buy what I can when I can.
Call it hoarding or being prepared I don't care.
175gr FGMM MK316 Mod 0 uses 41.745gr of 4064 in Federal brass with 210M primers.

 

[Andy]

Did the Mayans predict this? What's the next thing to wring our hands over - a possible comet hitting a powder plant?

 

[thump_rrr]

Did the Mayans predict this? What's the next thing to wring our hands over - a possible comet hitting a powder plant?

I called the 2 biggest powder distributors in Canada looking for 8 lb jugs of several powders.
I was told by both not to expect much of the powders I'm looking for this year.
Consequently I've been stocking up on 1lb canisters at a higher cost per pound but at least I'm finding some.

I'm pretty much at my indoor storage limit.
That is not how I store my powder.
I was taking inventory.

 

[Andy]

Periodic shortages have existed as long as I can remember and well before that. In just the lifetime of CGN (CGN 1, 2 and 3 - about 12 years), there have been at least three periods of major shortages. Each time, short-sighted shooters ran low and far-sighted had stocked up in time of plenty.

Fact remains that we have more variety and quantity of reloading components than ever, and more are being added every year.

Patience.

 

[Dusty23]

I called the 2 biggest powder distributors in Canada looking for 8 lb jugs of several powders.
I was told by both not to expect much of the powders I'm looking for this year.
Consequently I've been stocking up on 1lb canisters at a higher cost per pound but at least I'm finding some.

I'm pretty much at my indoor storage limit.
That is not how I store my powder.
I was taking inventory.

Taking inventory? C'mon! Lmfao, that is pure and simple gloating, pic and all. Or should I say hoarding?

 

[Spawn-Inc]

Taking inventory? C'mon! Lmfao, that is pure and simple gloating, pic and all. Or should I say hoarding?

who cares if he's gloating... are you saying you don't have any pictures of things you are proud of our get your jolly's from by showing off?
if you use that much in a year is it still hoarding?


GLOAT! (although not much of one compared)

 

[caperaway]

One thing you can be sure of is prices will rise.If you can stock up,do it.It takes a really long time for powder to go bad so you might as well buy enough to last for years while it's still realatively cheap.I stopped buying by the pound and started buying 8lb jugs.

 

[yodave]

Its called opportunity........

Ask your local store what they have for powder........consult a reloading manual.......buy a new rifle in a caliber that will handle your only available powder, buy bullets and dies.......go home and sleep well because you have a gun you can shoot, and you stimulated the local economy.......when your out of powder and or bullets simply repeat the process..........

 

[LUTNIT]

Each time, short-sighted shooters ran low and far-sighted who also had the disposable income had stocked up in time of plenty.

Fixed that for you Andy.

 

[Dusty23]

who cares if he's gloating... are you saying you don't have any pictures of things you are proud of our get your jolly's from by showing off?
if you use that much in a year is it still hoarding?


GLOAT! (although not much of one compared)

#1, If anybody shoots that much in a year they are obviously not worried about keeping their stocks up.
#2, I care, and I'm not the only one. I'm just the only one to say anything about it. As someone who is new to reloading I am finding it increasingly frustrating because components are hard to come by. I wonder why?
#3, I didn't realize taking inventory required someone to take everything out of storage and pile up in neat little rows and then snap a pic. Then post it online to rub in others faces. As I said I'm new to this, so maybe its the norm.
#4, If you're going to post pics on the internet you open yourself up to criticism. Everybody is entitled to their opinion, you know mine and I know yours. I call is as I see it, thats all.

 

[Spawn-Inc]

#1, If anybody shoots that much in a year they are obviously not worried about keeping their stocks up.
#2, I care, and I'm not the only one. I'm just the only one to say anything about it. As someone who is new to reloading I am finding it increasingly frustrating because components are hard to come by. I wonder why?
#3, I didn't realize taking inventory required someone to take everything out of storage and pile up in neat little rows and then snap a pic. Then post it online to rub in others faces. As I said I'm new to this, so maybe its the norm.
#4, If you're going to post pics on the internet you open yourself up to criticism. Everybody is entitled to their opinion, you know mine and I know yours. I call is as I see it, thats all.

fair enough, but the problem isn't all of a sudden Canadian's hoarding, it's the people in the states and all the crap that's going on causing the issues.

 

[thump_rrr]

#1, If anybody shoots that much in a year they are obviously not worried about keeping their stocks up.
#2, I care, and I'm not the only one. I'm just the only one to say anything about it. As someone who is new to reloading I am finding it increasingly frustrating because components are hard to come by. I wonder why?
#3, I didn't realize taking inventory required someone to take everything out of storage and pile up in neat little rows and then snap a pic. Then post it online to rub in others faces. As I said I'm new to this, so maybe its the norm.
#4, If you're going to post pics on the internet you open yourself up to criticism. Everybody is entitled to their opinion, you know mine and I know yours. I call is as I see it, thats all.

I have 3.5 large boxes of 168gr SMK's for my M1A and M305.
That takes 11.25lb of IMR 4064. I have 12Lbs.
I have another 2,000 180gr SMK's on order + another 450 on hand.
That takes 15.75lbs of Varget and I have 18.5lbs.
I have 6,000 Hornady 55gr FMJ's.
That requires 21.5lbs. of XBR while I only have 11lbs of it.
I am still short 10.5lbs of XBR so as you can see without actually taking inventory it is near impossible to know what you need.

As an aside I ordered my case of 6,000 Hornady projectiles in March and received them in August.
I ordered the XBR in January and received it in April.

I have on order another 8lbs of Varget and another 8lbs of XBR.
When will I receive them I have no clue.
I called Hummason and was told not to expect much powder this year in 8lb jugs and to buy 1lb cans.
That's a difference of nearly $70.00 for every 8lbs.
So what you see there cost me nearly $210.00 MORE than if I were to find it in 8lb jugs.

If I want to be shooting through this fall the amount that I am used to shooting I either need to find my components when they are available or be prepared not to shoot.
Being prepared sure beats the alternative of not shooting and me whining about a lack of powder in October won't help anyone.
The other thing that people don't take into account is that I am in Montreal and I'm buying my components locally.
These components are in stock here.
If someone asks me where I bought my components I will tell them.
Last spring I bought 4lbs of Varget from each of the 3 dealers I deal with.
I turned down over 30lbs of Varget so that others could shoot.
How many people who are complaining would actually pay the $40.00 hazmat fee to have the powder shipped to them on top of the shipping cost?

I don't drink or smoke.
A 1 pack a day smoker spends over $3,500 a year on cigarettes.
Someone who drinks a case of beer a week spends about $1,500 a year.
So someone who does both spends twice as much as I do on reloading components in a year.

It's easy to look at others and judge but not everybody is willing to make the sacrifices they need to make in life to have what they deem to be a priority to them.

Last week I visited my 3 local suppliers. They all returned from the shot show where they met up with their representatives. I asked each of the 3 owners what they were told about getting stock for the upcoming year and I placed orders accordingly.
I take a proactive approach to shooting so that I don't get left out in the cold.
It sure beats whining that I can't find components.

The average 1 pack a day smoker spends about $3,500 a year on cigarettes.
The average 1 case a week beer drinker spends about $1,500 a year on beer.

I spend about half of what an individual spends if they both drink and smoke on components but that is a choice I made for myself.

 

[Tinman204]

I buy powder as I can find it, I always have several pounds of anything that I use. If you shoot a lot then then the above picture isn't hoarding, it's called being prepared.

But that being said, I've run into guys I know that are begging me for several pounds of powder that I know they will never shoot in the next year. I call that hoarding, they go "but you have so much and I have none" I always say "yeah but I'll use this stuff up in the next year, you won't even get through a 1/4 pound"

I personally am finding certain bullets harder to find then powder.

 

[mrgoat]

Well said "thumper"!! I get the same BS thrown at me as I take ski vacations and at times heli ski. Plus play with the shooting sports. I use the same analogy for what other folks spend on smokes and booze on average that pays for my shooting and skiing. I have friends that golf and spend what I do and more on club memberships, green fees, etc. Your right it's all about making choices. Some choose cigarettes and beer others choose differently. But don't whine if you choose to do it all and can't afford it.

I just spent a couple hundred bucks on powder, because it was available and just to have it. Hoarding can be a contributing factor in any shortage situation, but I believe in taking a little bit here and there to meet my present and future needs and leaving the rest for others. If there ever was a threat of a strike in the beer and tobacco industry I will guarantee you we will witness hoarding on a monumental scale.

In my opinion it is all about making personal choices and being wise enough to look a head and being prepared. It's like the squirrel collecting his nuts for the winter some have enough, some don't.

 

[Dogleg]

Originally Posted by Andy

Each time, short-sighted shooters ran low and far-sighted who also had the disposable income had stocked up in time of plenty.

Fixed that for you Andy.


Seems to me that people with the foresight to stock up are also the type that doesn't run themselves broke from payday to payday. The guy with a little powder put away is the same guy with a little money put away. He likely did his stocking up when it was cheaper too.

Its the panic buyers who pay double and run up their visa cards to do it.

 

[rookie wildcat]

When the second-last (?) round if shortages came through, I determined to be more pro active when stocks improved. Still not being in the wealthy class, I had to make some adjustments. I went through my notes and found that everything I owned could be suitably served by just two powders. I have consistently been able to order 21lb shipments from Higginson's for both until I have enough stockpiled for two years. I have enough components to keep me shooting for same length of time. Am I wringing the best out of my stuff? Nope, but I AM shooting when I want.
Please don't be pissed that we started earlier and learned our lessons

 

[thump_rrr]

When the second-last (?) round if shortages came through, I determined to be more pro active when stocks improved. Still not being in the wealthy class, I had to make some adjustments. I went through my notes and found that everything I owned could be suitably served by just two powders. I have consistently been able to order 21lb shipments from Higginson's for both until I have enough stockpiled for two years. I have enough components to keep me shooting for same length of time. Am I wringing the best out of my stuff? Nope, but I AM shooting when I want.
Please don't be pissed that we started earlier and learned our lessons

Do higginson's powders come in original containers or in cardboard boxes with plastic bags?

 

[yodave]

Do higginson's powders come in original containers or in cardboard boxes with plastic bags?

depends on the powder.........surplus is in a bag as is some vhitovori powder.......