Ok I know this is probably a question that has been answered before somewhere in some forum somewhere but I decided to start reloading again because I have a ton of brass building up in a few different calibers. The last powder I bought was about 23 bucks a pound so that should give you some indication as to how long it has been since I was regularly reloading. So because a consistent supply of ammo is getting harder to source I thought I would just punch out a bunch of rounds to have consistent bullets for hunting. Well holy crap I can't find the required powders and primers I need. What the heck is going on. Why the shortage. Never used to be a problem before. Just go down to the store and pick up what I needed. So is this a shortage across north america or is this just a result of the government making it tough on any companies trying to import from the US into Canada. It would appear that I am not going to get any powder and primers anytime soon.
Why the shortage
- Thread starter Moosetang
- Start date
Panic on both sides of the border to put it simply. I checked some of my usual spots today to order more kegs and they don't even have 1lbers available for most everything. I have lots of powder and primers at the moment but that changes quickly when I start doing runs of 9mm/.223/.308 etc.
SustainingGopher
CGN Regular
- Location
- An airport
It’s a North American shortage it’s been happening for a year now.
Hi welcome to the forum I see it was your first post:
Yes shortages are everywhere the grim faces of gun store owners sadly paints a dire picture of what will likely happen - I try to support the 'local' guy do my part to keep them in business. Good luck in finding what your looking for prices have doubled since you stopped reloading.
Yes shortages are everywhere the grim faces of gun store owners sadly paints a dire picture of what will likely happen - I try to support the 'local' guy do my part to keep them in business. Good luck in finding what your looking for prices have doubled since you stopped reloading.
It's the perfect storm right now; between heightened political pressure south of the border (riots, a Dumocrat as "president ," talk of more gun control both here and in the US) and supply chain breakdowns due to idiotic Covid policies EVERYTHING is getting in short supply and harder to source.
I've been looking for brass and primers for .45 Colt for months, not a stick of brass anywhere and when stores finally get some primers and powder it's snagged up within a matter of hours.
Frustrating to say the least - welcome to the "New Normal."
What caliber are you loading for?
I've been looking for brass and primers for .45 Colt for months, not a stick of brass anywhere and when stores finally get some primers and powder it's snagged up within a matter of hours.
Frustrating to say the least - welcome to the "New Normal."
What caliber are you loading for?
Munkey1973
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Regina, SK
North America as a whole is undergoing components shortages for the past year.
It doesn't help matters that its rumored (might be true..... might be bunk) that Hodgdon had a fire at their plant that makes Varget about a year and a half ago. One thing is 100% certain.... hording beget hording beget hording beget hording.
It doesn't help matters that its rumored (might be true..... might be bunk) that Hodgdon had a fire at their plant that makes Varget about a year and a half ago. One thing is 100% certain.... hording beget hording beget hording beget hording.
BattleRife
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- of No Fixed Address
You clearly didn't do much reloading if that is your impression. We have been in and out of shortages since the US involvement in Vietnam. First Gulf War, worries about Clinton's anti-gun stance, Sept. 2001 terror attacks followed by the war on terror, worries about Obama's anti-gun stance, whatever it was drove that 2015 panic, and now the COVID-driven collapse of the world economy combined with rise of Antifa street riots and worries about Biden's anti-gun stance. We have been in shortages as much as regular markets for a full 20 years, with sporadic supply problems for years before that.
When times are good, put in enough of everything to get you through two full years.
If it was that long ago, many of the powders you were familiar with are likely no longer availabe.
Hodgdon bought up IMR and discontinued a lot of them.
New coatings have been developed that will likely give you better, as in more consistent and less fouling performance.
Blame it all on those lazy truck drivers. It's all their fault, according to the mainstream media.
It's all sitting on container ships, offshore, waiting for its turn to be unloaded then onto a ''truck'' etc.
this is in jest of course
It's all sitting on container ships, offshore, waiting for its turn to be unloaded then onto a ''truck'' etc.
this is in jest of course
I buy bulk and generally avoid the "mere" 100 count boxes of bullets unless I get 5 or more at a time. For 223 I picked up 3 x1000 count of Speer sp55 gr. 9mm I buy cast powder coat in lots of 500, primers well you get the idea. Buying bulk allows you to ensure you have enough for a while. I learned this lesson just as Donald got elected down south, so I figured out what my loads were and stocked up on that stuff. A friend does estate firearms purchases & sales, so I've been lucky to grab a feww thousand primers & some components at a decent price now & then. Start looking in the EE pages
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yMqzELAUmg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yMqzELAUmg
300 Winchester But looks like Ill have to be buying factory bullets for the next year at least. I am not going to pay these gouging prices. It would appear some of the outlets are taking advantage of the shortages. Kind of frustrating having to go site in a riffle every 2 boxes of shells. You no sooner get it dialed in and do a little practice and bingo. Can't find the same ammo again.
Well you are right. I never reloaded to the extent of some. Mainly just to get good accurate hunting loads and enough to practice with. The last batch of supplies I bought was at Kesselrings in Washington. 40 lbs of powder, 10,000 bullets, 10,000 primers. This was split with a friend and we had enough for our needs at the time. That would have been in the 90's sometime. I still have some of that left over but I require different powder and primers now for a different caliber.
Yes it does seem to be pretty grim. Thought maybe because of the stiffer gun laws up here were having an affect but after checking some of the US stores they are in the same boat as us with the shortages. Unbelievable that in a free market society that you can have these troubles. Usually if these is a demand for something that the manufactures just ramp up and produce more and sell more. Very sad for the local shops who are trying to hold their heads above water in this anti gun world.
In these times, looking for specific powder or primers can be a fail pretty quickly. Find what is in stock and figure out whether it can work for you. Good enough is the only way to get volume components most of the time now. If it’s in the manual(s) is the burn rate is close, grab it and work up a load. If only extreme accuracy or the highest velocities work for you, it’s a rough road if you are still looking now.
