break in the (reloading supplies) clouds

WaltHer

Felipe Forevuh
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 26, 2009
1,626
2,655
hillbilluns, montucky
After months of absence I've finally started seeing Fed gm215m primers (50/1000), gm210m primerd (same), gm205m (same) Hodgdon Retumbo (30/lb), and Varget (32/lb) in stock locally. All in the last 4 weeks. The powder was at two different stores, the primers were at another, but they were stocked deep. The powder sold out quickly, one store was no limit, the other was still max 2lbs/type. The gm215m's were gone quick also. All the stuff was expensive, but it was there. Hopefully things are freeing up...
 
kiss any Reloader powders goodbye. You won't be seeing that for a very very long time. Apparently the POTUS had some influence getting a major cellulose supplier shut down, which Reloader depended on.
 
Wasn't there just some government contract awarded to Winchester for $27 million dollars worth of 9MM ammo? I read about it somewhere.. I think ATK just got a big contract for 300 Win Mag ammo to the tune of 20 million if memory serves...

And last April the pentagon announced they were going to destroy 1 billion worth of ammo...

So they are making it and tearing it apart. Figure that shit out.

Either way, that demand will keep those production lines busy making ammo for the government and not making it for retail markets...

Maybe we will get lucky and that powder and brass will turn up for sale to us once they start de-milling all that ammo.

God we need to get some sanity back in this country....
 
which Reloader depended on

Alliant gets Reloader stick powder from 4-5 different countries, most of them are in Europe. I think only the Alliant ball powders are made in the US and that stuff is coming from St Marks in Florida which makes all the winchester powders as well as all the Alliant dot flavors. They make the Hodgdon ball powders there as well.

So I kinda doubt he has enough pull to shot down an industry that supplies military contracts.
 
Other than the shear number of rounds to train/qualify the military and various federal agencies, I wonder if a lot of this purchasing is to replenish depleted reserves from the war usage?
 
I found some Reloder 15 at a local GS last week. $28 per pound. Sportsmans Warehouse has pretty much all the different primers. I've seen IMR 4064 fairly consistently. I don't think it's really getting any better though.
 
Picked up a lb of H4350,and a pound of PB for 9mm last night. Local shop is limiting still so everyone can get some. Haven't seen federal primers yet. Stopped by cabelas after that and they actually had .22 ammo! CCI standard and federal and they were unloading more off the truck. Also cabelas had stickers on the shelf for varget and 4064 so they had some recently.... Its getting a bit better but it comes in waves.
 
I dont know. Any industry that ties its horse to this administration may be making a long bet. Although my optimism has been proven wrong each time through the last four years of scandals, at some point someone has to say enough is enough. Im not hoping just my sense of right and wrong, has me believing that the use of the govt taxing agency as a political tool gives everyone, regardless of their political affiliation, chills of fear. The non tax paying army may not care but those that do the work, produce the goods, and keep the machine running may now recognize they are the target. The other side can not win from the couch.

I think powders become availale in the summer because during the winter everyone has been looking/loading supplies to prepare for the warm shooting season.

Last year during the Spring nothing was available than about late July I filled up on primers, powder and projectiles during the lull in buying. If you see it now, and you need it, buy it because about Sept/Oct the guys that have been blasting all summer will be back in the market.
 
plenty here...and cheap.

They are not and it is going to get worse .... sorry.

No problems this side of the pond.

An abundance of match grade primers via Murom,..clone RL15 powder at half the US price and then per kilo (not pound). Suberb brass from several sources.

Bullets? Lapua are plentiful in the 6.5 and .30 cal that I shoot and at affordable prices in bulk.
 
And this is based on what? Please cite solid sources to support, thank you.
What he said/asked.

I know all about all the paranoia, conspiracy theories, and randomly quoted "facts" as I care and pay attention too. However, blanket doomsday statements require a bit more than an exclamation point or pause for effect before I'll start hiding the women and children. Please support your claims of dryed up supply with something real. And I don't mean some unsubstantiated blog from a bunker somewhere in the mid-west either. :)

I too have been seeing plenty of ammo on the shelves most recently. Not as much as before the latest scare, mind you, but the local LGS's have most everything available except some of the most popular powders, just at higher prices than before. I'm afraid that higher prices in general are likely the new reality.

BTW, pmclaine may just be right on the money with his comments.
 
My message to other handloaders is that components are becoming available just be vigilant in your searching and as lash points out higher prices may be the new reality. If you see something you use, consider purchasing it instead of passing it over while waiting for it to return to the pre-obummer price. "A pound in your magazine is worth two on their shelf."
 
No problems this side of the pond.

An abundance of match grade primers via Murom,..clone RL15 powder at half the US price and then per kilo (not pound). Suberb brass from several sources.

Bullets? Lapua are plentiful in the 6.5 and .30 cal that I shoot and at affordable prices in bulk.

Hmm, I may have to see about picking up some Lapua bullets next time I am through the UK.

Any good suppliers in London area?