Powder availability

Luke45 · 05-22-2014, 10:31 AM

Well guys the end may be in sight, traveling out of town i've stopped by a few gunshop,in the last couple weeks ive seen pounds and pounds of H4831, H1000, Retumbo, 4895, 4350, 4064, all the reloder powders, accurate powders, trailboss, CFE223, a pretty good sample of all! except Varget, ive noticed the shelves becomming more filled i think in a couple months well be good to go

**barrel-nut** · 05-22-2014, 11:06 AM

Man I sure hope you're right! That's great news.

**BillPa** · 05-22-2014, 12:49 PM

It seems things are getting better around here. When I was at the "New" Trop and Kinseys a month ago they both had powders, no R15/17, Varget though and only a few 8 pounders. Trop did have 4759 and Trail Boss.

Brass is almost non existent. Trop had three or four boxes of Nosler and that was it. Shydas had one bag of new 44 mag and two boxes of once fired 338WM.

Primers? No BR2s-4s around anywhere. Trop and Kinesys both had bricks of Fed 210s and maybe Wins, don't recall . Trop had a fair supply of Bergers but the others were slim pickens.

Bill

**barrel-nut** · 05-22-2014, 01:17 PM

Sounds like I need to make a trek to the LGS to investigate...

**thermaler** · 05-22-2014, 02:43 PM

I'll believe it when I see it! : ) If there's one shooting incident in the media--poof! the mad lemming rush is on.

**fgw_in_fla** · 05-22-2014, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by thermaler

I'll believe it when I see it! : ) If there's one shooting incident in the media--poof! the mad lemming rush is on.

Gotta agree with therm here although, we just got a new BassPro store just a hop, skip and a jump from my place. When they first opened up, the powder shelves were bare. The past month I have been able to find various powders I use in stock. They don't have mega-quantity of any one type or brand but at least I can grab an extra few pounds of my favorite on a weekly basis.
I even found a few bags of brass in stock last weekend. My wife thought I had a screw loose when she saw me in the aisle dancing with a bag of brass in each hand.

Last, they have fully stocked ammo shelves. Every caliber and most brands. Lots & lots of ammo.
Except 22LR.
No surprise there, I guess.

**thermaler** · 05-22-2014, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by fgw_in_fla

Gotta agree with therm here ...

There goes your reputation!

PS:I'd like to see a video of the jingle brass dance.

**fgw_in_fla** · 05-22-2014, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by thermaler

There goes your reputation!

PS:I'd like to see a video of the jingle brass dance.

No ya don't.
I'm lucky I didn't get arrested. I can just hear the 911 call now....
911 operator - "Hello, 911 - what is the nature of your emergency?"
BassPro Guy - "Could you please send an ambulance and capture a guy dancing with bags of rifle brass in his hands. Oh, and, please send a dance instructor, too"...

**homefrontsniper** · 05-22-2014, 09:34 PM

Fin feather fur in canton.
Reloder 15
AR COMP
H335
Reloder 33
H380
Cfe 223
H 4350
H4895

clovishound · 05-23-2014, 07:56 AM

I am hoping the pistol powder follows suit soon. I enjoy shooting my new Savage, but I like shooting my handguns as well, so does my daughter. The good news is that a pound or two will last me quite a while in the calibers I shoot.

As to brass, one of the reasons I got my Savage in .223 was that I noticed that there was always 5.56 brass on the floor at the range. It's the 9mm of the rifle world. I don't see any problem staying in brass for this rifle. After a few months, I have several hundred cases, and it keeps growing every time I go to the range.

**thermaler** · 05-23-2014, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by clovishound

I am hoping the pistol powder follows suit soon. I enjoy shooting my new Savage, but I like shooting my handguns as well, so does my daughter. The good news is that a pound or two will last me quite a while in the calibers I shoot.

As to brass, one of the reasons I got my Savage in .223 was that I noticed that there was always 5.56 brass on the floor at the range. It's the 9mm of the rifle world. I don't see any problem staying in brass for this rifle. After a few months, I have several hundred cases, and it keeps growing every time I go to the range.

I do pistols as well and especially enjoy my ruger 41 and 44 magnum blackhawk wheel guns. Let me know if you see any accurate 7 or Titegroup around--haven't seen those available for ages.

**fgw_in_fla** · 05-23-2014, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by clovishound

I am hoping the pistol powder follows suit soon. I enjoy shooting my new Savage, but I like shooting my handguns as well, so does my daughter. The good news is that a pound or two will last me quite a while in the calibers I shoot.

As to brass, one of the reasons I got my Savage in .223 was that I noticed that there was always 5.56 brass on the floor at the range. It's the 9mm of the rifle world. I don't see any problem staying in brass for this rifle. After a few months, I have several hundred cases, and it keeps growing every time I go to the range.

Now that you mention it, I don't recall seeing any pistol powder. Plenty of pistol caliber brass and bullets but no powder on the shelf.

And, you're a smart man for policing up that brass. These guys that leave it behind will be the first to whine at the next shortage. I'm still working on 30.06 brass I initially shot 4 - 5 years ago. Some of it has 10 firings and still in use.

I'm headed to the new BassPro this morning to grab a few odds and ends (I need more ends, actually). I'll look a little closer for pistol powder. As long as powder, brass and bullets are available locally, I'm grabbing some.

**thermaler** · 05-23-2014, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by fgw_in_fla

Now that you mention it, I don't recall seeing any pistol powder. Plenty of pistol caliber brass and bullets but no powder on the shelf.

And, you're a smart man for policing up that brass. These guys that leave it behind will be the first to whine at the next shortage. I'm still working on 30.06 brass I initially shot 4 - 5 years ago. Some of it has 10 firings and still in use.

I'm headed to the new BassPro this morning to grab a few odds and ends (I need more ends, actually). I'll look a little closer for pistol powder. As long as powder, brass and bullets are available locally, I'm grabbing some.

I still want to see you do the brass dance. You can make a ring of fire and do the brass jingle--a prayer offering to the firearm Gods for a bountiful season.

**FW Conch** · 05-23-2014, 09:46 AM

My BIL and some of his shooting buddies, in northern Virginia, are getting Varget. Their LGS is a one man operation, out of his garage, but he is able to get bulk orders. These guys get together and decide what reload components they need, he gets the stuff in, and they divvy it out. They save their 1# powder containers and get "at least" 8#'s of Varget per order, and split it up amongst themselves. Through this shortage, I have been able to buy a # from my BIL as needed. I don't know what the LGS's source is, but Im sure it works through volume-or maybe he just has good contacts in the industry? For those in need, perhaps there's a LGS, like this guy, in your neighborhood, who can get your "Varget".

Good Luck.......Jim

**fgw_in_fla** · 05-23-2014, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by thermaler

I still want to see you do the brass dance. You can make a ring of fire and do the brass jingle--a prayer offering to the firearm Gods for a bountiful season.

Too bad my 'ol lady didn't snap a picture of it. I'm sure everyone would have enjoyed seeing me in my shorts. hairy legs and all, wiggling my butt with a bag of rifle brass in each hand shaking them like a couple morroccas.
I was singing that old Harry Belefonte song. The banana boat song - Daaaaaayyyyy - Ooo...... Daylight come and me wan' go home.....

**Ibex** · 05-26-2014, 10:08 AM

Frank,
Some things can't be unseen. Thank you for the description without a visual reference.

I was in western Michigan a couple weeks ago moving the Secretary of War down to Nebraska & hit both LGS that I frequented. Both places had full shelves of powders, boolets & primers small rifle and large rifle.

LGS here in the land of the bugeaters also has pretty full selection. Not sure about Varget as it is not a powder that I use.

**fgw_in_fla** · 05-26-2014, 07:16 PM

Next time I'll be sure to have someone standing by with a camera.

By the way, as suspected - nada, zip, nuthin' in the way of pistola powder at my local BassPro. Something else I noticed. Primers sold in individual packs of 100 for 5 bucks each?
Kinda pricey, I'd say. My regular supply store was selling boxes of 1000 for 30 bucks.
Whatta rip.

**tufrthnails** · 05-26-2014, 07:22 PM

Seeing the same thing 100 primers for $5 here as well.

**fgw_in_fla** · 05-26-2014, 07:25 PM

At BassPro?
I was at the one in Orlando (on I- Drive, I believe) about a year and a half ago and noticed it.

I suuuuuuurrre wish my regular guy would get stocked up again. I really miss going in and being able to pick out what I need and not have to take out a mortgage for it.