Why choose 308?

[SageRat Shooter]

I have no data either... just observation... It makes sense though.... As I used to be able to find H4350 without any problem for loading my 30-06. Fast forward to present day and the last 3 years.... H4350 is now called "UNobtainium".

And when I ask why no one can find, get, or order any for me, the response is "The 6.5 Creedmoor match shooters are buying it all up". and if they're sponsored, then it goes straight to them. I don't know how much fact there is the statement, but it sure is difficult to find more than a pound or two anywhere.

[Deadshot2]

I have no data either... just observation... It makes sense though.... As I used to be able to find H4350 without any problem for loading my 30-06. Fast forward to present day and the last 3 years.... H4350 is now called "UNobtainium".

And when I ask why no one can find, get, or order any for me, the response is "The 6.5 Creedmoor match shooters are buying it all up". and if they're sponsored, then it goes straight to them. I don't know how much fact there is the statement, but it sure is difficult to find more than a pound or two anywhere.

If one were to look into the smokeless powder manufacturing process and how much lead time there is in getting a batch of powder into containers and on the shelves there would be no more mystery to where all the powder is. Powders are "batch built" and with all the different products, some are only made at certain times of the year, maybe only on certain years.

If the manufacturer guesses wrong on how much powder they will be able to sell in a given period of time the whole system gets turned on it's head.

You mentioned buying H-4350 for your 30-06. For many years that was about the only use for it. As hand loaders started using it for other calibers, many of them newcomers to the scene, the bottles started disappearing from the shelves at a faster rate than forecasts predicted. Due to the nature of powder manufacturer the retailers couldn't just order more as the factories may have the next run scheduled for 18-20 months down the road.

This is just the problem with one powder that suddenly became popular. Now multiply it by all the different powders we've had a hard time getting of late.


Oh yeah, I believe Military production is taking more precedent than any competitors.