I feel like I'm being phased out

S

stubbicatt

New member
With the introduction of all these new chemistry powders, and the older, trusted numbers I grew up with seemingly being phased out, or becoming increasingly more difficult to find, I sort of feel like I'm being phased out or something. I'm taking it personal-like!

WW231 and IMR SR4759 being a couple of examples (tho the 4759 was previously reintroduced after being discontinued). 2400 is still in demand, but scarce on the ground hereabouts. And have you tried to find Unique? I saw some at a gunshow, the last can, and nearly started a melee akin to claiming Air Jordans in size 11 at a Chicago mall. LOL. (I was able to buy it, but only due to misdirection and underhandedness.)

I really don't want to have to learn all sorts of new powders. :( Sort of feel like the world is passing me by as I roll in my Model T. ;)
 
Last edited:
Ditto. My forlorn quest is for Alliant 2400. I'm beginning to suspect it is no longer being manufactured.
 
I can speak to the scuttlebutt concerning Win 231/ HP-38.
After reading one various boards and searching for it for several years i finally lucked out and got enough to keep me happy for quite a while.

There was a thread from another forum from 2015 where one of the company reps said that it was being phased out because it was not as ecologically friendly to make compared to titegroup or longshot.
I recently contacted the local Hogdgon rep and he said that they have no firm plans at this time to phase out the powder - its one of their top sellers and most versatile pistol powders, and the demand is still though the roof.
 
Last edited:
Funny you mention unique and WW231. I've found both lately, 231 was available in 1lb and 8lb containers. I couldn't be certain on the age of the 231 tho, not a place I frequent for reloading supplies so it may have been there a while. The unique was definitely not old stock at the store I bought it from. I go there quite often and always check out the powder supply when I do. However, I feel the same way as you do. If 4895, 4350 or 4831 ever went away I might get a bit watery :)
 
It seems that every time there's an interruption in the supply the rumor mill starts ginning up stories about how this powder and that powder, always very popular ones, are being phased out because of this or that reason.

231 seems to be one of the common targets, probably because it's so popular and is one if the first to disappear when things get a little tight.

Back when I was working for American Rifleman magazine the same 231 rumor kicked off among members of the Compuserve Firearms Forum, so I called Winchester (who was distributing the powder at that time) and talked to their head a of PR.

He assured me that no, it wasn't being phased out, it was just a spike in demand (Bill Clinton was in his opening days as president) and that they would NEVER drop it because it was so popular.

I relayed that, got everyone calmed down, and eventually the supply returned to normal.

And, a few weeks later, a 3-pound can of 231 and a 3-pound can of 296 showed up at my office for me, compliments of Winchesters PR guy.

I was VERY happy. :)
 
Wasn't the start of the last 231 rumor the comment from WW or Hodgdon that 231 was old tech, more expensive to make and with more waste?

That does not make sense, there are a lot of powders that are not made the same way or even in the same factory as they used to be.
 
That was one of them. I don't know if it was the last one.

The rumors seem to be coming faster and more furious these days. Probably because this whole supply mess has gone on for so long this time.
 
I've seen hp-38 for sale recently. Powdervalley.com had some last week. It's supposed to be the same as Win231. They even had 8 lbs canisters.

At this point most handgun powders can be found if you spend a little time calling your local stores and surfing the web for a couple minutes once or twice per week. Alliant powders can still be a pain to find but I've seen just about all of them for sale at time or another his year.
 
Unique should never be permitted to disappear - it's older than me .After all it
started out as a rifle powder !!:rolleyes:
 
Hp-38 & WW 231 are everywhere right now. I picked up 4 lbs for $21 each OTD at Cabelas the other day. PV & widners have it in stock so do a lot if other online retailers. Ranges from $18.95 a lb to $135.99 for 8lbs.
 
So. What about all these new numbers? Does any of them do anything better than what has been around for nearly 100 years? Why change to these new chemistry powders? Or is it more like the manufacturers take an old powder, slap a new label on it, and market it as a new powder?

There are so many new numbers that it plain causes dizziness.

Oh. And FOR SURE they have phased out SR4759. One of my favorites.
 
I got tired of looking for 231 Went with Unique . Unique is ok but still like 231 better . I can buy all the Unique I would like last summer I bought three kegs and the shop had a lot more . ( I did not buy it all)

I can get a the AA 9 I would ever need also 2015 and 2230
 
What about all these new numbers? Does any of them do anything better than what has been around for nearly 100 years?
Click to expand...
I see this as the future of gunpowder and someday I assume we all will need to adapt our loads to a new era of powder choices.
 
Cabela's has 8# kegs of W231 available right now. And has been available for a couple weeks now.

It's popular, yes. But it's also available from time to time.

As for 2400: I bought a # of it from my LGS just a few weeks back. They had several #'s on the shelf.
 
HP38/W231 has been available for a couple of months around here. Started trickling in, in 1lb containers then 8lb kegs! usually W231 sells out first, then the HP38. What's funny is the W231 is usually a few bucks more than the HP38 in the Keg! Winchester has to get their cut i guess.

2400 has been hit and miss but I got a couple of pounds of it a couple of months ago.

I've even seen Trail Boss in the 4lb container come through now and that was my holy grail! LOL
 
when I started reloading back in the early 70s, the only powders I could find were IMR...I used mostly 3031 in my 222 rem, and 30-30 win...then I got a rem 700 BDL in .243...4320, and 4350, worked pretty good...Then I bought a rem 700 BDL in .308...4895. and 4064 were my choices...They`re all getting harder to find, so I`ve given in and tried this NEW fangled powder called Varget...not bad stuff, but I can`t find it when I need it. I just hate change!!!
 
usually W231 sells out first, then the HP38. What's funny is the W231 is usually a few bucks more than the HP38 in the Keg!
Click to expand...

Funny, W231 is a higher demand propellant than its renamed twin. I suppose that's why the price may be higher (or the "Winchester's cut" thing - I don't know).

Even me. Knowing that they are exactly the same, if I'm at my LGS and they have both W231 and HP-38 in stock, I'll reach for the W231. My old school subconscience kicking in, I guess.

Last time I made a purchase on line, both were in stock. By the time I went to order (but a few seconds), the W231 was sold out. I had to purchase HP-38 instead. :)
 
Ditto. My forlorn quest is for Alliant 2400. I'm beginning to suspect it is no longer being manufactured.
Click to expand...

It is still being made...really hard to find and totally irreplaceable for me.

Several months ago, I got an email from a supplier indicating they had it in stock. I found what I needed last summer, so I just checked the price and moved on. Several days later, I checked again and they were out. Supply still does not meet demand.
 
For a year or two it was very hard to find just about any powder. However in the last year or so, I’ve seen nearly all of the popular powders available online or at a LGS. The only exception that comes to mind might be Accurate #2.

Powders that seem to have been discontinued somewhat recently include PB and IMR’s SR line.

Over the last several years we lost some like H450, HS-7, 571, WSL, and some others that aren’t coming to mind at the moment.

Accurate no longer offers 3100, but that is supposedly because of sourcing/cost issues as opposed to lack of sales.

I’m not really lamenting the loss of most of the discontinued powders since I generally didn’t use them. It seems we have more powder choices now that at any time in the past. Though there aren’t quite as many as it may seem since some seem to be the same powder with a different label.

I could survive just fine with eight or so powders, something along the lines of W231, Red Dot, HS-6, 2400, H335, IMR 4064, IMR 4350, IMR4831, and RL22. But in reality, I enjoy using at least twice that many.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top