Rethinking Powder Inventory

Nick,

In Kali, over 20 lbs. "requires a permit" and they kick in the magazine requirement. But a magazine need not neccessarily be made of wood. You can buy metal ATF approved portable magazines that meet the state requirements.

In Kali. primer count kicks in @ 20K. Loaded into brass is another thing though.
 
I probably should build a magazine. For now, the fire/smoke sensor sits right over the powder storage (over 80lbs). Most of the powder is 8# jugs of slow stuff to feed the fifty, but in a fire I suspect that there would be a spectacular fireball when the powder went up.
 
Phase out the 231 and HP38 because they are being discontinued. They are making less and less of it and that's going to eventually get to zero.

This is according to a sign posted at my local reloading shop that I saw yesterday. It said these are "old formula" powders that take much longer to manufacture, and create a lot more toxic waste than "new formula" powders. The economics of producing old formulas is unlikely to improve. It didn't say when production would end, just that it would end.
 
Well we'll just have to phase out Hodgdon, and go to a cheaper Alliant powder. I prefer to do business with a company that likes my business...
 
Unique, Bullseye, 231, and not listed, 2400 would be my picks and to narrow it to three, I'd give up the 231. For the first time in over a year, I actually saw some 1lb Bullseye and Unique on the shelf, $25/lb. Fortunately, I've been able to twice catch 8lb kegs of both online which even with hazmat worked out to $10 less per pound than this.
 
If I am not out, I do not even think about inventory.
If I ran out of BE and PP I have Unique and Red-Green-Blue Dots, WSF and probably another one or two.
 
I am surprised you let #5 go
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Today, I loaded 200 rounds of my 10mm Auto pet load: X-treme 180gn PFP; 8.8gns AA#5. It's a good, consistent, "85%" range shooter. My 10mm's get a steady diet of these. They chrono real close to 1100 f/s; so they're not max power, but aren't wimpy either.

I don't shoot a lot of 10mm - but enough to stay in practice with it, since one of my carry guns is a 10mm (G29 sf), and my nightstand piece is also one (G20 sf). But anyway, I decided to load up a batch. I must say, I really do like AA#5. It meters superb. Once I got my Uniflow set to 8.8, any and every random test throw during the course of charging the 200, resulted in the scale pointing dead nuts center - every time.

I don't load/shoot much 9mm (again, mostly to stay in practice w/ my 9mm carry piece). But when I do, it's almost always AA#5 that shows up at the load bench for duty.

Yeah, AA#5 is good stuff alright.
 
Consider Hodgdon's/IMR 4227 for your .357 and any other magnum loadings you do. I have found it as my new favorite for .357 and .300BLk subs. Great case fill, metering and clean burn and a low flash/noise powder. Although most of those attributes come at a cost, being velocity, but it gets you in good mid-range power levels and is better suites to downloading than 110 and lil gun. I find it must be a hidden gem because its almost always availablearpund here. Cons are due to case capacity, not always appropriate for lightweight bullets, but shines with heavies. I like you absolutely love 231/HP38 for almost anything pistol, even light mag loads, and am sad to have to use Titegroup in its place in the future. I like TG and it has a place in lots of my loads, bit much prefer 231/38 for slinging cast boolits.
 
Natchez,Midsouth and Powder Valley have AA#5.
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I have two unopened pounds of AA#5. It'll probably be used exclusively for my pet 10mm loading. That's about 1600/1700 rounds (8.8gns/round). Should last me two to three years. I don't shoot a lot of 10mm as it tends to beat me up a bit. In fact, I shot my G29 out at the range today, and after 70 rounds, I was pretty much done in. The palm of my hand will feel slightly bruised tomorrow.

As per my original post, I don't plan on replenishing my supply of AA#5. But obviously, I have plenty of time to reconsider.

Consider Hodgdon's/IMR 4227 for your .357 and any other magnum loadings you do.
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I would consider 4227 - it's thoroughly documented to be an exceptional propellant. But I have over a pound of W296, and that'll last me some three years. I've been using W296 for 30 years. In 2018, the next time I'm in the market again for some more magnum stuff, I suspect I'll just go with what I've always used. Even when this shortage was at its peak, the magnum-slow stuff could still be found. Therefore, I feel no need to build an extraordinary stockpile. One pound at a time. If W296 isn't available at that time, I'll look at 4227, or VV N-110, or MP 300, or even 2400. Something will be available.
 
I have a pretty big powder library myself... in pistol powders I've been re-evaluating how they meter, since I started playing with small cartridges, as well as my big boomers... I've been going away from powders like Unique, while they are very versitile, they don't meter well enough in the 25's - 32's... I'm really liking AA #5 & #7 right now, & bought into the #9, as that was one of the only early recipes for 50 A.E. back when I bought my Automag 5... been wanting to try some #2 if I could ever find some...

but, yes... while I've bought mostly 1 lb bottles in the past, I'm really after the 5 lb or 8 lob bottles today
 
"It has become obvious that this 32-month long supply shortage is the new normal and is never going to get any better than it is now."

With all due respect, do you know how many times I've watched people cry about the "new normal" when it comes to firearms and related products?

More than I can count.

In the late 1980s IMR powders were in short supply after a fire at Du Pont. Guy at the local gunshop was griping about "the new normal" and never seeing 4320 and a lot of other IMR powders again. Less than 6 months later everyone was absolutely drowning in IMR powders.

In the early 1990s it was primers. New Normal! Primers will always be expensive and in short supply! They'll never go beow $30 per K again! NEVERRRRRRRRRR!

A year later, and for pretty much the next 15 years, primers were so plentiful that prices slipped to between $12 and $15 per K.

The ONLY normal in all of this is the panicked herd mentality combined with the "woe is us, it's the new normal" bitchyness displayed by the people who have created the shortages with their panic buying.

A herd of wildabeest being driven by a pride of lions has more dignity, order, and purpose of mind than a lot of the people who share our sport.

Not long ago we were hearing from "the New Normal" people about how .22 Long Rifle would never show up in quantity again, that a 50 round box was going to be as expensive as a 50 round box of 9mm, blah blah blah.

.22's back, and prices are slipping.

This has been a particularly tough and long stretch. I don't know if you're old enough to remember how it was during the Carter years, but it wasn't much better.

It wasn't much better during the Clinton years, either.

And guess what, we and our industry have thrived.

So just relax, bide your time, and never accept that the current situation is 'normal' when it is markedly Abby Normal (had to get a Young Frankenstein reference in somehow!)
 
Just musing to myself...

I wonder if people looked at the shortages during World War II -- not just of firemarms stuff but just about everything -- and said "this is the new normal, this is ALWAYS how it's going to be forever more."
 
Agree with Mike here- I am in Minnesota. Last week at Scheels the shelves were stocked better then I have seen in a while. It is coming back , slowly but surely.
 
I have my own conspiracy theory about powder availability and prices--I think the manufacturers/importers/distributors have learned a thing or two from the oil industry. As fall hunting season approaches, generally it's the good rifle powders that all of a sudden become hard to find and prices go up. When that pressure goes off late in the winter--and presumably lots of shooters are indoors using their handguns--that's when the handgun powders become scarce and expensive.
 
Wow.... really? REALLY?

It's called supply and demand market cycles.

Rifle powders tend to get scarcer during the lead in to rifle hunting season because more people are buying the damned stuff.

I know that doesn't quite fit into a super sexy conspiracy theory that there's an uber secretive Powder Czar Council that has its finger on the "supply switch" so to speak...

:rolleyes:
 
I'm still real new to reloading - just a few years and a few calibers.
But I've already been through this phasing out process.

Only loading .38 for my bride, and 9mm for me (now).
(and 30-30 using Win 748)

We have worked up loads for our pistols using:
Bullseye, Western Powder A#2, TiteGroup, CFE Pistol, and a couple of others.

I've picked CFE Pistol as my main squeeze and have sold off/given away the
rest. It was hard to find for a while, but I have 6 pounds on the shelf.
And if it goes away, we already have recipes for the others.

I've several thousand 9mm made up, and thousands more brass.
But only 500 bullets on the shelf! (ordering more today).

Because, believe it or not, after this last tragic shooting, I truly believe
they WILL be coming for our personal weapons some day (fairly soon).
As soon as public outrage can be "presented" to the public.
 
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