Powders, primers, bullets,.....prices and lack there of....and what substitutes?

[Ridge Runner]

Allow me start.

I've been reloading 44 mag, 375 H&H, will soon reload 45 ACP, and Now I have to use 2 different powders to reload for 2 different types of 30-06 rifles...my bolt and single shot and for my M1 Garand.

Problem is I have been catching up on my reloading, that's a good thing.

Problem is i have been catching up on my reloading and have used up a lot of my inventory of reloading supplies, that's the bad thing.

230 gr JHP, in fact trying to locate any 45 jacketed bullets, for my 45 ACP are somewhat impossible to find. That is to say good quality bullets: Nosler, Hornady, Magnus, even Roze.

Next up is IMR 4064, IMR 4350, Unique, Hodgdon H110, Alliant RL 10, and RL15 powders in 4 and 8 pound jugs are next to impossible to find and the price of powder has gone up quite a bit over the last couple of months.

Was able to locate 8 pound jugs of IMR 4064, IMR 335, and H110 and picked up 5, 3, and 1, last one in stock, respectively. Due to the Coronavirus the powders won't ship for 2 weeks.

My local supplier is giving up, that is selling me, his 8 pound jug of H110 because he no longer has a use for it and did have H335, 1 jug, on hand I could also purchase.

According to my go to guy for reloading supplies is going out of the reloading supply business and just sticking to the guns and ammo business.

Anyone else experiencing reloading supply shortages?

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I went by Carter's Country, a big gun store in Houston with four locations, yesterday and zero powder and primers. The gun rack looked pretty thin too, about half the long guns as normal.

I just looked on GB and it seems many places have powder available, might go this route.

 

[Royal27]

There is definitely a shortage of some things and others seem to be ok.

Try and find small rifle primers.

I buy most of my stuff online as I find I can get if cheaper in most cases. I love Powder Valley and www.ammoseek.com.

 

[Ridge Runner]

There is definitely a shortage of some things and others seem to be ok.

Try and find small rifle primers.

I buy most of my stuff online as I find I can get if cheaper in most cases. I love Powder Valley and www.ammoseek.com.

I don't use a lot of small pistol primers any more, just occasionally for 45 ACP that uses them.

I will be needing to order more large rifle and pistol primers, as soon as I can locate some.

Thanks for the info. I'll check these places out.

 

[Royal27]

I don't use a lot of small pistol primers any more, just occasionally for 45 ACP that uses them.

I will be needing to order more large rifle and pistol primers, as soon as I can locate some.

Thanks for the info. I'll check these places out.

It's the small rifle I was referring to.

Large rifle and large rifle magnum can still be found pretty easily. Just gotta buy enough to justify the hazmat.

 

[sestoppelman]

Of course, been going on for some time. I tried to find some R16 the other day, Ha! Forget it. LGS is down on everything. Reloder powders are $10 a pound more than some others. When R19 was out I got some Hunter powder which is about the same burn rate and am liking it.
Locally 4064 and 4350 obtainable, but others not.
Guessing your M1 likes 4064? Mine love it. My pet load is 48.5grs of it with a 168 Nosler or Sierra match. Have always used CCI 200 primers for that load, not match primers. Works great.
4350 is the go to powder for '06 but is too slow for the M1.

 

[JimP]

I saw some of this coming back in March and stocked up on a few items that I was getting low on.

As soon as the government said lockdown I headed out to a couple of stores before the rest of the folks got there.

Anymore I mostly just use 3 or 4 different powders and try to purchase them in the largest jug that I can along with primers 10,000 at a time.

Bullets I pick up anytime I see a sale on them. I still have a couple thousand lead 45's, 44's, 38's and a couple others along with hunting bullets in the same calibers.

I learned from two liberal administrations not to be caught short on supplies

 

[shootist~]

For 45 ACP practice bullets, Montana Gold Bullets has 185 gr JHPs. Full case only (2,300) -which happens to be what I load. One case incoming. Nothing else shows in stock. As an FYI, their price includes freight.

 

[tedthorn]

There is definitely a shortage of some things and others seem to be ok.

Try and find small rifle primers.

I buy most of my stuff online as I find I can get if cheaper in most cases. I love Powder Valley and www.ammoseek.com.

I have plenty
Always buying....

 

[Ridge Runner]

Of course, been going on for some time. I tried to find some R16 the other day, Ha! Forget it. LGS is down on everything. Reloder powders are $10 a pound more than some others. When R19 was out I got some Hunter powder which is about the same burn rate and am liking it.
Locally 4064 and 4350 obtainable, but others not.
Guessing your M1 likes 4064? Mine love it. My pet load is 48.5grs of it with a 168 Nosler or Sierra match. Have always used CCI 200 primers for that load, not match primers. Works great.
4350 is the go to powder for '06 but is too slow for the M1.

Actually just getting ready to reload for the M1. Originally I was going to reload all 30-06 the same.

Then I called Hornady about 160 gr Flex Tip bullets I have but couldn't find any load data for them.

The rep said the 160's are meant for 30-30, but could be used in 308's as long as I keep the loads within 30-30 velocities. These bullets won't stand up to 30-06 speeds and pressures; the cannilure is not located the same as standard 308/30-06 bullets.

Then the rep told me about the difference in load data between "bolt" guns and the Garand. And the damage the faster higher pressure loads could cause in the Garand.

So I'll be trying H335 (until the Longshot arrives, then which ever works best) loading 150 gr pointed soft points. Saving the SST's and Barnes for the "regular" hunting rifles.

I have less than 2 pounds of RL7 and a jug of RL10. I might get something to use these powders in. I wanted some RL17 as an alternative to IMR 4064 and RL15 to replace other powders, those other powders (800X, 700X, Blue Dot) will be used just for shotshell reloading.

Weather permitting, Wednesday I plan on getting to the range to test some 44 mag loads and shooting one of the 50 cal muzzle loaders out to 100 yards.

 

[Ridge Runner]

For 45 ACP practice bullets, Montana Gold Bullets has 185 gr JHPs. Full case only (2,300) -which happens to be what I load. One case incoming. Nothing else shows in stock. As an FYI, their price includes freight.

Is this loaded ammo?

 

[Ridge Runner]

I have plenty
Always buying....
View attachment 361082

Normaly I would have a larger supply on hand. But since my African hunts were postpone to 2021 I've been trying not to buy new or used guns and a lot of reloading supplies, especially only 8 months out. As is I may have to shorten...that is forego any opportunity animals.

 

[shootist~]

Is this loaded ammo?

No. Reloading component.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I have plenty
Always buying....
View attachment 361082

Just curious:
Why all the 1 pound jugs of the same powder?

Once I find a load that I am happy with I buy 4 and 8 pound jugs of powder, I know I'll use it and it's (usually) cheaper and takes up less room on my shelves.

 

[Ridge Runner]

No. Reloading component.

What is the quantity of a full case?

 

[shootist~]

What is the quantity of a full case?

2,300

 

[Ridge Runner]

Oops! I thought that was the price.
Thanks for the info. I'll check Montana Gold out.

 

[fourfive8]

I built up a large surplus after the last shortage but have actually sold and traded off much of my IMR stock for Hodgdon comps.

Your Garand should also like 46-47 gr 4895 (either flavor) under a 150-155 FMJ or standard cup and core spire softpoint. My 45 ACPs have always liked a med load of fast powder under a 185 jacketed. Try Trailboss in the ACP if available- works well.

This shortage seems spotty and is hard to second guess as to what to grab en mass if found. But Varget is one of the powders that seems to go missing pretty quickly when it shows at a supplier or LGS.

I have successfully converted practically all my IMR powders to Hodgdon counterparts.

Powders like H4895 and Varget seem to be some of the most versatile. For slightly overbore cals or for where a little slower may be better 4831SC or H4350 would also be good to grab if found.

I built a good supply of primers a few years ago so haven’t kept up on them but I did recently bolster my supply of both musket caps and CCI 34s- just in case. I’ve discovered that CCI 34s are an excellent Large Rifle Magnum primer.

To round out the hoarding quest, maybe some Trailboss, 5744 and 2400 wouldn’t hurt. Until about 2 months ago I had accumulated over 18 lbs of Trailboss- I can’t imagine ever shooting that much but recently it proved to be very handy for trading material.

 

[shootist~]

Oops! I thought that was the price.
Thanks for the info. I'll check Montana Gold out.

Sorry, I should have made that more clear. $363 delivered is their price.

These are not 50 yard bullseye bullets, but are reasonably accurate and work fine for general practice. I've used them off and on for years.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Sorry, I should have made that more clear. $363 delivered is their price.

These are not 50 yard bullseye bullets, but are reasonably accurate and work fine for general practice. I've used them off and on for years.

Ok.

I normally shoot 25 yards, rarely out to 50 yards with the 45. More of a conceal carry gun.

The 44 gets shot at 25, 50, 100, and 200 yards. For CC and hunting.