I may have already pointed the following out on this thread, and have on other threads, but will do so again:
Most rifle powders aren't "produced" by the companies that sell them. Instead they're made by various factories around the world, per contracts with the powder companies we know, such as Alliant and Hodgdon. Essentially our familiar powder companies are contractors and distributors, often ordering and selling powders from several different factories in different countries.
These factories are producing as much as they can. There have been problems with some supply lines, whether due to accidents at factories or bottlenecks in shipping, but the big problem isn't in producing tons of powder.
Instead it's much like the "shortage" of .22 rimfire ammo that's being going on ever since Obama was reelected in November of 2012: Shooters are buying far more of everything than they did before then, including all the powder of a certain type whenever they find it.
The .22 "shortage" is worse, because apparently some people are still buying rimfire ammo to resell. But U.S. handloaders have become hoarders, buying more than we used to (which often means everything on the shelf, or we're allowed to by a mail-order company) any time we find powder, bullets, cases or whatever else we often use.
Various companies have recently told me that they've seen demand slacken a little, though not much, and certainly not like what firearms companies have seen in the past year. But we're still buying far more components than we used to--and far more than we probably will in a year or two, especially since the recent American election went so well for Republicans.
Some companies have added a manufacturing capacity, but not much, especially the foreign companies that make powder for U.S. distributors. Why should they? They're selling everything they can make, and in fact most are growing a little weary over the insatiable demand of America. I know American .22 rimfire makers are tired of it, because many are located in areas with limited numbers of available workers. While many workers at first appreciated the overtime involved in 24/7 manufacturing, many also grew tired of working all the time and found some other job.
Most of the shooters who like to complain about companies not producing all the stuff they used to find on store shelves should take a look in the mirror. They'll find the main culprit looking back.
