Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Powder price

Went to the Lakeland gun show on Saturday hoping to find powder and just browse.
A guy had several cans of powder, found a unopened can, 1 lb, of 4895 for $26.00, It had an old price sticker, so I asked if that was the price, he said "thought I removed all of them , but yes that's the price.

A big display of powder& ammo,, powders from $45 to $62 per pound.
Guy said that Hodgdon controls much of powders and raise prices often.

One table had a lot of primers in older looking boxes, $80.00 per 1000, and a long line of buyers.

Gun prices are down a little from last Sept. show.

That's really the bottom line, right there.

Do I like high prices? Hell no, but I like shooting, so it is what it is 🤷‍♂️ I'd rather pay and shoot than not pay and wish I was shooting.

Local farm store sells ammo, but has never had any reloading supplies. I happened to notice a while back that they 2 eight pound jugs of Big Game, priced very reasonable. The only thing I've used that powder for was for a 30-06 that I never shoot anymore. I may have to reconsider that powder.

I have come around to really liking Big Game. Pretty versatile powder really. Not the same, but similar to a 4895 or Varget in usefulness.

I know your referring to me Shrapnel, its o.k I woke up and smelled to coffee long ago way before this B.S started.
Seems though there's still some that haven't.
2+2 equals 4 not 3 the sooner people wake up to whats going on and really wanna do something about it the sooner it will get better.
Its funny you compare gas to powder and primers, OPEC dominates the oil industry and what ever they decide oil will be thats what it will be untill the U.S. becomes oil independent again. Compare gas prices to powder and primers is ridiculous what have fuel prices done last few months and what have powder and primers.

Not all of us were reloading years ago. I started just a couple months before the Vid hit. I had a couple pounds of powder and a brick of primers put away, before I ever started. I started l buying what I could when I had the extra money. I’m pretty well stocked up on LRP, SRP, and even LRMP, but I also started reloading for my 10mm pistols, LPP have disappeared around here lately.
I’ve been a let to find most powders off and on since early 2020, but Alliant powders, of which I really like have been very sporadic. I’ve talked to some dealers locally and they have told me they can’t get any of the Reloader powders on a consistent basis. Most even told me the last shipment of anything Reloader 22, 23, 25, 26, and 17 was in 2021. Yes I’ve seen 22 and 23, but only once or twice since 2022 here. I started using what powders I could find and working up loads, so now I have loads for various cartridges with various powders. I’d really like to narrow my powders down, but some of my favorites are becoming nonexistent again it seems.

I was pinged this morning on 1 lb of N555. Add up the price, tax, hazmat, & shipping was easily over $100. For 1 lb.

Hudge i feel for you but if people keep paying thevprices like Vista puts on things like primers and Alliant powder it will never come back down thats life. This sport of shooting is slowly dying on the vine so to speak, ask any body who runs a club and ask how much there membership has dropped its a fact. Some people are really naive thinking that companys like Vista are basically gouging people to many wanna believe its because Ukraine or whatever is making these prices sky rocket because it makes them feel better about the situation.its real easy follow the money its that way with anything. How many times have you heard people say "nothing you can do about it" REALLY its more like you dont want to thats the real truth.

Just pinged on Reloder TS 15.5. 1 lb for $68.52.

Wow!

Called a local shop today. They just got a shipment of powder in and I was afraid to ask prices. 8lb jugs of the 4350's were $350. Whoever thought that price would be a deal. I'm not a buyer at that but makes me wonder how other places with new batches of powder are so much more expensive including the big retailers online . This is just a small little shop.

Anybody notice anything with Alliant powders last day or 2

No, what are we looking for?

Availability hmmm right after a price increase.

Ah, okay, the only stuff I have seen near me is 16, 19, 10x and 7. But at 60 a lb I wasn't running to fill my basket..

Sherm 61,

I fully understand where you are coming from. The problem as you know, people still buy up lots of powder and primers as soon as they hit the shelves. I’m pretty stocked up for powder, primers and bullets for my hunting rifles. This year, I plan on concentrating on developing loads for a few of my AR’s, stock up on pistol ammo, and plink with my new .22 LR , I got for my birthday. I’ve kept my AR powders pretty limited compared to what I bought for my hunting rifles. I may need some here and there, but not purchasing to the extent I have in the past few years.

Get off the beaten path, is a survival way around it all. USE your head and pick up some cast bullet manuals.

Instead of complain about powder prices, be glad you don't have to rely on factory ammo... look at their prices.
how much does it cost you EACH time you pull the trigger?

Learn new stuff.... I certainly have over time.

one such example: 223 with 25 grains of H 335, and a 55 grain SP or FHJ. vs same two bullets with 13.5 grains of Blue Dot shotgun powder.

1. 25 grains of H 335, MV 3150 fps.

2. 13.5 grains of Blue Dot, MV 2600 fps.

Target: 4 x 6 inch steel plate, 3/8 inch thickness. 4 x 6 post card size.

Results when shot at 100 yds...

1. 25 Grains of H 335, MV 3150 fps : 10 shots of 55 gr SP bullets and 10 shots of 55 grain FMJ bullets
each round hit the steel plate and shattered the bullet, only showing a small indentation, and a white shadowing around it.
Bullet core hit and splattered. With ALL 20 Shots.

2. 13.5 grains of Blue Dot, MV 2600 fps.: 10 shots of 55 gr SP bullets, and 10 shots of 55 grain FMJ bullets.
ALL 20 shots that hit the steel plate ( same ones as used above), penetrated the steel plates, even tho the bullet was moving 550 fps slower out of the Muzzle.

Both shot out of the same rifle. a Remington 700 ADL chambered in 223.

Why was this seen? at 3150 MV, the 55 grain bullets when hitting the steel plate at 100 yds, the steel plates structural integrity, had the ability to overcome the Bullets structural integrity at 100 yds. So the bullets just shattered and splattered on the steel plates.

HOWEVER: at 2600 fps MV, the same type of bullets from the same manufacturer ( Hornady), hitting the steel plates at 100 yds, their Structural Integrity has the ability to overcome the Steel Plates Structural integrity.

and since 90% of most game is taken at 100 yds or under, and 95% of most game is taken at 200 yds and under. you can draw your own conclusions, but to me the answer to the question and the problem is pretty apparent.

We don't need a 500 yd load able to drop an elephant, to take down a deer at 100 or 200 yds.

At 14 grains per round, I can get 500 reloads out of a pound of powder. Less recoil will allow proper bullet placement easier.... Sure works for women and kids.

and this isn't just for the 223, The same thing can be worked out with other powders, in other calibers.

In hard times, we also need to be HARD right back at the problem.

Flame away if you desire... but prove me wrong. I've tested this stuff and long before Biden ever got into office.