Why can’t I find Hodgdon powders?

remmy700

Well-Known Member
Why can’t I find Hodgdon powders?

Quoted Straight from Hodgdon Powder Co USA


As you have seen, ammunition and reloading components – including all Hodgdon powders – are hard to find.
Dealer shelves that used to hold cans of powder are empty. Here are answers to your questions straight from
Hodgdon.

Q: Are you still making powders?
A: We are shipping more powder this year than we shipped last year. We are shipping as fast as the powder is
available. The real problem why you are seeing empty shelves is demand. The demand for powder (and all
ammunition and components) is far greater than the supply from the manufacturers. We just cannot make
enough to feed this demand right now. No one wants to ship more during this time than we do.

Q: Are you still in business?
A: Yes, Hodgdon is here for the long haul. We are doing everything we can to supply our powders. Dealer’s
shelves are empty because powders are being purchased as soon as they arrive at the Dealer’s stores.

Q: What is causing this high demand?
A: The current political climate can have the regulatory consequence of impacting law abiding, hard working
shooters and hunters. This has caused extremely high demand on all shooting industry products resulting in empty
shelves, long back-orders, and on-line auction sites asking exaggerated prices.

Q: I have seen/heardmany rumors and conjecture on the cause of this powder shortage.
A: If you do not hear it from Hodgdon Powder Company please don’t believe it.

Q: Is the shortage of reloading powder being caused by Hodgdon shipping their powder to the ammunition
manufacturing companies?
A: No. While we do sell to some ammunition manufacturing companies, we continue to sell over 80% of our
powder to handloaders just like you. Hodgdon has always been committed to the individual handloader.

Q: When will I start to see more powder on Dealer shelves?
A: This level of demand will not last forever. As soon as demand slows a little we will start making headway into
our backlog.
 
So the shortage is entirely down to selfish shooters in the USA stockpiling supplies ?

Neil. :)
 
Just been gushop still got plenty of components in stock picked up some powder and 500 primers he said that distributors have told him expect shortages up to 12 months on ammo I think we will be ok as long as we don't follow suit and start panic buying
 
Why can’t I find Hodgdon powders? Quoted Straight from Hodgdon Powder Co USA As you have seen, ammunition and reloading components – including all Hodgdon powders – are hard to find. Dealer shelves that used to hold cans of powder are empty. Here are answers to your questions straight from Hodgdon. Q: Are you still making powders? A: We are shipping more powder this year than we shipped last year. We are shipping as fast as the powder is available. The real problem why you are seeing empty shelves is demand. The demand for powder (and all ammunition and components) is far greater than the supply from the manufacturers. We just cannot make enough to feed this demand right now. No one wants to ship more during this time than we do. Q: Are you still in business? A: Yes, Hodgdon is here for the long haul. We are doing everything we can to supply our powders. Dealer’s shelves are empty because powders are being purchased as soon as they arrive at the Dealer’s stores. Q: What is causing this high demand? A: The current political climate can have the regulatory consequence of impacting law abiding, hard working shooters and hunters. This has caused extremely high demand on all shooting industry products resulting in empty shelves, long back-orders, and on-line auction sites asking exaggerated prices. Q: I have seen/heardmany rumors and conjecture on the cause of this powder shortage. A: If you do not hear it from Hodgdon Powder Company please don’t believe it. Q: Is the shortage of reloading powder being caused by Hodgdon shipping their powder to the ammunition manufacturing companies? A: No. While we do sell to some ammunition manufacturing companies, we continue to sell over 80% of our powder to handloaders just like you. Hodgdon has always been committed to the individual handloader. Q: When will I start to see more powder on Dealer shelves? A: This level of demand will not last forever. As soon as demand slows a little we will start making headway into our backlog.



So the shortage is entirely down to selfish shooters in the USA stockpiling supplies ? Neil. :)



I am sure facing some to the same proposed changes we would do the same over here.Mind you a gentleman on these boards did warn us some time ago, there was a drought imminent on powders and reloading components.............
 
iv not had any problems with h414/ h4895 & varget etc just price rise on all bits but a pals whos son is in the usa is finding it hard to buy powder and bullets etc. i think you are spot on as it seams like the folks in the usa are panic buying and cocking up the amount for sale over there and over hear :doh:
 
iv not had any problems with h414/ h4895 & varget etc just price rise on all bits but a pals whos son is in the usa is finding it hard to buy powder and bullets etc. i think you are spot on as it seams like the folks in the usa are panic buying and cocking up the amount for sale over there and over hear :doh:
No varget near me. Had to get n160 and start all that load development from scratch, not too pleased, but, moaning won't change anything. Oh, none of my favourite .22lr subsonic local either :/

​pete
 
​Would you say that panic buying has slowed down a tad at the moment or is it still going on?

I know that powders are being shipped, as are primers, but the shelves still remain empty. Our Trading post, despite some preemptive stocking on the manager's part, is out of many kinds of primers now, and has a very poor selection of powders. The only break he's had is that he has several cases of .22LR coming in this week. I don't know where exports rank in the pecking order of sales but i know that the domestic demand -even in normal times- is impressive. I think that for you guys, the drought may just be getting started as massive domestic orders and back-orders are filled in turn. I hope I'm wrong. It may be that the stocks will go up before you guys get hit too hard. Let's hope.~Muir
 
sportsman at dorchester had some mty, but you are right no good doing the spilt milk thing and you may find a better load ? pitty this was not a few weeks a go could have brought you some down from essex :tiphat: just glad i'v got some in stock next year may be a problem ? but do't wish to panic buy . i had to move from eley subs due to price trying winsubs jury is still out .
 
well im quite lucky , im sitting on 1lb of H4831sc a mate has got me 2lb of H4831 whick ill have when i see him later in the year , failing that ive got 3kg of N560 , primers i could do with but im not desperate , all in all im sorted for 2 years max by then i hope the drought will be over !
 
Vit Powder, Norma Powder & Bullets, There is a Guy in Holland who makes Ballistic Tip typr bulles, hows that for starters
 
We had a panic similar to this 5 odd years ago when obama was first put on the throne but at least then international customers orders were being honoured by the US manufacturers to the tune of 65-80%. This time round though feels different and I'm finding it increasingly hard to re stock with what people want in my area. I had a call from a bloke in the states who wanted all my Fed LR primers. I only had 5K left in stock and explained it'd cost a fortune to ship. I asked him how many he had left in his stash.... 125K! WTF! Can somebody really get through that kind of volume in his lifetime? There's panic buying and then there's utter lunacy. I'm an RFD by the way. For consumables, we have European alternatives as good as US stock, it's now a time to look at them unless the large importers don't take the piddle...
PS, AFAIK, there's no importer of Norma powder in the UK at present, used to be ruag but that ball got dropped.
 
What European powder and bullets do we have should the states based stuff run out?

This was asked a few weeks ago by 6ptsika I think. If you think about it powder wise we have;
Accurate Arms (Explosia)
Bofors
Nobel Sport (Vectan)
Ramshot
TR140 (Swiss)
Vitavuori

that's just off the top of my head there are probably a few more also. Bullet wise there's also quite a few European companies such as Pvri Partizan, Sellier & Bellot, RWS, Sako, Lapua and a few more specialised companies supplying premium bullets. Primer wise there's several companies also. So let the Yanks panic and buy closer to home in the long run they will only be destroying their export market.
 
Last edited:
Well, the N160 at 46 gr under a 75gr V-max is cloverleafing so that'll do for now, and being Vihtavuori, supply should be a bit more constant. I can do a bit more load dev after the quarry comp, but its ok for now ;)
 
Has any British company tried to buy this powder from the same people who sell it to Hodgdon?

Cheers Sharkey
 
Back
Top