Shotshell reloading

[Traveler]

In the last two months I have not been able to find any dealers that have smokeless gun powder.  Anyone having trouble finding reload supplies?

[SilverZ06]

In order mine through http://www.gamaliel.com/

[Traveler]

In order mine through http://www.gamaliel.com/

It's the same story "out of stock" , Every gunpowder  is out of stock.

Look at this one for Clay's :

Out of Stock. Due to a disruption in production, we have no estimated arrival date. Backorders are not accepted.

[Traveler]

found the official answer but it is from April 2014 and other postings indicate that the shortage would be over by end of summer.

Hodgdon Powder Company:


Why can’t I find Hodgdon powders?
(Revised April, 2014)
Hodgdon Powder Company continues to experience unprecedented demand for all smokeless powder. This
demand has created a world-wide powder shortage.
Powder manufacturers are ramping up as safely as possible. As you know, it is not easy to safely ramp up a powder
manufacturing plant. At Hodgdon Powder Company, we have been working overtime since the demand spike
started.
We know that eventually the increased manufacturing will ease the shortage of smokeless powder. We continue to
ship powder for your reloading at volume way above historic levels.
(original posting)
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, hardworking
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/heard many 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
 

[Shamus]

Must be am awful lot more new hunters and sporting clay shooters.

[Rob52240]

Must be am awful lot more new hunters and sporting clay shooters.

Recently one of the local buy/sell/trade guns facebook groups I'm a member of had a bidding war over scrap lead.  It got pretty close to $1 per pound.

Where I live we're still having a shortage of all things ammunition related aside from 12 gauge everything.

[Flench]

Good thing I stocked up on Red dot and blue dot a long time ago . Still got plenty AA hulls too .

[tmetal]

I'm somewhat ignorant about reloading costs. Without accounting for the cost of the non-consumables such as the reloading equipment and tools; is it cheaper to reload/hand load ammunition vs purchasing a box of ammo off the shelf for common ammo types for rifles, pistols, and shotguns such as 7.62mm, .223, .308, 9mm, and 12 gauge? If so (or not), about how much is the difference between reloading and store bought?

On a less related note, is there a method out there for a private citizen to easily reload rimfire type cartridges such as the .22 LR?

If this is too much off topic or too much of a topic derail then please disregard.

[Shamus]

Recently one of the local buy/sell/trade guns facebook groups I'm a member of had a bidding war over scrap lead.  It got pretty close to $1 per pound.

Where I live we're still having a shortage of all things ammunition related aside from 12 gauge everything.

How times change. Back when I was shooting a couple thousand rounds a month gas stations and tire shops used to give me all the wheel weights I wanted.

[Flench]

How times change. Back when I was shooting a couple thousand rounds a month gas stations and tire shops used to give me all the wheel weights I wanted.

We all way's shot steel shot .

[Traveler]

I'm somewhat ignorant about reloading costs. Without accounting for the cost of the non-consumables such as the reloading equipment and tools; is it cheaper to reload/hand load ammunition vs purchasing a box of ammo off the shelf for common ammo types for rifles, pistols, and shotguns such as 7.62mm, .223, .308, 9mm, and 12 gauge? If so (or not), about how much is the difference between reloading and store bought?

On a less related note, is there a method out there for a private citizen to easily reload rimfire type cartridges such as the .22 LR?

If this is too much off topic or too much of a topic derail then please disregard.

Yes, I use Winchester AA 12Ga #8 Low Recoil Low Noise Target Loads for Trap.  I shoot competitive Trap on a Team.  I shot between 250 and 500 rounds a week.   The cost of the ammo is brought down by purchasing a by the case and it's $10.00 a box, 10 boxes to a case, 25 rounds to a box.



I can reload and create the same round and bring down my cost per 25 rounds to a little under $5.00.   That's half of the retail cost.

This should help with the rimfire question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW0QSX4NcU0

[Traveler]

Recently one of the local buy/sell/trade guns facebook groups I'm a member of had a bidding war over scrap lead.  It got pretty close to $1 per pound.

Where I live we're still having a shortage of all things ammunition related aside from 12 gauge everything.

No shortage of components except for  Smokeless Powder with any of the national retailers.   

[tmetal]

Yes, I use Winchester AA 12Ga #8 Low Recoil Low Noise Target Loads for Trap.  I shoot competitive Trap on a Team.  I shot between 250 and 500 rounds a week.   The cost of the ammo is brought down by purchasing a by the case and it's $10.00 a box, 10 boxes to a case, 25 rounds to a box.



I can reload and create the same round and bring down my cost per 25 rounds to a little under $5.00.   That's half of the retail cost.

This should help with the rimfire question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW0QSX4NcU0

Interesting stuff traveler. Thanks for the answers and info

[Flench]

Yes, I use Winchester AA 12Ga #8 Low Recoil Low Noise Target Loads for Trap.  I shoot competitive Trap on a Team.  I shot between 250 and 500 rounds a week.   The cost of the ammo is brought down by purchasing a by the case and it's $10.00 a box, 10 boxes to a case, 25 rounds to a box.



I can reload and create the same round and bring down my cost per 25 rounds to a little under $5.00.   That's half of the retail cost.

This should help with the rimfire question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW0QSX4NcU0

When I shot trap every week seem like that was what I was paying but it was two of us together and we split the difference . Shot 500 rounds a weekend for like 30 bucks each .

[SilverZ06]

It was only a couple years ago I wouldn't even waste my time reloading because I could pick up a box of winchester super speed at walmart for $5. Now ammo is so expensive I reload my own shells but its getting expensive to reload as well. I love shooting sporting clays but the cost of the game has me sidelined for a while. $60 for ammo, $45 for clays, and $10-20 for golf cart rental. $125 per outing adds up quick. 

This is the recipe I use for my shells. I shoot 7/8 for practice and 1 ounce for competitions.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/RecipePrint.aspx?shotype=&weight=0.875&weightdis=7%2f8&shellid=492&gtypeid=3&gauge=12&lid=67