Alliant Powder shortage coming

[Handloader109]

Posting a FB post made by Powder Valley today. I've enough powder myself, but be aware it might not just be Alliant ....
POWDER VALLEY
FYI – we have just received the following message from Vista Outdoors (the parent company of Alliant Powders):

“Due to the worldwide shortage of nitrocellulose, the Vista Outdoor supply agreement for the sale of Alliant Powder canisters has been suspended for an unknown period. At this time, we have no timeline for the fulfillment and will be canceling outstanding Alliant orders in our system.

Representatives will provide updates and coordinate new orders based on availability.”

We have heard mixed messages from various powder suppliers about the availability of nitrocellulose, and therefore powder, over the past several months. This is one Manufacturer’s analysis of the situation. We are posting this so you can have all the information we have and draw whatever conclusions are right for you.


Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[M-Tecs]

It's going to get a lot worse.

[jdgabbard]

Hell, one would have thought this was already the case with how they've doubled the price on the powders they were selling.... I haven't been buying powder. And Alliant hasn't even been something I've considered buying for a while now. They're charging $50/lb for powder that was $20/lb just a few years back.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I thought the Alliant stuff was ALREADY hard to find. I'm fairly well stocked, but could use another can of Unique I suppose. The Bofors (aka Reloder) stuff has been near impossible to get for some time already.

It's funny, VihtaVuori doesn't seem to be having a problem getting nitrocellulose. Maybe all of the Bofors powder is going to the Ukraine effort. Alliant is simply not going to be a player in this space soon. Which will leave it all to Hodgdon and their various imports from ADI or Lovex or whomever.

[slam45]

saw a news item about the supply of nitrocellulose... 50% of world production is from Russia and 30% is from China... they both are not taking many orders from any place in the west these days... add to that the forever war has created a shortage of 155mm arty shells so every one is out to make more.... on top of that environmental rules enforced by the EU prohibit trade with companies that are not using green enough production methods which effects nearly all extruded powder...

[Kestrel4k]

I read that the top producers and exporters are Thailand, China, and India.
Also read from WSJ that Russia has recently ~doubled their imports - no surprise, with the last couple years.

[Kosh75287]

There WASN'T a shortage already?
Nitrocellulose is ridiculously easy and inexpensive to make (except for the regulatory/licensing B.S.). There's simply no excuse for the U.S. to NOT be making their own. The current administration probably opposes such things because the notion is too much like right.

[Delkal]

It wasn't long ago when every powder company made their own nitrocellulose and most were located close to big plants that made nitric acid to reduce shipping hazards. Like everything else companies started contracting everything out to help their profits and I assume they could just buy nitrocellulose from China so they stopped. Now we have an issue. I am sure they can still make nitrocellulose and still have the equipment but with their big profits from the price increases they choose not to.

[Tall]

A while back it looked like there would likely be a President Dukakis. I panicked and went to the reloading store and bought all the Unique powder and large pistol primers / small pistol primers they had. Fortunately there wasn't.

[Rockindaddy]

With the high prices of propellants I predict that there will be some new players getting into the smokeless powder manufacturing. These current powder producers have opened up the playing field. Some enterprising new manufacturers will step up and get into the market. That is my prediction!!! Hopefully we will see the end of this left wing cabal that is a endeavoring to destroy this country.

[almar]

A while back it looked like there would likely be a President Dukakis. I panicked and went to the reloading store and bought all the Unique powder and large pistol primers / small pistol primers they had. Fortunately there wasn't.

Dukakis? I think these might be crazier times...

[almar]

A while back it looked like there would likely be a President Dukakis. I panicked and went to the reloading store and bought all the Unique powder and large pistol primers / small pistol primers they had. Fortunately there wasn't.

Dukakis? I get your point but I think these might be crazier times...

[farmbif]

I'm betting when it is available prices will be way up. build yourself a powder bunker and stock up now if you haven't already.
sounds like someone ought to get busy with India cranking up production, they dont have any environmental regulations that cant be bought and paid for. just take a look at thier ship breaking business if you might have any doubts about it.

[sureYnot]

$57 for a pound of unique at the LGS today. Only one in stock.

[Shanghai Jack]

Just got a case of 4895 and a case of 4064 today. Maybe the last ones for a while???

[Daver7]

If your in the Wichita Ks area Finleys hobby on central has a variety of alliant powder. $47 for a pound of Bulls Eye

[elmacgyver0]

I'm betting when it is available prices will be way up. build yourself a powder bunker and stock up now if you haven't already.
sounds like someone ought to get busy with India cranking up production, they dont have any environmental regulations that cant be bought and paid for. just take a look at thier ship breaking business if you might have any doubts about it.

Powder from India?
No doubt some form of dot powder.

[schutzen-jager]

A while back it looked like there would likely be a President Dukakis. I panicked and went to the reloading store and bought all the Unique powder and large pistol primers / small pistol primers they had. Fortunately there wasn't.

still using red dot, 2400, powder + CCI + Winchester spp,lpp, srp,+ lrp primers purchased back then at prices more than apx. 60% less then todays prices -

[2TM101]

Thank you Shady Grady. 30 Lb of 30+ year old shotgun powder was a gamble but I rolled a 7. With my new habit of duplexing powders this will last beyond forever.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I'll go with those who say the shortage has never really ended. I haven't seen any Alliant powder for sale for a couple of years. But the only store I have access to that sells powder is currently well stocked with the Accurate line and some Hogdon powders. I've probably got all I'll ever need, but a few more lbs. can't hurt. What with the world conditions being what they are, the next shortage may prove to be permanent.

DG