A message from Hodgdon Powder

[isaaccarlson]

Either way, millions of extra guns means many millions of extra ammo making. Bicker over details, but this fact still stands, and it only grows by the day. More gun sales means more demand, it's incredibly simple. Someone has to fill the void. More brass, bullets, powder, and primers. It's kindergarten math. There will be less supply per gun until manufacturing increases.

Do you think they are making the same volume of tires that they were 20 years ago? No way, they make tires to meet demand. More cars means more tires. The same goes for gasoline and diesel.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Let's try and be a little more realistic here. First off, what is the actual demand? Wants and needs are different. I'd just like to buy what I NEED. Most others like to buy what they WANT. How many times do we see folks bragging and crowing about how much powder they bought, or how many bullets or how many thousands of primers they have. Look at all the posts on here from people that are obviously spending WAY too much time watching all the suppliers so they can be the first to post about a new shipment of supplies. This only feeds the frenzy that is a huge part of this record demand. I'm gonna have to call bs on all these posts about "I shoot 10,000 rounds a year so I NEED 10,000 primers and bullets and 100 pounds of powder." And lastly, I think it's very naive to expect these companies to just open the checkbook and shell out millions just to satisfy the lust of a bunch of hoarders. A reputable business would not consider such a move based on a 1 1/2-2 year demand like we've seen. That kind of dollars would require at least a multiple years forecast to justify the expenses and would base the decision on how long it would take to pay it off that investment. I know there is a huge demand right now, but I'd bet a very large percentage of it is self induced

You just made my point. And sadly, you're not even a little embarrassed to openly admit it. Me, me, me.

What do I have to be embarrassed for, that I was smart and stockpiled during good times so I don't have to panic in bad times? You are right I make absolutely no apologies for that.
My main point was it's not up to anyone but myself to determine what my needs are.

 

[FEENIX]

What do I have to be embarrassed for, that I was smart and stockpiled during good times so I don't have to panic in bad times? You are right I make absolutely no apologies for that.
My main point was it's not up to anyone but myself to determine what my needs are.

You owe no one an explanation, carry on.

 

[The Oregonian]

Either way, millions of extra guns means many millions of extra ammo making. Bicker over details, but this fact still stands, and it only grows by the day. More gun sales means more demand, it's incredibly simple. Someone has to fill the void. More brass, bullets, powder, and primers. It's kindergarten math. There will be less supply per gun until manufacturing increases.

Do you think they are making the same volume of tires that they were 20 years ago? No way, they make tires to meet demand. More cars means more tires. The same goes for gasoline and diesel.

You also have to look at what is driving ongoing demand. Yes, when people buy a new gun there is ammo they buy. But how much shooting people do is what really determines demand.

I have 5 rifles now and of course may talk myself into another one. If I buy another one, that is more powder, bullets, etc i will buy, But, if long term I don't shoot more (this new gun just takes shots from other rifles in my group) I really haven't done anything to my ongoing demand, after buying the initial components. I'm not saying you are wrong, just that we need to deconstruct things and back up to the root cause.

I have no data, but it wouldn't surprise me if a good bit this demand was somewhat temporary, meaning of all the new gun owners, the shooting done in a few years will be go back down, meaning demand will go down with it.

Also going down will be the stockpiling….all this to say that demand in 2-5 years from now may be very different from the demand today and that has to play into expansion decisions in a major way.

 

[gpo1956]

I guess we've only ourselves to blame. We baby boomers have raised an abnormally high percentage of spoiled, entitled narcissists.

 

[SteelBanger]

You also have to look at what is driving ongoing demand. Yes, when people buy a new gun there is ammo they buy. But how much shooting people do is what really determines demand.

I have 5 rifles now and of course may talk myself into another one. If I buy another one, that is more powder, bullets, etc i will buy, But, if long term I don't shoot more (this new gun just takes shots from other rifles in my group) I really haven't done anything to my ongoing demand, after buying the initial components. I'm not saying you are wrong, just that we need to deconstruct things and back up to the root cause.

I have no data, but it wouldn't surprise me if a good bit this demand was somewhat temporary, meaning of all the new gun owners, the shooting done in a few years will be go back down, meaning demand will go down with it.

Also going down will be the stockpiling….all this to say that demand in 2-5 years from now may be very different from the demand today and that has to play into expansion decisions in a major way.

I agree this surge in demand will certainly taper and level off somewhere below where we are today. But the level it tapers off at is still going to be significantly higher than it was 20, 10, even 5 years ago. Your example of new gun purchases being absorbed into your normal shooting level is legitimate, for repeat gun buyers that's likely the case for many of them. But it ignores the fact that millions upon millions of NEW gun owners have joined the fold within the last several years and that is all NEW demand that needs to be met and sustained.

I hate that these manufacturers won't expand to increase production / distribution, but I don't blame them one bit considering half the country wants to put them out of business for good.

 

[SteelBanger]

One thing this thread hasn't really talked about yet is the fact that these primer manufacturers had said they were using their primers for ammo production to help meet that unprecedented demand, thus limiting what they were releasing for the reloading community. Ammo supply is starting to come back to normal, in my neck of the woods at least. The last several times I've been in the stores I've been able to by all popular pistol and rifle calibers. Some still had limits but even those limits had increased from 1 box to maybe 5 boxes now. I know the Scheels near me had no limits and cases upon cases of ammo, even a decent stock of powder - grabbed a pound of H110 that I had been wanting to try in my new 350 Legend pistol.

So now that ammo supply is starting to come back, why are we not seeing primers hitting the shelves a little more often?

 

[Earnhardt]

I guess we've only ourselves to blame. We baby boomers have raised an abnormally high percentage of spoiled, entitled narcissists.

So is it the baby boomers kids who are spoiled?... or is it the baby boomers themselves?

The 40 hour work week that Baby Boomers retired off of, is now called a Part Time Job

Just because you Baby Boomers have the money for a wanted gun build, or gun powder or primers, it doesn't mean we have to work 50-70 hours a week to build it or make it

 

[37L1]

So is it the baby boomers kids who are spoiled?... or is it the baby boomers themselves?

The 40 hour work week that Baby Boomers retired off of, is now called a Part Time Job

Just because you Baby Boomers have the money for a wanted gun build, or gun powder or primers, it doesn't mean we have to work 50-70 hours a week to build it or make it

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

 

[Earnhardt]

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

Great song/lyrics!

 

[LkeAF]

I guess we've only ourselves to blame. We baby boomers have raised an abnormally high percentage of spoiled, entitled narcissists.

You're missing the whole underlying theme here. Nothing is "our" fault. It's always someone else's fault. Take credit for anything and everything good, and accept zero responsibility for anything bad. It's not a solution based mindset. It is a mindset that drives division and tribalism and solves nothing. But I digress and here we are....

 

[quigley257]

Walmart today.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I'm

I guess we've only ourselves to blame. We baby boomers have raised an abnormally high percentage of spoiled, entitled narcissists.

Speak for yourself. So your kids are spoiled entitled narcissists?

 

[MagnumManiac]

Since when has Hodgdon EVER made powder??
They OWN the rights to MARKET ADI/Thales made powder here in Australia, they DO NOT AND NEVER HAVE MADE POWDER. They don't even have a stake in this company.
They also do not own the powder makers of IMR or Winchester, only the MARKETING of those powders.
ADI announced they were scaling down production of AR2225 (Retumbo), AR2218 (H50BMG) and other powders not sold in huge quantities. The COVID situation here in Australia is at a ridiculous level concerning lockdowns and the associated restrictions of travel etc.
We always seem to have HUGE knee jerk reactions here.
Anyway, the powder manufacturing here is not ramping up to meet demand, it is slowing.

Cheers.