What Gun Powders are ACTUALLY manufactured in the United States ?

[dxlbaile]

A military base would be the optimal place for the powder plant. We blow stuff up out on those military bases all the time they're locked up they're safe what a great idea. ???
You could even employ civilian and military to make it all happen.

 

[Hugnot]

We are now in what is probably the highest technology era the USA has ever been in - there is no reason why extruded powders cannot be made in the USA to comply with various eco & safety constraints - like EPA & OSHA standards.


Common sense requires strict adherence to safety standards - http://www.roxburynewjersey.com/hercules.htm

 

[Jud96]

Yes the technologies we have now in manufacturing, I think a true state of the art smokeless powder facility could be built right here in the States and set the standard for the rest of the world. There have been so many advancements in the industry utilizing CNC machines and high tech components and electronics, that you could really use it to make super grade powder. I think the biggest things would be getting very tight tolerances on burn rate, kernel size and shape, and consistent coatings from lot to lot. The technology to make clean, temp stable, high energy, stick powders is out there and being used, but there always seems to be something missing from each one. For example, one powder is very temp stable, but it's bulky or it's low energy and doesn't get peak performance for its burn rate. Or a powder is very clean burning and fills the case nicely, but has horrible lot to lot consistency. If you could build a manufacturing facility hyper focused on quality and consistency and use it to make like six different powders from H4198 burn rate up through Retumbo. Focus efforts on controlling every lot to be as close to the next and engineer the powders to be clean burning, temperature stable, small kernels to fill cases well, and still be able to make good velocity for their class. I think that would be revolutionary. We don't need 30 different burn rates for long range hunting/shooting. A few can cover a lot. We wouldn't have to deal with the powders being produced and shipped here from halfway across the world and with only a few burn rates, the powders could be produced faster and have more on the shelf for the consumer.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Jud96,
ADI have been doing this in Australia for more than 50 years.
Lot to lot consistency is held to 3%, that is the industry standard because even though the recipe stays the same, it does not always come out perfect, just the same as each batch of scones are different.
I'm somewhat glad we produce all those different powders here, choice is a good thing. I still remember when powder choice was at least half of what is available today.
We still don't get a lot of powders imported here like you US guys get. At present, no imports of Vhit, IMR, Accurate or Alliant, not to mention no importer for Berger, Lapua or reloading gear.
You guys in the US have a great choice.
I use a lot of Winchester ball powders, and even that's getting harder and harder to source. Here, you have to supply, and they take notes, your firearm license to purchase powder, this is just another control method of tracking you where it is outside the jurisdiction of said firearms law.
They banned smelting of lead in the US...ever wonder why??

Cheers.

 

[Jud96]

Yeah ADI is doing it in Australia, just like Lapua and Norma are doing it in Europe. We have to get powder shipped from Australia all the way to the United States to have it relabeled as "Hodgdon" then sold to us haha. Why not just make our own. Just like brass. Lapua and Norma were considered the golden standard for years. Now U.S. companies like Alpha, Peterson, and ADG are changing the game when it comes to producing top tier brass. The technologies and equipment they're using to make their brass is the best in the world. Sometimes the things we think are good enough can be made much better. If 3% lot variation is the standard now, then why can't 1% be achieved. The 3% rule might have been put into place 20 years ago. Fast forward to today, and that 3% might be easily improved on with the technology we have today. Just some food for thought.

 

[MagnumManiac]

It's the volume of powder made that causes the swing.
What falls outside of that 3% is sold as BULK powder. CANISTER powder has to be within that 3%.
Technology is not going to change that.
The advancement of temp stable powders is a big plus, prior to this, the swings in velocity were mind boggling to say the least.
I still see RE22 velocity swings, glad there is powder available that doesn't do this, especially when shooting beyond 1000.

Cheers.

 

[mag44]

where is the real shortage coming from is this political or just the good o boys club

 

[PApa Black]

What gun powders are manufactured in the United States ? I don't mean where the corporate heads are located. But where are the actual factories/manufacturing plants ?
Around 1996 , I was in my favorite gun shop/ sporting goods store, buying reloading supplies. The conversation with the salesman got around to cleaning firearms. I commented that I was having a tougher time cleaning my '06 . Salesman asked if I was using the powder I purchased that day, IMR4350. Yep, I said, groups are fine, barrel just requires more cleaning. He informed me of Dupont's sale of the gunpowder manufacturing and how US regulations required that when those factories were sold, they had to move the actual manufacturing process outside of the United States. He talked about not being able to trust that the components chosen to make the product outside the US would be of the same quality, not burn as clean for example. He suggested I try RL19. I did, and the increasing barrel cleaning problem subsided.
I've been watching a couple of threads here that have evolved into the question of whether one can buy the same powder as loaded in factory ammunition. They caused me to recall the above old conversation.
So , again, anybody know where the ACTUAL Gun Powder Manufacturing Factories are located ?

@jdyoung has the answer: In short............. the person you see in the mirror is the root cause of the shortage. WE the PEOPLE elect the representatives who make the laws and select the people who make the regulations to enforce the laws.

 

[Tac-O]

I like this thread. Very interesting.

Does anyone know if there are any books that detail the history of powder manufacture, the chemistry and regulation?

 

[jdyoung]

I like this thread. Very interesting.

Does anyone know if there are any books that detail the history of powder manufacture, the chemistry and regulation?

That's kinda what information I was lookin'/hoping' for when I started this.

 

[Doom2]

Page 300 of Hatcher's Notebook is a good place to start.

 

[jdyoung]

perusing the online version of Handloader magazine I found this:

Hodgdon® Announces Closure of GOEX facility
​

Effective immediately, Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. has made the decision to cease manufacturing operations at the company's Camp Minden, Louisiana site while evaluating strategic options for the black powder business.
The business will wind down operations while an evaluation process on the future of the black powder business takes place.

GOEX is black powder.

 

[Tac-O]

perusing the online version of Handloader magazine I found this:

Hodgdon® Announces Closure of GOEX facility
​

Effective immediately, Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. has made the decision to cease manufacturing operations at the company's Camp Minden, Louisiana site while evaluating strategic options for the black powder business.
The business will wind down operations while an evaluation process on the future of the black powder business takes place.

GOEX is black powder.

That happened a bit ago and really sucks. I hope someone picks up the line.

 

[jdyoung]

That happened a bit ago and really sucks. I hope someone picks up the line.

I agree, sounds like it is a matter of usage/sales.