Ordering powder online

[Jollyrogers]

Just venting:
So, I have need of some powder to load pistols, as my stock is depleting. I discovered the only way I am going to get any local is if I take off from work and camp out at the store in hopes of getting some. So I started following gunbot for some like I did last year for 5.7x28mm. It is selling out in minutes upon being posted online by vendors. This is as bad or worse then trying to find 22LR or 5.7x28mm last year this time.

I managed to order a pound of N320 and Unique, it was supposed to be here Friday. Only problem is, UPS damaged the package in shipping and sent it back to the vendor :( I contacted the vendor, and they will take care of me, but it will take time for them to even get the damaged package back through UPS, UPS to honor their claim, and powder back in stock to send out to me. Why me:59:

This powder crisis is out of hand…

[pbagley]

Do you have a local trap/skeet shooting club or range? I was lucky enough to find powder at a local shotgun range for reasonable prices. Not my favorite powders, mind you, but instead new and exciting powders that I had to work up all new loads with. On the bright side, I needed more time at the range to test the new loads for accuracy and function.

Good luck.

[Jollyrogers]

good idea, but I am not aware of any in my area.

[CC Hoosier]

I suggest taking an entire evening and google search for Mom & Pops. You may have to search 20 pages before finding pistol powder available at reasonable prices. I found a HONEY HOLE doing this, but it doesn't take long for others to find them, too. I purchased 4 lbs of LONGSHOT, 1lb of 800x, 1lb of green dot, 1 lb of red dot, and 1 lb of Herco with 2000 wsp primers. All powder was below $19.00 a lb and primers below $30.00. Shipping was very reasonable with hazmat fee of around 27.00. (in aug of 2013) I still check them out weekly, but lately pistol powder has been scarce there as well. )-:

[Jollyrogers]

I did finally receive my powder and Butch's Reloading was fine in the customer service department. I upgraded my press to a 550b and have flown through some powder! When my dad was up last, I had given him some Blue Dot for his 357magnum, so he is coming up this weekend and reciprocating with a pound of 700x. None of my locals have any and my little LGS is promising to start carrying some for me...

[garyb]

I suggest taking an entire evening and google search for Mom & Pops. You may have to search 20 pages before finding pistol powder available at reasonable prices. I found a HONEY HOLE doing this, but it doesn't take long for others to find them, too. I purchased 4 lbs of LONGSHOT, 1lb of 800x, 1lb of green dot, 1 lb of red dot, and 1 lb of Herco with 2000 wsp primers. All powder was below $19.00 a lb and primers below $30.00. Shipping was very reasonable with hazmat fee of around 27.00. (in aug of 2013) I still check them out weekly, but lately pistol powder has been scarce there as well. )-:



CCHoosier is right. Your best bet is to find every Mom and Pop gun shop within 2 hrs of you and start calling them. It seems like they are the ones getting in powder and primers. Due to their low exposure, the locals know where to go to get the components.

[kwh]

I did finally receive my powder and Butch's Reloading was fine in the customer service department. I upgraded my press to a 550b and have flown through some powder! When my dad was up last, I had given him some Blue Dot for his 357magnum, so he is coming up this weekend and reciprocating with a pound of 700x. None of my locals have any and my little LGS is promising to start carrying some for me...
I had a failure to ignite with Blue Dot Powder in my .357, with bullet lodged in barrel. I found out this is a common problem with Blue Dot, and was chastised on line for not knowing better. I will no longer use this powder for pistols. Anybody want some Blue Dot for their shotgun? I am in N.C. And yes, there was no reloading error on my part.

[mr surveyor]

I had a failure to ignite with Blue Dot Powder in my .357, with bullet lodged in barrel. I found out this is a common problem with Blue Dot, and was chastised on line for not knowing better. I will no longer use this powder for pistols. Anybody want some Blue Dot for their shotgun? I am in N.C. And yes, there was no reloading error on my part.


just curious ... what primers were you using?
(I don't use Blue Dot, but I like to sort out details)

JD

[kwh]

just curious ... what primers were you using?
(I don't use Blue Dot, but I like to sort out details)

JD
125gr. JHP. medium crimp. Winchester primer. 12 gr. Blue Dot (7.5 gr. min. for .38 Spl .-14.5gr. max for .357 mag.). Of course the usual " don't quote me" warning liabilities apply. I have used probably 200+ of rounds previously with both 158 gr. (of course different powder amount * liability again). and 125 gr. never a problem. The primer went off with enough force to push the bullet into the barrel. When I heard only a poof I stopped shooting and swung open the cylinder. Powder poured out when I ejected the shells. Afterwards I could not close the cylinder. S&W Mod 19 completely inoperable. At home I took off side plate removed cylinder/crane, everything looked fine, but evidently must have been enough powder in the crane/frame joint to prevent cylinder from closing . Completely cleaned pistol, removed bullet from barrel and good to go again. So much for revolver reliability from grime (unburned powder). Also glad I did not send another round down the barrel, that would have ruined my day and firearm.

[kwh]

P.S. I also believe Alliant has warning Blue Dot not for .41 Mag. Not sure about .357.

[Jollyrogers]

I have used Blue Dot to push 1000s of .224 40gr bullets through three different 5.7x28mm barrels without a problem... other then some flames out the end of the barrels of the FsNs. I use CCI primers typically.

[garyb]

JollyR, Did you check out your local mom and pop dealers to see what components they have? Just curious.

[muggsy]

I obtain most of my reloading components at the local gun shows or at my LGS. The only powder I'm having trouble finding is Power Pistol. Naturally, it's one of my favorites. Clean burning and low flash.

[pbagley]

I used to use BlueDot for heavy bullet .357 loads and never had a problem. These were 170-180gr. cast and JHP bullets, the cast had a soft gas check under the bullet. This was over 20 years ago. I think I was using Winchester small pistol primers "for standard and magnum" loads at the time. Could the primers be too light to set off BlueDot? Is there any chance of an obstructed primer hole? I decap after tumbling to avoid this, but I have occasionally sized/decapped before tumbling to help clean the primer pockets. Nearly always there is an obstructed flash hole.

[Jollyrogers]

JollyR, Did you check out your local mom and pop dealers to see what components they have? Just curious.

I have looked and looked, went to a gun show also... not much avail and it was twice what it should cost... My dad came up and brought me a pound of IMR 800X he had... which I can use.

Started on my last pound of Blue Dot...