Alliant ceases production of powders

[wvfarrier]

This is from Powder Valleys facebook page

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

Interesting, one of the local places here raised their Alliant prices over 30% about five days ago. $80+ for RL15----crazy.

I use quite a few Alliant powders in my rifles----I've been looking for RL22 for quite some time and found none.

Seems like it's a never ending crisis with materials, parts and equipment these days.

[JimT]

Nothing posted on Powder Valley's Website

[marlinman93]

Wonder if this decision has anything to do with Vista Outdoors being sold to the Czechs recently?

[GunnyMack]

Where does the nitro cellulose come from, what country?
Why don't the powder companies make their own? Sure it would cost them to get a plant set up but cheaper in the long run maybe.
Is the foreign made stuff not being allowed into the US( think gun control antis)
I'm sure the freighters are not slowing down from wherever they come from with the nitro cellulose .

[earlmck]

Well dang -- I have a goodly stash of various powders but sure don't have a lifetime supply of RL-7 laid in. And then again -- maybe I do.

Hopefully the situation turns around in the next couple years.

[JimT]

the "top vendors" of nitrocellulose are DowDuPont, Nitro Quimica, Synthesia, and Tembec.

[GunnyMack]

the "top vendors" of nitrocellulose are DowDuPont, Nitro Quimica, Synthesia, and Tembec.

But do they make it here? Do we produce the raw materials?
We need Trump more than ever to get our powder production back up to snuff!!!

[JimT]

Where does the nitro cellulose come from, what country?

Quite a few countries ... Brazil, Canada, India, China, Vietnam, United States, Germany to name a few. I am not sure the Facebook post is fact. The larger companies are forecasting increased production and sales. I have not found any announcing a shortage. That does not mean it is not real. It means I have not been able to confirm it. But the economic forecasts predict growth in the nitrocellulose industry of over a billion dollars in the next 6 years.

[Ysabel Kid]

the "top vendors" of nitrocellulose are DowDuPont, Nitro Quimica, Synthesia, and Tembec.

Just DuPont. Dow merged with them briefly to swap some businesses. They've been separated from one another for 5 years now.

[GunnyMack]

Thanks for that Jim, I wasn't aware of that info... I guess I could have looked it up myself.
I dont trust FB for anything so I'll take it with a grain of unique

[JimT]

the "top vendors" of nitrocellulose are DowDuPont, Nitro Quimica, Synthesia, and Tembec.

Just DuPont. Dow merged with them briefly to swap some businesses. They've been separated from one another for 5 years now.

Thanks. I saw just Dupont's name but didn't think about it.

[Ray]

Apparently alliant has had nitrocelluose shortages and canister manufacturing cessations in the past. The powder valley f.b. announcement goes back at least to 2011 if you do an internet search.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Apparently alliant has had nitrocelluose shortages and canister manufacturing cessations in the past. The powder valley f.b. announcement goes back at least to 2011 if you do an internet search.

So someone is trying to cause a panic?

[Drawdown]

Certainly don't know if this announcement is renewed or a past thorn in side that someone just tore scab off to irritate a scare again, or whatever? But I'm glad I've only dabbled in one Alliant powder, Rel 17, that being only experimental in my 270 & 30-06, and it's a good powder for both, especially if you're a speed demon! But for all my reloading I've settled completely upon IMR & Hogdon, except my best powder in my 30-06 is Accurate 4064, but it's not an absolute, the old 06 is as versatile as anything out there. Come think of it, that's another reason I love anything 308, they apparently all are.
But I hope this ain't true, it would only add flame to the fire, and lead to overall higher prices maybe?

[65bee]

The 'Firearms News' magazine just had an article in their April issue, 'Looming Powder and Ammo Shortage Coming' !!! They state that most of the nitrocellulose is made in China now. That explains everything. All part of the BIG plan to shut us down. The article warns shooters to stock up if we need stuff NOW! My predication is that primers will next become even harder to get than they have been.

[ikocher]

Sounds like a great time to start figuring out how to work up BP!

[JimT]

I don't know for sure how many companies in the US produce nitrocellulose but I found at least 10 that do without looking too hard. Apparently Filo Chemical is a leading supplier of nitrocellulose.

[Scott Tschirhart]

https://youtu.be/9OLGlkaXG00?si=ni4DejQwA9cPniVO

Well, ok.

[JimT]

Thanks Scott. That pretty well settles it.

[GunnyMack]

Yup that answers that.
I still suspect the administration has something to do with it...
Glad I got a pound of 20/28 when I did! Let's see, 16 lbs of green dot in stock, few pounds of herco too!

[Ysabel Kid]

the "top vendors" of nitrocellulose are DowDuPont, Nitro Quimica, Synthesia, and Tembec.

Just DuPont. Dow merged with them briefly to swap some businesses. They've been separated from one another for 5 years now.

Thanks. I saw just Dupont's name but didn't think about it.

We'll just say that after 36 years working for one, I have the inside scoop.

[Ray]

Apparently alliant has had nitrocelluose shortages and canister manufacturing cessations in the past. The powder valley f.b. announcement goes back at least to 2011 if you do an internet search.

So someone is trying to cause a panic?

My only point is that alliant has announced cessations of canister grade manufacturing in the past to focus solely on military contracts. (2011 & 2022) and that change was not permanent.

[GunnyMack]

Read an article this morning, Alliant among others was part of a sale to Czech company. The article stated the group is determined to continue to cater to American hunters/ shooting. Hopefully they will get on the ball .

[Walt]

I think the most significant reason for the shortage of Alliant powders is that they are based on nitrocellulose. Nitrocellulose is also the primary component of artillery shell propellants. The fact that the US has sent hundreds of thousands of tons of artillery shells to Ukraine over the last couple of years (about the start of the Alliant shortage) and has sent more thousands to Israel, would strongly suggest that military sales are the reason for the shortage.

[Scott Tschirhart]

That makes sense. And it’s a real problem that we have put our military into a situation of shortage as well.

[Walt]

Absolutely! I understand that the US has dug deep into our own stocks of military weaponry in order to supply especially Ukraine. We need to catch up again and that does not bode well for future availability of Alliant powders.

[6pt-sika]

Absolutely! I understand that the US has dug deep into our own stocks of military weaponry in order to supply especially Ukraine. We need to catch up again and that does not bode well for future availability of Alliant powders.

If I had to hesitate a guess I’d say the possibility of “future availability” will most likely end up being a pipe dream .

[Rimfire McNutjob]

The Alliant statement seems like a bit of a blanket statement to make for a company that doesn't make all of it's own powders.

Does this mean that Bofors is having trouble getting raw materials and that's affecting part of the Reloder line?

What about powders made here or in Canada? Are we still importing Nitrocellulose because the EPA regulates the dirty process to death and it's easier to import from unfriendly nations than it is to make it here? Doesn't this seem like a wee bit of a national security issue? Does anyone feel like it's OK to lose a war with Russia or China because the EPA wouldn't let us make Nitrocellulose cost effectively here?

I don't see Vihtavouri having much trouble keeping their powders on the shelves ... other than they used to be the high priced alternative. Now they are at or lower than what were domestic offerings.

Strangely, you can get the domestic (I'm counting Canada) IMR stuff fairly easily ... just not the ADI based stuff like Trail Boss or 8208. It feels like Hodgdon is managing this whole thing a lot better than Vista Outdoors has.

I guess this is just part of the being at the very bottom of the food chain ... handloading components. I'm thinking that Federal Cartridge isn't having a lot of trouble getting powder from the Alliant suppliers for their ammo. And Vista is going to make more on the ammo than they will on the components. Anything Vista related seems to be struggling ... I don't see as much availability of Speer bullets as I once did. I think maybe Vista was in the process of doing a face plant when they found a buyer. This canister powder thing feels like the reverberations from that face plant across the whole spectrum of their holdings.

[KWK]

This site and a few others suggest the US has been a net importer of weapons grade nitrocellulose for some time. China and Russia were two of these suppliers and both have cut off shipments to the US to better supply Russia's war.

Let's face it. This country has allowed its industrial base to decay to the point we would loose WW-3.