Components when and where

[Redshift]

Without getting laughed at, can someone tell me when powders and bullet heads will be back in stock, any powder suitable for rem 223 80g bullets etc.

 

Cheers

 

Red

[No i deer]

It all depends what powder and what make bullets you want.

[Mattnall]

Some suitable types are in stock.

 

80gn Sierras are in stock at Kranks as is some suitable RamShot powder (TAC and X-term).

Takes your pick.

[Laurie]

If you like Sierra MatchKings, I suggest you look at Henry Krank's website where 77s (including the rare as hens' teeth TMK version) and 80s are in stock in 100 and 500-ct boxes currently. Krank does a very efficient mail order service at a reasonable carriage price. Don't hang around as these bullets usually go out of stock rather quickly!

So far as suitable powders go, Target Shooter free online ezine

http://www.targetshooter.co.uk

has a series of articles under the 'Reach-Out' heading looking at Reach-compliant alternatives to H4895 and VarGet using 223 with the 77gn SMK in a 7-twist F-Class rifle as the range test tool.

Many of these powders tested have become scarce or completely unobtainable, but exceptions include Ramshot TAC and Wild Boar, Lovex S062 and the Lovex ball powders, but much more widely available N135, N140/540. Even though shops temporarily run out of Viht grades, the UK distributor Hannams Reloading continues to receive large shipments every few months, so it may be a case of getting an order in with a local retailer for the next shipment. Tested here:

http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=3934

http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/?p=3856

Alliant and Reload Swiss seem to continue with very occasional small deliveries of a limited number of grades, so you might be lucky locally, but frankly I doubt if we'll see much of these grades in the near or even foreseeable future. Even if the Ukraine war were to finish tomorrow, the western European security situation has irrevocably changed and governments are ordering smallarms ammunition stocks at a rate not seen since the USSR collapsed and the cold war ended. Moreover, there is now a general endemic shortage of propellant manufacturing capacity in the West and huge barriers to new entrants (health & safety costs, local community opposition, high-risk business cases due to lack of guaranteed demand), so nobody will be building new factories anytime soon if ever.

Alliant now seems a hopeless case with very little if anything being delivered to the handloading market. Both of its extruded powder suppliers are in Europe - Eurenco Bofors in Sweden and Nitrochemie Wimmis in Switzerland, the Reload Swiss manufacturer, and both are heavily committed to government military orders for the foreseeable future. To rub salt into the wound, this part of Alliant ATK is now owned by Vista International, a classic Gouge, Take the Profits & Run venture capital firm which is a) up for sale and b) wrote earlier this month wrote to all of its distributors that Alliant powder prices will rise by 10% on 01.01.24 including those ordered under the old prices. What a bl**dy cheek - we can't supply you with what you order, but if we can it'll cost you +10%! 

[John MH]

8 minutes ago, Laurie said:

If you like Sierra MatchKings, I suggest you look at Henry Krank's website where 77s (including the rare as hens' teeth TMK version) and 80s are in stock in 100 and 500-ct boxes currently. Krank does a very efficient mail order service at a reasonable carriage price. Don't hang around as these bullets usually go out of stock rather quickly!

Just had a look at prices and they are significantly higher than the discounts that were available with Brownells and what is currently available now, by way of example a 500 count Box of 77 SMKs with Cannelure is £194.90 (in the BF Sale they were £166.63) at Brownells Uk and that same from HK is £233.30, plus Brownells ship for anything over £100 whilst it will cost you £5.00 extra with HK. 

[No i deer]

I heard the other day the all 22lr ammo lapua make is going to the military for small arms practicing..

Federal primers are all going to military contracts..

None to the civilian market..

Rws,sellier and belliot and magtec are going to be the only primers to come into the UK.. 

How much of this info is correct I don't know..

Laurie may know more on this 🤔

[Popsbengo]

21 minutes ago, No i deer said:

I heard the other day the all 22lr ammo lapua make is going to the military for small arms practicing..

Federal primers are all going to military contracts..

None to the civilian market..

Rws,sellier and belliot and magtec are going to be the only primers to come into the UK.. 

How much of this info is correct I don't know..

Laurie may know more on this 🤔

Also Fiocchi primers were (are?) in stock at the Range Office Bisley

[Mat]

Fiocchi primers are long gone, they have ruag which is somewhat more pricey

[Richiew]

Dauntsey guns have good stock of hornady bullets. 
last primers were from forest lodge near Lincoln a four hour round trip for me . 
powders from bh firearms near Durham if your oop north anytime . 
Try some of the rfds who deal from home if the big boys don’t have stock and buy as much as possible. 
The shows might be a good place next year at the NEC 

[Redshift]

Thanks for the replies, I had a root around the gun room and unearthed a lonely pot of VarGet which  will keep me going for a bit, with the links to the bullets I should be good to go until the shortages eases a bit.

 

Red

[BlackRat]

Someone on here is selling 2 boxes of 500 Sierra Match King 77grn bullets if that’s any use?

 

Edit - sorry, they are 69’s

[BlackRat]