You can buy surplus powders for as little as $40 for 8lbs and then the shipping and a $20 has mat fee . That still will come out to less than $9 a pound .
Just do a search you find more than 1 website that offrs it.

I have been doing a lot of travelling lately and of course when I travel I shop. And by shopping I do not mean malls! I mean I go to ALL the Sporting goods stores, Gunshops and the few reloading stores there are out there.
Recently I have noticed large disparities in prices for powder per pound! Like just this week I have come across Hodgdon powders priced from $16.99 to $21.99 per pound for their Rifle powders. My only local outlet had it for $18.25 per pound - which started me shopping around (paying particular attention as I thought that was high) to begin with.
Last week I saw IMR powders for from $15.99 per pound (I bought a bunch of this!) to over $20.00 a pound. My favorite VihtaVourhi powder (N133) was $34.99 for a 2 pound container at the last place I looked. I was just wondering if I could get some price checks from various parts of the country (I will be travelling some more this summer!) on prices you all pay for Rifle powder.
Thanks in advance for any postings of prices.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: I guess the days of getting 4831 for $1.99 a pound are never coming back huh?

Only one local store carries powder. VV133 is $42 for 2#. I bought a 2 pounder for $33 at the last gunshow. Once I settle on a load, I'll order an 8 pounder from Powder Valley.

Eddie

Smokin54: Thanks for the tip! I see you are from "Kalifornia" I used to on occassion drive down from Washington state to do Gunshows in California - but that was 15 years ago. Do they still have gunshows in Ca... I mean Kalifornia?
Hold into the wind
Varmintguy

Winchester #231...4 pound jug...$55.39

Winchester #296...4 pound jug...$57.59

Winchester #748...1 pound bottle...$16.79

Winchester #760...1 pound bottle...$16.79

Whinchester had a rebate going on. It ended 2-29-04. Deduct $2.00 per pound up to a max rebate of $32.00

Accurate XMP5744...1 pound bottle...$17.99

Accurate #2230...1 pound bottle...$16.39

All bought from Graf & Son via the internet. Free shipping, $20 Hazmat fee.

http://www.hi-techammo.com/
http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html
http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/
http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm

If one studies the surplus powder available, one sees that the $0.66/lb IMR4895 available in my old Hodgdon load book, is now higher.

The useful rifle powder is:
1) WC820 $59/8# = $7.37/lb, equivalent to H110 for 44 mag
2) WC680 $59/8# = $7.37/lb, equivalent to AA1680 for 7.62x39mm
3) WC844 $64/8# = $8/lb, equivalent to AA2230 for .223
4) WC846 $64/8# = $8/lb, equivalent to BLC2, for .223, 308
5) IMR4895 $99/8# = $12.37/lb, .223 to 45/70 to 257 RAI
5) WC860 $36/8# = $4.50/lb, equivalent to 870 for 7mm mag

If one goes to the powder valley site, the 2230c is $63/8#, while the 2230 is $99.50.
The Scott 4100 is $83.95/8# = $10.50/ lb and is at surplus price for a premium 357 mag powder.


I once got 32 lb of IMR4895 surplus, and it has been very good for me.
I got the haz mat charge free from Hi-Tech for getting 4 jugs.
The shipping cost is a killer for anything but the whole 4 jugs.
Years later, it is about time for me to get another big shipment, but this time I will get some partners, as I only want 8# of 860 and 8# of 844.

--
A society that teaches evolution as fact will breed a generation of atheists that will destroy the society. It is Darwinian.

V.G:

I have noticed that the powder availability in 5lb and 8 lbs are not too bad at the Sportsman's Warehouse. I plan on picking up a 5lb container of Blue Dot for $71.00 and a 5 lb container of RL 7 which are my favorite two varmint powders, with IMR 4198 a close third.

I think they have one of those in Missoula if I am not mistaken. I have to pick them up in Salem OR when I head up I 5. They have ones in Spokane, the Tri Cities in WAshington and in Boise ( Meridian) if that is on your travel circuit.

They are suppose to open one here in Southern Oregon in Medford this fall or winter.

One idea from others in this tread is that I do have to check on the surplus availability and price on IMR 4895., That is a favorite mid bore powder, that I use up thru 338 mag.

Thanks to the others for the tip.
Seafire

Four 7# jugs from HI-TECH of 7383 As earlier stated they pay Haz Mat.I think it is still $24.00/jug. Be careful of old surplus 4895. My last jug was severly deteriorated. The acidity of it caused me a lot of grief. Even when I diluted it and poured it on my lawn for fertilizer it ate up my grass. No joke roger

My local guy sells most of his Hodgdon Powders out of the closet of his radiator shop for $15.99/1# and Reloaders for $16.95/1#. Then on the other hand another local shop sells the Hodgdon for $24.99/1#. BIG DIFFERENCE. So far the latter shop has failed to sell alot of powder.

Some time ago I started buying from Crossbow Enterprises (Crossbow@fone.net). The prices are excellent and they deliver without a hazardous material handling fee. That's the good news. The bad news is that they only deliver when they are in the neighborhood, it may take a while to reach them because they are on the road a lot and this is only a good deal if you buy in bulk. Still I place one or two orders a year and have been very happy with the price.

Man you guys got it good for cheap powder aorund where you live. In Fresno,CA the cheapest place I could find Varget was 27.50 per pound! I only bought that because I needed to work up a load. Im only buying online from now on.

Snorkel Bob!
That is ridiculous.
I am not kidding.
Take a nice drive one day down to Santa Ana.

Cliff's Gunsmithing
1856 W. 17th St.
Santa Ana, CA 92706

Also check out my website, all powder prices are up to date with 2004 pricing.
www.cliffsgunsmithing.com

For example, that Varget you bought?
I have the same stuff for $18.70, as well as 8 pounders also.
If you are a reloader, you will love my store.
I can almost guarantee that we have more boxes of reloading bullets than most stores have inventory.

Come on down, you will be in for a surprise.

Spencer

I've noticed the same thing around here. My favorite local gunstore tends to be a bit on the high side on powder prices. Kind of sucks, because then people buy less, then their volume goes down, and their prices go up even more. Basically they are small enough shop that I don't think they get much of a price break to begin w/, and they have to mark it up on top of that to make it worth their while. I've seen cans of IMR 4064 go for $20-21 here, and $16-17 over in Spokane. I recently requested a two pound bottle of Viht N540 to experiment w/, and took a little ribbing from one of the counter guys about 'buying the *good* (read 'expensive') stuff', and we discussed benefits if any, of 540 vs 140. That was a couple weeks ago. Today, the 540 came in, and when I took it to the register and the same guy rang it up, I think we both gulped! Total w/ tax was over $53! I just gotta keep reminding myself that I *really* like that store...

Monte

I can attest to Cliffs store. I drive about 20 miles one way to get there and have to keep myself on my budget while there. It's like a candy store for handloaders, the bullet selection can't be beat. I bought most of his remaining stock of Barnes Originals and I swear I'm going to buy up the last of his H870 stock, one bottle at a time. My customer card is almost punched out for the $25 merchandise bonus. I like that token of appreciation for the patronage.
The staff have good dispositions and personalities.
Great store and I refer all my local freinds there but, call to confirm that their open before making the trip.
Bill

VG

I just bought (locally) 5# of R-22 for $79 which is $16/#. Also, 1# cans of IMR and RL powders are $17/#.

WN

That's a hell of a drive,Fresno to Santa Anna, to save $4.00.Even there and back from Temple City would be $10.50 in gas.Now if you got some .224, 45gr. Bergers in stock I may tell my brother-in-law to drop by and bring them to me on Easter. Roger

I just buy by the case online, 30Lbs. of RE15 goes along way. I shoot it in service rifle loads for the 223 and for my 416 Rem. I may need to buy a big lot of IMR4350 for the 300WSM.

I bought 1# IMR4064 for $15.99 and $18.99 for Varget at Gander Mountain in Traverse City, Michigan. I dont know why the Varget is so much more.

There is indeed a shiny new Sportsman's Warehouse in Missoula, and they seem to have just about everything (more lefthanded guns than me!) but their prices are nothing to crow about. Not bad, but far from bargains.

If one finds himself ammo shopping in the Bitterroot, he should on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays avail himself to Joan at Bitterroot ammo in Hamilton. She's right under the big smokestack at the silver bridge north of town. Just about any powder you want from the H, IMR, Alliant or Win lines for $14.99 a pound. No kegs though. Don't hold me to it in every instance, but that's the average it seems. Weekends finds her at shows. She's good to deal with too.

VG, if you find yourself up this way again, be advised that the Axmen closed its gunroom and moved the entire enterprise to the Axmen South on I-93 between Lolo and Missoo. Wave as you drive north to Sportman's Warehouse. Ax's prices are delusional. Or worse.

HTH

Redial

I am in the Bakersfield, Ca. area and here to the local shops are higher priced. Thing is though, the hazmat fee + shipping runs the savings of ordering online / by phone down to nothing unless you buy all that can fit in one shipping container.
My last local powder purchases were at Second Ammendment Sports at about +$2 per pound over online prices. I was trying out two new powders so only bought a pound of each.
My last order was through Midsouth and ordered enough to fill the box so as to make the HazMat fee worth it. http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/

Redial: Dang I should have read your post before I left on an overnight trip to Hamilton/Missoula! I left last Friday morning and got to Hamilton in time for the mid day opening of the gunshow there. I then stayed with an old friend in Corvallis and did the gunshow again Saturday morning. Here comes the mistake part - then I left and drove up to Missoula to all the Sporting goods stores and Gunshops up there. I went out to the Axemens place by the airport and had to backtrack all the way down to their small store on the south end there to see their new set up! Lots of Guns there but I lost an hour backtracking (whats with the Saturday traffic in Missoula?)!

And I have the co-ordinates for that powder place nailed to my forehead now - thank you!

I wonder if she is the lady that went back to her shop Friday night and retrieved the Remington 17 HMR ammo for me she had forgot to bring along? I bought a bunch of it from her at $8.50 a box no tax on Saturday morning! Yeah I bought some powder at the Sportsmans Surplus at $16.99 in Missoula. And I bought some brass at the Bitterroot trading Company in Hamilton (Federal 22-250 brass [factory primed] at $25.00 per 100 - yikes I know thats a little high!) but I wanted the Federal for Rifle seperation/dedication of brass by make reasons. I have several 22-250's.

Very nice blonde haired lady about 29 (50ish) at the Gunshow there but she did not have any powder at all just selling ammo that I saw.

I planned (was invited) this Gunshow trip at the last minute or I would have warned you I was coming. Saw a herd of 300 Elk near the highway just south of Darby on my way over Friday morning! Cool!

By the way thanks to all that posted - I guess I have it better than many and not as good as some! I really like to support my locals and the folks that have stores with gun related industry and their employees. It just puzzles and miffs me to see such variances in pricing!?! I have to look into buying kegs of powder in the future. Thanks again.

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

Midsouth is out of RL 15 and so is DNR and I needed some more. So I ordered about 25 lbs of it and IMR 4350 plus some smaller containers of other powders from Powder Valley. The price there is about $14.75 # plus about $30 for shipping/hazzard. Thus my net cost will be about $16 a pound.



Retail around here is as high as $22 a pound now.