Guys: Do many of you in Canada reload for your firearms? How available are components currently? We are having some serious shortages of powder, bullets and primers here in the States, partially related to buying patterns that changed after our recent election amid fears of government restrictions. Just curious if you are seeing any of the same things.

Many Canadian shooters reload. Reloading components are generally available. However, some of the same shortages noted in the states are seen here. To wit, Federal primers are always in short supply, and F215 or F215M are non-existent. Powders must be listed before importation, so some powders, and especially the newer powders, are often unavailable. The US government does not permit firms to ship to Canadians except through a broker. The regulations can be onerous, discouraging Canadians from attempting to import reloading goods. Ultimately, the shortages that are noted in the states will impact Canadians as our supply dries up.

Dr. Mike:
Thanks for the reply. Are you or anyone here familiar with Wholesale Sports Outdoor Outfitters, owned by United Farmers of Alberta? How are their stocks of reloading supplies?

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Dr. Mike:
Thanks for the reply. Are you or anyone here familiar with Wholesale Sports Outdoor Outfitters, owned by United Farmers of Alberta? How are their stocks of reloading supplies?

Hi Bill, I am famailiar with WSS, they have one in Winnipeg, just an hour and a half from where I live...they usually stock most of what I am looking for. But lately pretty much everywhere has had shortages of some kind or another due to the "buying patterns" of people who's fears, at least IMO are unsubstantiated. Heck my brother read a post about someone who has enough reloading components do last him 5 lifetimes, even if he shot 100 rounds a day. It'd be nice if you fellas south of the border were considerate enough to leave at least some supplies so that they may be able to make the treck up north for us to buy!

Shortages are always a problem in BC,primers have been a problem,and VV powder is almost unobtainable.The WSS in Kamloops seems to carry the basics,but never has wkat I need(Rem 7.5 primers,Swift bullets,etc.)It's a constant struggle if you load oddball stuff like I do! Monashee

I've reloaded for the past 40+ years. Originally components were no problem at all. The last 10 years or so things have changed. You don't have as many sporting goods stores handling guns ammo & components the way they once did. The ones that still do don't stock as much as they once did and what they stock is mostly the faster moving stuff.Most places don't stock many bullets over 338 cal etc. However I have never really found a huge problem obtaining components. when you go to a gun show etc where there is also several dealers with product to sell find your Fed ,Rem or CCI primers and buy a couple thousand at a time so you have enough to load for a year. same with bullets cases etc. Almost everyone takes a trip to the big city or down to the states once a year. When you go pick up a few components. Those who only buy one pound of powder or 100 primers at a time don't get a lot of sympathy from me. If you know you want a special powder go to your local gun store and ask them when they expect to be placing their next order for powder. Tell them you would like a 4 or 8 lb keg and you might be pleasently surprized that they will order it and the price will be lower than the regular retail. I have rifles from 22 hormet thru 458 along with many metric cal like 6.5x68,7x64,8x68,9.3x62,9.3x64 and I don't have any trouble keeping any of them fed.

Dr. Mike:
Thanks for the reply. Are you or anyone here familiar with Wholesale Sports Outdoor Outfitters, owned by United Farmers of Alberta? How are their stocks of reloading supplies


WSS is actually here in Edmonton and are terrible for inventory of components, particularly brass and primers. A far better store here in Edmonton is P&D enterprises. When WSS has lied about shortages due to the Iraq war, P&D just goes down to the locked room and picks out your powder.

The overall supply of components here in Canada is mush better than it used to be; I have handloaded for 40+ years and well in excess of 100 rifles plus pistols and we used to ge FAR more restricted than we are now in terms of bullets, brass and so forth.

I also like to buy in quantity, develop 1-2 loads per gun and use those and not have to "experiment". I have enough "hands-on" experience that I know what is likely to work in most cartridges and very seldom find a problem with obtaining the perforance/load I want.

We used to be able to drive to a fabulous gunstore in WA state, "Kesselring's" and buy components there, but, Klinton stopped that,the scumsucker. However, Canuck suppliers who sell primarily components have started in business and things are not too bad, except, prices are high compared the the U.S.A.....and I cannot access those 500pc. boxes of Nosler Pt. 2nds, THAT is a REAL pizzmeoff!

Martin, shhhhhhh! If everyone finds out that P&D is such a great place, it will be hard to get anything there because of the lineups! Seriously, if you want service, go to P&D. I have only been once, but it was excellent. Knowledgeable staff, and good selection, and you can pick what you want yourself. WSS is a joke, in Edmonton, at least. Take a number for service, and hope that you get someone who actually knows what they are talking about.
Dewey, I mourn the lack of Nosler PT 2nds, too. Cryin' shame
Oh, well,
Happy reloading and good hunting,
Graham

Guys, really appreciate your insights. Besides curiosity, I had another motive for asking. I took a job last fall with our local Sportsman's Warehouse, which as many of you know, it being bought out by United Farmers of Alberta, which owns WSS. UFA wants to expand Sportsmans into Canada, and I for one am looking forward to the new ownership, as my impression so far of UFA is that it is a good outfit.
That said, whereas my job just a few months ago was helping folks decide which rifle or powder or primer to buy, now it is explaining why those primers, powders, bullets and rifles are unavailable. I'm sure this will pass, but it is frustrating for customers as well as those of us in the hunting department, as we all love to hunt, shoot and reload as much as everyone else.
M70 classic: Sorry to hear about the service at WSS in Edmonton!
Bill

Bass Pro will be opening, just north of Calgary, in April. Be interesting to see what they carry for reloading supplies. WSS in Winnipeg? I knew there was SIR Cabelas, but din't know That was there. Grizz

Regarding the Cabelas (previously SIR) and wholesale sports in Wpg. For several years Sir had been in a serious deterioration. Their stock seemed to be less and less each time you visited the store. When the word got out that Cabelas had bought them out the excuse was they selling down the SIR stock before Cabelas took over. Now that Cabelas name is above the door the only thing that has improved is the selection of clothes they sell. The fishing tackle isn't too bad but the gun shop is terrible. When Wholesale Sports opened up a few blocks away I thought ,finally some competition ! For the first few months they didn't have much but more stock was always comming in. They actually have a pretty decent stock right now and if they don't have it in stock they will get it within a couple weeks. Thats fine if you live close to Winnipeg or know someone who frequents the city. So that is an improvement. You go back 20 years you had ammunition and components availible from Win & Rem as you do today. But there was also Norma ,CIL, Gevelot and a number of hardware store brands. You had companies like Ammo Mart that brought in components and powders from Sweden and other areas. RWS ammoand cases were availible from a number of larger dealers like Epps and others who are now out of business. There have been some improvements however. Bullets like Barnes TSX, bonded bullets like Interbond and Accubond ,better Partions, A frames etc.

Availability of components in Canada has been a sporadic problem for just about as long as companies moved heavily into computer generated ordering. Orders were based on sales during the previous period and, if sales were low on a particular item due to short supply, that item would forever be under-inventoried. Add to this the extreme lag times for orders thanks to the US State Department and the demise of stocking distributors and it's easy to see why there are shortages.
One would think that availability of IMR powders would be great since they are made in Canada but that isn't the case. Why not? Because they have to be imported from the US so prices are high and availabilty sometimes limited.
Reloaders in Canada have always been an abused class and this continues to be the case. Regards, Bill

I think the other problem is that they only order components once a year and get delivery for fall so that they do not have a bunch of stock costing money all year. I know that the majority of the dealers only buy at the SHOT show or at the Dealer shows in Canada as they get better deals than if they were to order supplies as needed throught the year.

I've been frequenting the Wholesale Sports in Winnipeg as well, Cabela's is slowly getting some decent stock. 215/215M is hard to find, I horded a half dozen packages which should keep my boomers firing. Other components don't seem to be too difficult to get a hold of, except Weatherby brass

Whenever I go on a roadtrip, I make sure to check out the local shops and grab as many Federal primers as possible.
The other one is Reloader powders. They seem to be hit and miss.

quote:

Originally posted by Canuck32:
I think the other problem is that they only order components once a year and get delivery for fall so that they do not have a bunch of stock costing money all year. I know that the majority of the dealers only buy at the SHOT show or at the Dealer shows in Canada as they get better deals than if they were to order supplies as needed throught the year.

Canuck

There are no deals on components at the shot show, most brass, powders,bullets and primers come through the distributors, Inland Pacific being the largest. FS