Recently I asked our local guy about Alliant since he doesn't even show it at all on his website and was told that the info he has is that it will be at least after the first of the year before we see any. IOW, not until sometime in 2026.

 

I think it's going to be a while. The US military industrial complex got caught with its pants down when called upon to supply armaments to the Ukranians. The stockpiles are exhausted and the capacity is not there to replenish it in the short term. Assuming that war winds down (uncertain) they still will be working to supply powder to the armament manufacturers so they can rebuild the stockpile. The same thing goes for the Hodgdon Clays powders.

 

Thank you for the replies. When I'm out of my Bullseye I do have a pound of my back up American Select which I have recipes for also. Then it would be black powder, I just hate the cleaning and not seeing my second target on doubles because of the smoke
Wayne

 

Lyman #3 manual has 2 loads for 1 oz 12 g 2 3/4"
However ive used the data in roll crimp paper and plastic hulls with fiber and plastic wads. However
My go to's for liw pressure 12 gauge are hodgdon 700x and hodgdon clays. Id be happy to help
With my loads ive tried and chat on it

 

Yeah, Alliant powder seems unobtainable, and the prices took a huge leap right before it all disappeared.

It's said to say, but after 40 years of shotshell loading with almost exclusively Alliant/Hercules powders, I'm transitioning to Hogdon. It's a bummer, I'm not much of an experimenter, I've used established loads for decades. I now need to work up replacements. At least enough of them are generally available (albeit no Clays or Titewad currently) and while not exactly inexpensive, at least not Alliant prices

 

Ya' know, you really aren't experimenting, especially if you're talking target loads. Buy the components listed, make the few small adjustments to your machine(s) and you are done and good to go. Hodgdon powders are no better or worse than anything Alliant ever made, when it comes to actual performance. Hercules stuff was/is consistent, but those powders aren't magic, no powders are magic. You won't break one less target with Hodgdon powders than you would using Alliant powder.

We all have our favorites, but when it comes down to it, that's a decision based on emotion not facts.

It's not a bummer, it's just a different name on the powder can. Reload, shoot well and have fun.

 

Due to some comments on another forum, I did some research on Alliant. It appears many if not all their powders were being made at the Radford Arsenal in rural, VA. I had been told there was only one powder making plant in US and that was in FL. Apparently, not so. The plant at Radford Arsenal makes as many as 25 to 30 different propellants / explosives. Alliant took over from Hercules about 25 to 30 years ago, but Alliant lost out to a different government weapons contractor around 2012. Alliant was then forced to either buy from them, or contract with them to continue making the canister reloading powders we know as Alliant. Red Dot, Green Dot, Unique, Bullseye, etc. Apparently their supplier cut them off to focus on military explosives. The limiting component appears to be nitrocellulose. Radford plant is only plant in north America that makes it.

Hopefully the fracas in Gaza and the other one in Ukraine both come to an end soon, supplies catch up and at some point, production of Alliant powders resumes. What is encouraging are reports it was not a choice made by Alliant. It was forced upon them.

 

BTW, the wild card in all this is pending sale of Vista Group, which owns Alliant (and about 80% of other reloading supply companies).......to the came Czech outfit that owns Fiocchi. If they push continuation of shooting products, we are in good hands. If not, US public is at risk of being disarmed. Guns won't shoot without ammo.

 

That sale closed in November.

 

Sorry, you are correct......Czech outfit is now the owner. But sentiment remains the same. Still waiting to see what, if any, changes are forthcoming. Alliant and all other entities under the Vista umbrella.

BTW, while I have loaded for shotgun nearly all my life, it was about 4 years ago during last shortage that I woke up to the fact that Vista group controlled 3 or the 4 major primer brands in US. Along with Alliant powder. Came to the conclusion if the wrong sort ever got control of that, ammo shortages could become permanent. It was then I decided to resume reloading for everything and padded the stash to point that I am no my own ammo factory. Aside from .22lr, if it goes bang, I can load for it.

Hopefully new owners kick it and makes me look foolish.

 

About the only thing the Czech outfit owns, powderwise, is the Alliant trademark and maybe some powder supply contracts with the company that makes the powder for Alliant, New River Energetics, which uses leased capacity from the Radford Army plant in Radford, VA. The new owners have nothing to "kick." And neither did the old owners.

 

Look at the Hodgdon loading data for Perfect Pattern. They have some nice low pressure loads. Probably as good or better than you can do with Bullseye.

 

A friend of mine runs an Army ammunition plant. I won't go into details, but they use about 1000 pounds of powder a day for artillery shells. There are several ammunition plants in the country. So that's about 2 tons of powder a day.

 

I wish to thank all for the great input. Yes I will have to start looking at other powders and loading data. I only load 2-1/2" hulls and do it old school by hand and all roll crimped. After having 4 loads tested my best load was with the Bullseye, Federal paper hulls with 7/8oz shot. 6 shot average- 4907 psi and 1225 fps. With my old Damascus guns with cylinder chokes the clays break fine and I'm not beating up what some would consider collectable wall hangers.

 

As to the new Czech owners … maybe they came be encouraged to resurrect Solo 1000 I understand it was once manufactured there.

 

I just wish they'd put some damn Unique back on the shelves! My Colt SAA's are starving. Come on, Alliant.