Do Alliant and Hodgdon sell powder to ammo-makers and military?

Yes, of course.

 

Why would an ammo company of any size or the military go through a distributor (and pay more), when they can go right to the source? Possibly, Alliant or Hodgdon might sell powder to a small ammo maker, like RST.

 

Do Alliant and Hodgdon sell powder to ammo-makers and military?

Maybe not. Neither make smokeless powder.

"Alliant's origins as a gunpowder manufacturer can be traced back more than 125 years to the DuPont Company, whose leadership position in the explosives industry is legendary. DuPont's divestiture in 1912 created the Hercules Power Company as an independent entity, and eventually resulted in Alliant becoming America's premier gunpowder manufacturer.

The long, proud history of Alliant Powder began in 1872 as Laflin & Rand, later to become Hercules Powder Company — the most respected name in the reloading industry."

 

"Alliant's origins as a gunpowder manufacturer can be traced back more than 125 years to the DuPont Company, whose leadership position in the explosives industry is legendary. DuPont's divestiture in 1912 created the Hercules Power Company as an independent entity, and eventually resulted in Alliant becoming America's premier gunpowder manufacturer.

The long, proud history of Alliant Powder began in 1872 as Laflin & Rand, later to become Hercules Powder Company — the most respected name in the reloading industry."

And don't forget..
Improved Military Rilfle and Dupont marriage

 

New River and St Marks sale powders to ammo manufacturers.

 

Currently Alliant Powder is nothing more than a store front, that packages powder they buy from smokeless powder manufacturers. BAE, now runs the government owned Radford, VA.(has since 2012), plant that makes the flake shotshell powders once sold by Hercules and later Alliant. Alliant Tech no longer owns Alliant Powder. Vista owns them now.

Hodgdon is similar to Alliant powder, they only package powder that they purchase from powder manufacturers. Hodgdon is the distributor for Alliant Powder.

Come on Randy, with your connections you should know this stuff.

 

Hodgdon is the distributor for Alliant Powder.

Alliant? Olin/Winchester and IMR yes, but Alliant?

 

https://theweek.com/us-military/1023025/us-production-of-bullets-shells-and-missiles-sidelined-by-explosion-at-1

 

story is from 2023 and that plant made black powder only...... last I saw/heard the plant had restarted ?

 

As I understand it probably not , ( selling powder directly to armaments manufactures ) I cannot remember the name of the huge arms maker in Canada that used to supply or make powder for the
American distributers such as Hodgodon . The producers of Nitro-cellulose I would think sell Directly to the Military Industrial Complex where it is needed for the Artillery shells used in the Ukraine
and Israeli war . I spoke to the owners of Denny's in Hubbard Ohio who are local suppliers to the shooters and clubs and they told me they had spoke to one of the son's at Hodgodon and it would be 3-5 more years to see the Clays line of powder again , this manufacturer in Canada sells directly to the War machine .
So at least I know Hodgodon makes nothing, they just shop around and try to get companies to make powders that they can sell to us such as perfect Pattern , we should all be thankful that we can find any powder to reload even at $300.00 for a Keg . Imagine what it would take in the current political climate to up-start a new company that wanted to make gun powders LOL . We are at the bottom of the powder food chain , you want that powder , that will be $400.00 now and their are a lot of Trap shooters I shoot with that have very deep pockets and they will pay it , I am not one of them . You can still find decent quality shells for about $8.00 / box plus tax , when that number hits $10.00 / box for the promo shells like the Federal Top Guns I am out and will find a new hobby .

 

As I understand it probably not , ( selling powder directly to armaments manufactures ) I cannot remember the name of the huge arms maker in Canada that used to supply or make powder for the
American distributers such as Hodgodon . The producers of Nitro-cellulose I would think sell Directly to the Military Industrial Complex where it is needed for the Artillery shells used in the Ukraine
and Israeli war . I spoke to the owners of Denny's in Hubbard Ohio who are local suppliers to the shooters and clubs and they told me they had spoke to one of the son's at Hodgodon and it would be 3-5 more years to see the Clays line of powder again , this manufacturer in Canada sells directly to the War machine .
So at least I know Hodgodon makes nothing, they just shop around and try to get companies to make powders that they can sell to us such as perfect Pattern , we should all be thankful that we can find any powder to reload even at $300.00 for a Keg . Imagine what it would take in the current political climate to up-start a new company that wanted to make gun powders LOL . We are at the bottom of the powder food chain , you want that powder , that will be $400.00 now and their are a lot of Trap shooters I shoot with that have very deep pockets and they will pay it , I am not one of them . You can still find decent quality shells for about $8.00 / box plus tax , when that number hits $10.00 / box for the promo shells like the Federal Top Guns I am out and will find a new hobby .

I don't believe you...🤣🤣🤣🤣


You sound exactly like a cigarette smoker that said when they hit one dollar per pack I'm quitting.
Then it was when they hit 2 dollars ..
Then 5 dollars....

Ultimately what happened?
After it hit 5 dollars and they didn't follow through with their quitting threat, they stopped saying the hollow threat of this dollar amount and quitting and now just find something else to complain about.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

If Powder hits 400 per keg like you say...
There won't be plenty of good 8 dollar per box stuff.
8 will become 10.50
10 dollar will become 13.99
13.99 will become 17.99

 

When Hercules (predecessor to Alliant) was making smokeless powder in Kenville, NJ, the primary product from that plant was solid rocket fuel.

 

Hercules also had a plant in Parlin/Sayreville NJ. That plant and the Kenvil plant had massive explosions killing many people.

 

Heck I have gone to air powered of late. That does not feed my shotgun habit....yet. Powder manufacturer's? I was driving a rental car somewhere in Ohio I think, came around a curve to a big sign, Peters Cartridge Company. Hmm, said I. Heading back I stopped to have a look. It was the old Peters plant, all urban renewed and was now condos and office space. I was glad to see they preserved much of the buildings. No making powder in that neighborhood. Kinda weird, prolly remembering cartridge boxes from when I was a little kid.

 

Well, Muggs got it pretty correct in his initial post, so I don't understand why so much contention here.

Alliant and Hodgdon pack and market powder, they don't MAKE it. They contract to purchase bulk powder with the makers. Alliant has been reported as supplying small commercial outfits with a few small contracts in the past, but it is far cheaper for commercial loaders and the military to go directly to the powder plants (General Dynamics, St Marks, Radford, New River Energetics) for their supplies. And having STRONG control over the GOCO Radford plant, the US can (like in today's environment) take as much of their production capability as befits the national security needs.

good luck, garrisonjoe

 

Alliant and Hodgdon pack and market powder, they don't MAKE it.

Not at all true.

 

IIRC: The first, surplus, powder that I purchased was Hodgdon BL-C or BL-C (2). I believe, before the Louisiana plant burned, they were still manufacturing this powder for the Military 7.62 NATO round.

 

before the Louisiana plant burned, they were still manufacturing this powder for the Military 7.62 NATO round.

They?

 

Alliant is owned by Vista Outdoor. Vista also owns several other companies which produce loaded ammunition, including CCI, Federal, and Remington. Alliant sources its propellants from Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia.

Because the ammunition manufacturers under the Vista umbrella are stressed to obtain the propellants they need for their production, Vista appears to have made the business decision to commit all of the Alliant propellant capacity to Vista ammunition manufacturers. Thus Alliant’s withdrawal from shipment and sales of propellants for reloading.

The ammunition marketplace seems to be coming out of a shortage of loaded ammunition, and a shortage of small arms primers. Prices are relaxing from the highs seen recently and retail shelves are mostly well stocked. However, Alliant’s withdrawal from the reloading powder market will likely put stress on supplies of propellant for reloaders. Further, reloaders who have worked up and used favorite loads of Alliant powders may need to shift to using other brands and products.

It is unknown how long Alliant’s absence from the reloading marketplace may last. The tone of their announcement is until further notice. It may be assumed that this will continue until the military demand for nitrocellulose reduces, or the processing of cotton into defense grade nitrocellulose increases. Neither of those is likely to change dramatically anytime soon.

Best wishes,

Gary Marbut

 

Is there a direct quote in here from Gary Marbut? If so, please indicate where it starts and stops.

 

IIRC: The first, surplus, powder that I purchased was Hodgdon BL-C or BL-C (2). I believe, before the Louisiana plant burned, they were still manufacturing this powder for the Military 7.62 NATO round.

They?

Hodgdon or the entity that owned Hodgdon.

 

As I understand it, Hodgdon got its start by stepping in and buying railcar sized lots of aging US military surplus smokeless gunpowders that had formerly been being loaded onto ships, taken out to sea, and dumped into the water as their government approved means of disposal. Hodgdon has never manufactured smokeless gunpowders. When these surplus lots ran out they turned mainly to what is now General Dynamics for fresh mfg'd supply. And also to ADI in Australia.

 

Hodgdon is listed as a wholesaler of Alliant powder, along with Recob's, Powder valley, CAC, Graf & Sons, and 17 others.

In other words, they are not the only distributor of Alliant powders, just one of a list of distributors.

When I spoke with Ben Amonette at Alliant a couple of years ago, they referred to that list as their major distributors.

It was explained to me that all of the major distributors buy direct from the factory, and everyone else buys from the major distributors.

Alliant also told me they only have knowledge of distribution quantities and pricing for that first level distributor network.

Once the powder is sold to the next level down, Alliant no longer tracks their products.

To me that indicates the only pricing control Alliant has is what they charge the distributors.

All price increases beyond the distributor are the decisions of the LGS that eventually sell the powder to us reloaders.

 

the entire thing is a quote.. he wrote the letter

Most of that doesn't read like a letter

Alliant is owned by Vista Outdoor. Vista also owns several other companies which produce loaded ammunition, including CCI, Federal, and Remington. Alliant sources its propellants from Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia.

Because the ammunition manufacturers under the Vista umbrella are stressed to obtain the propellants they need for their production, Vista appears to have made the business decision to commit all of the Alliant propellant capacity to Vista ammunition manufacturers. Thus Alliant’s withdrawal from shipment and sales of propellants for reloading.

The ammunition marketplace seems to be coming out of a shortage of loaded ammunition, and a shortage of small arms primers. Prices are relaxing from the highs seen recently and retail shelves are mostly well stocked. However, Alliant’s withdrawal from the reloading powder market will likely put stress on supplies of propellant for reloaders. Further, reloaders who have worked up and used favorite loads of Alliant powders may need to shift to using other brands and products.

It is unknown how long Alliant’s absence from the reloading marketplace may last. The tone of their announcement is until further notice. It may be assumed that this will continue until the military demand for nitrocellulose reduces, or the processing of cotton into defense grade nitrocellulose increases. Neither of those is likely to change dramatically anytime soon.

Best wishes,

Gary Marbut

Who is Gary Marbut?

 

Who is Gary Marbut?

Google shows him as a shooting sports writer from Montana. Most likely we're reading an informed opinion. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Do Alliant and Hodgdon sell powder to ammo-makers and military?

The answer is still yes. Hodgdon did more military business when they owned Goex. Black Powder Is a Single Source Issue for the US Military . BP subs are still used by the U. S. Military.

Federal / Hevi-Shot / Remington all use Alliant powders. What is the big deal? There is nothing new here.

 

Federal / Hevi-Shot / Remington all use Alliant powders.

More like Federal / Hevi-Shot / Remington use powders from the same sources Alliant uses for many of their powders.

 

Shotgun shells produce random patterns due to many variables. Most performance claims are marketing hype.

 

Hunting participation has been steadily growing in the last decade.

 

I am hedging my bet so I can shoot more. For .22 I am replacing powder and primers with air. This old world is in greater turmoil than ever, wars first when it comes to gunpowder. I don't see that demand dropping anytime soon, unfortunately increasing a lot. I'm much more conservative shooting up my supplies, my new air habit will help. PCP shotguns look pretty hokey tho, individual projectiles can be quite competitive with powder. Plus they ship to your door, moderated. PCP accuracy is off the charts. Not a firearm, so backyard friendly esp. moderated. I'm set up for ten meters now, neighbors do not see or hear a thing.

 

I'm glad I have 235,000 209a and 160,000 215m primers on hand.