[Rabbit-hunter]

As we all know the supply chain of materials has been interrupted for many industries including reloading components.
My question is out of curiosity what type of powders do shot shell manufacturers use?

I'm just thinking I have never read the back of a shell box that mentioned the use of a powder such as Red Dot. Again, I understand the material supply chain issues. But as supplies increase, what powders maybe the hardest to find long term because the manufacturers maybe using it?

 

[MRS. KS-OKIE]

They use custom blends made exclusively just for them .These powder blends are not the same as those sold over the counter to the public......

 

[colonel klink]

Many years ago I remember seeing some factory ammo that listed the powder used. As I recall it was Red Dot but that was a very long time ago. I think someone on this site posted some old boxes like that some time back. As mentioned, now days they may be special blends and stuff we have no access to.

 

[Rick Barker]

Winchester still uses Winchester now distributed by Hodgdon.. Remington use to use DuPont/IMR powders, also now Hodgdon, maybe still do. Federal used Hercules, now known as Alliant and maybe still do. They all go bang...........sometimes boom.

 

[blackandgold]

I've read that Nitro 27 once used Tightgroup but that they now use a custom powder. No idea if either is true.

 

[Rabbit-hunter]

Right on. I was just curious if all the powder production was going toward new manufacturing like it sounds like is the case with primers. Where that demand gets met first before the left overs are packaged for sale to us.

 

[slide action]

Many years ago I remember seeing some factory ammo that listed the powder used. As I recall it was Red Dot but that was a very long time ago. I think someone on this site posted some old boxes like that some time back. As mentioned, now days they may be special blends and stuff we have no access to.

Correct . Red Dot was a "go to " powder for a lot of shells years ago . Some companies even advertised the fact they used it. Reloading wasn't really very popular back then. I think a few might still use Red Dot but, they will NOT advertise the fact ,probably as an agreement between them and company that makes it. I would guess a liability issue to keep some MORON from suing because he over charged his shells because after all, Brand X used Red Dot and he will just "guesstimate" how much. I imagine most shell manufactures use a blend of powders these days . Blending powders is pretty common. Actually Promo is a "blended" powder that is produced to give the same pressure and "burn rate" as Red Dot although it does not drop the same in "volume" . At any rate, it is pretty much guess work as to the powders used in any companies shells , and just like those who use moonshine in their food recipes --- They ain't Sayin !!!!

 

[31Rem]

Sounds like the question of powder, Interesting about primers. I opened a new box of STS last week and it had 2 different primers in it. Anyone else seen this? Not trying to hijack the thread.

 

[HSLDS]

From a visit to the Ozark, MO Fiocchi plant I saw 25 pound tubs of Blue Dot, Red Dot, Unique.

I will add that they load shot shells alongside pistol and rifle ammo - so powder needs may vary...

 

[redfin1956]

i have some gun clubs with 2 differnt primers

 

[slugger]

I didn’t notice this until after I reloaded it. It’s a Winchester Super target stamped AA.

I’m sure it was in a box of AA’s because I got the hulls at NILO Sporting Clays. They only let you shoot new AA’s there.

 

[dirt stirrer]

I didn’t notice this until after I reloaded it. It’s a Winchester Super target stamped AA.

I’m sure it was in a box of AA’s because I got the hulls at NILO Sporting Clays. They only let you shoot new AA’s there.

View attachment 1747490

That will be worth some money someday don’t ya know. All AAs are supposed to be brass.

 

[Nebs]

There are only 3 smokeless powder manufacturers in North America: General Dynamics in St, Marks, FL and Canada, and the facility that makes Alliant's powders in Radford, VA. I'm pretty sure the domestically produced shotshells use powder from one of these plants. The St. Marks plant is somewhat unique in that it is the only place that makes the dense ball powders used by Win. It's also where Hodgdon's "Tites" are made and Nitro 100 and Competition, formerly from Accurate and now marketed by Hodgdon. Federal, and now Rem are owned by the same people who make Alliant's powders. Except for the Win powders, the powders used in factory ammo generally is not available to us reloaders. In the recesses of my memory, I seem to recall seeing some spec sheets for Red Dot that showed several different burn rates available to ammo OEMs.

 

[Abolt243]

I didn’t notice this until after I reloaded it. It’s a Winchester Super target stamped AA.

I’m sure it was in a box of AA’s because I got the hulls at NILO Sporting Clays. They only let you shoot new AA’s there.

View attachment 1747490

Some here will tell you that this is the way AA’s will be in a short while. Is the hull smooth or ribbed?

 

[heebs]

I hope that AA stay with brass, but I understand economics also.

 

[TC]

If I am paying a premium, I expect a premium product!

 

[Rick Barker]

Are there any Euro shell brands that still have brass?

 

[slugger]

Some here will tell you that this is the way AA’s will be in a short while. Is the hull smooth or ribbed?

It’s ribbed. Definitely a super target hull that went through the AA line at the factory.

 

[waverider]

I've read that Nitro 27 once used Tightgroup but that they now use a custom powder. No idea if either is true.

When Rem first came out with the new Nitro 27 they did state that they were using TiteGroup powder. Cutting one apart it had 18 gr of powder. Right in line with what TiteGroup showed in the loading manual.

Later I suspect that Rem found that it could get powder cheaper if they bulk ordered something similar to TiteGroup, rather than buying TiteGroup and work up their Nitro 27 with the bulk powder.

Jason

 

[timb99]

I've read that Nitro 27 once used Tightgroup but that they now use a custom powder. No idea if either is true.

It's true. The powder they (Remington, in the Nitro 27 cartridge) use is remarkably similar to Titegroup, and is in fact made at the same factory where Hodgdon has Titegroup manufactured.