Hodgdon Has Acquired Western Powder CO

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  • ACMAN

    Active Member
    Jan 24, 2011
    324
    Maryland
    Hodgdon now owns Ramshot, Alliant, and Blackhorn 209 brands
     

    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    Hodgdon doesn't manufacture any powders, so they can't really have a monopoly. Strictly speaking, there's nothing stopping people from getting into the game... you just need the facilities to safely bottle canister powders.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Hodgdon doesn't manufacture any powders, so they can't really have a monopoly. Strictly speaking, there's nothing stopping people from getting into the game... you just need the facilities to safely bottle canister powders.

    Yes, that’s not a small barrier to entry or anything...
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    Hodgdon doesn't manufacture any powders, so they can't really have a monopoly. Strictly speaking, there's nothing stopping people from getting into the game... you just need the facilities to safely bottle canister powders.

    They dont make any powders, true but they sure do control the supply and thats what a monopoly is. Hodgdon did NOT buy Alliant powder. Vista Outdoors owns Alliant. Hodgdon bought Ramshot, Accurate, and Blackhorn 209 from Western Powders. Bruce Hodgdon got started by buying military surplus powders and the rest is history.
    Back in the 70's, the oil companies went thru this. Exxon bought Mobil, BP bought Atlantic, etc. First thing they did was close refineries and created the gas crunch and drove up prices.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,881
    Hogdon doesn't * own * Winchester powders , but they do have the exclusive distribution rights .
     

    PowPow

    Where's the beef?
    Nov 22, 2012
    4,712
    Howard County
    Hodgdon hasn't ruined any powders yet.

    Western Powders was more than just the powders themselves. They had superb customer service and excellent load data. I don't place Hodgdon at that same level, which is probably why Hodgdon went shopping in the first place. That is what I am concerned about.
     

    kstone803

    Official Meat Getter
    Feb 25, 2009
    3,923
    Ltown in the SMC
    Western Powders was more than just the powders themselves. They had superb customer service and excellent load data. I don't place Hodgdon at that same level, which is probably why Hodgdon went shopping in the first place. That is what I am concerned about.

    Bingo. The FREE western powders load manual they update and publish online is awesome.
     

    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    Bingo. The FREE western powders load manual they update and publish online is awesome.
    Ramshot being ballsy enough to list the 5.56 (62k psi) load data for bullets I actually use (55gr FMJ, 77gr SMKs) convinced me to switch to TAC. You can kinda figure out for other powders by looking at listed pressures and messing with QL or GRTools, but I like the certainty of having a manufacturer backing their data.
     

    paperwork351

    no error code for stupid
    Mar 7, 2008
    867
    Gaithersburg
    I like the powder guy at Western. He remembers the special run of AA2230-S low flash for the military from the 90's. Excelent groups with Hornady 68gr match. Loaded long single shot.
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    Western Powders was more than just the powders themselves. They had superb customer service and excellent load data. I don't place Hodgdon at that same level, which is probably why Hodgdon went shopping in the first place. That is what I am concerned about.

    Western had amazing CS. HUGE help with wildcats I have worked with. Alliant is owned by Vista Outdoors as is RCBS
    Sierra bought Barnes Bullets too.
     

    GunBum

    Active Member
    Feb 21, 2018
    751
    SW Missouri
    Hodgdon owns outright or has the license to distribute most of the powder companies in the US.

    Hodgdon powders
    IMR powders
    Winchester powders
    RamShot powders
    Accurate powders
    Blackhorn powders
    Norma powders
    Extreme powders
    Goex black powder (although they shuttered their plant in Minden, LA)


    That leaves Alliant, Shooter’s World, Vihtavouri, and Nobel Sport as competition.
    I guarantee this list is accurate (this is not a guarantee :innocent0 ).
     

    MTplinker

    Active Member
    Dec 30, 2021
    126
    Annapolis
    Technical support for Accurate

    I was also doubtful that Hodgdon would provide the load data and support like Accurate Powders. Their load data website is fine for what it is, but Western Powder’s data delved into some obscure cartridges like 5.6 x 28 (gasp!).

    I was pleasantly surprised to get a quick, comprehensive response via Hodgdon’s site to my questions about load data for 7.5x 55 Schmidt Rubin. The Western Powder vol 8 lacks any load data for it. Hornady has data but mostly IMR-focused. Luke Otte responded to my specific question and gave me other Accurate powder info, too.

    Hope they keep up this support.
     

    85MikeTPI

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2014
    2,699
    Ceciltucky
    I believe this OP mentioning Alliant was deemed to be incorrect, and Alliant is owned by VISTA (https://vistaoutdoor.com/brands/). Has anyone heard about Alliant stopping/slowing production? I moved to a few Reloader powders over the past 5 years (7, 17, 26, 33) and haven't seen any trace of them now since 2020.

    I've since moved back from Reloader to Hodgdon family strictly because of availability, but just wondering if I should abandon all hope...
     

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