No I mean short changed in regards to everybody is used to receiving 500gr in an ADI powder tin, now if you buy Alliant we are getting 454gr for a more expensive price. In effect we are getting short changed twice, or screwed twice, depends on how you view it, pay the bill and spare the lubricant if you want to keep shooting.
That’s not correct at all @Cavallino. If anything, you were being ripped off before with what is essentially a monopoly. One is imported, the other is made locally. And mind you, US ADI prices are very comparable to AU prices, so I’m not sure who’s ripping who off and where. You’re assuming that it’s the same people, same manufacturer and the same supply chain. Two totally different things. And to be perfectly honest, a very reactionary short sighted point of view.
This will pass and by then you’ll have two offerings, not one. Two competitors. Two distribution channels. It’s a good thing.
P.s. It’s a bad situation and the journey will be painful no doubt, but the finish line looks a lot better than it was.
J.S you have totally lost me with this statement. Alliant and ADI have been distributed separately for countless years in Australia, Alliant is not new to Australian shooters. They have nothing to do with each other as manufacturers or distributors within Australia. The fact is ADI pistol powders were always cheaper and in 500gr tins, now we only have Alliant at an inflated prices and in 454gr tins. And just to thicken the plot, everyone is clearly aware that NIOA is in partnership with ADI at their manufacturing facilities?
https://www.australiandefence.com.au/defence/land/defence-signs-new-munitions-contracts-with-thales-and-nioa
I guess what I am saying is that doing this at scale may have benefits…
Indeed, the plot thickens.
I was lucky enough to buy 2 cans of Alliant bluedot at Little River SSAA shop for $30 each!! That was about 3 yrs ago though…I think they were keen to get rid of it, at the time, they sold out of all Alliant they had, back then…
The ADI powders were cheaper because they were made here, but now they’re not being made here anymore and personally I doubt they will again. So the reality is your options are “Alliant” or “Nothing”, and if you live in some parts of the country it looks like your options will be “Nothing” so it’ll be time to buy factory ammo or give up pistol shooting entirely.
As someone who likes to shoot old military guns, one of the big advantages of Alliant powders is I can easily get reloading data from overseas for them. Trying to get data using AP-70N was a pain in the neck because almost no-one outside Australia used it, but if I go “Hey, I’m looking for a .38 S&W load for a 145gr/200gr projectile using Unique” there’s heaps of info out there from US shooters I can use.
I think this whole “load data availability” is an absolutely irrelevant point. Load data is available, look at powder equivalents, extrapolate starting load and there you go… It’s an attempt of making a really shit situation a little better (thank you).
Given options, I’d obviously go for locally produced products for bunch of reasons, making it sound like Alliant is somehow a better options is misleading, I think. It’s the only option right now. Yes. Maybe. I don’t even know if it will be an option or an affordable option. It is not a better options however.
It absolutely is a relevant point, because fucking around with gunpowder/propellant is not something for the novice to attempt and some cartridges simply don’t have a lot of wiggle room or margin for error - .38 S&W and .455 Webley, for example. It’s also time consuming. Seriously, listen to yourself - you’re coming at this from the perspective of someone who’s obviously really into reloading and that’s not representative of a lot of reloaders.
I honestly find Unique actually works better in those two cartridges than ADI products. I appreciate you’ve got no experience with the Alliant products but I do and have been very happy with them for handgun use. I’d honestly use Unique over AP-70N for most of my handgun loading even if AP-70N was still available.
Re: Unique vs ADI powders, no idea, never used it, you could be right…
As for messing around with powders and loading for obscure calibres, that in itself is not a novice type of activity, so that entire rant of yours is either wrong and I am right or I am right and that entire rant is wrong, either way is fine. What you are subtly suggesting is that anyone should be able to pick up an antique firearm, with obscure calibre and just start loading with total disregard for pressures, tare and wear and whatever else. Just load and go, right? Pretty much what you’re saying up there. That’s just playing with disaster. So yeah, completely and absolutely irrelevant and wrong.
Main issue is supply chain. Nothing else.
To an extent, yes. Obviously not with an actual antique (ie 19th century gun), or a gun that’s in shit condition, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think someone loading a post-WWI 20th century firearm in decent condition should be able (as in, the data exists and is published) to find a safe start load with published data from a brand they can buy on the shelf at their LGS, load that, and go knowing it’ll fire safely (if not necessarily at maximum effectiveness) without worrying they messed up accounting for the burn rate difference between the brand they could find and its vague equivalent from the US or Europe or whatever.
It might not be an issue for you personally, but for some of us, being able to get reloading data without also having to engage in potentially fraught extra steps to make it work effectively as well is a desirable thing.
First, the brand you buy on the shelf will not be the same you load because a lot of ammo manufacturers use blends…
Second, no, I do not have a reasonable expectation of safety for WW2 firearm. I will start with a min. charge and work up. Not just to test the ammo, but to make sure the chamber doesn’t go pop (hairline cracks and what not could be a very nasty and painful surprise). So once again, what you are encouraging people to do is NOT safe. Always start at the start with an unfamiliar round or unfamiliar gun.
Third, yes, there are heaps of starting recipes, all you need to do is just look at the the powder equivalent table, find the right powder, start at the start (min) and go from there.
Here’s your missing puzzle piece 
You’re welcome.
N.B.
this doesn’t mean these powders are the same, it doesn’t mean that one works better than the other. All it means is that you can have a safe starting point.
I got an email from cleavers saying they have some ADI powders back in stock if anyone’s interested.
- ADI Bench Mark II
- $104.90 /per 1kg
- ADI AR2207 / AR2219
- $49.90 /per 500g
- ADI AR2206H / AR2209 / AR2213SC & AR2207
$99.80 /per 1kg
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Seeing as i don’t reload i’m not sure if this is news or not, or if the powder shortage is still a thing. But Oz Gun Mart has ADI powders back in stock.
Thanks, @JSS.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) those are typical rifle powders, they weren’t in that much of a shortage… 