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Vista Outdoor announced substantial price increases for its ammo and gunpowder products starting January 1, 2024.
This decision is in response to an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder and increased costs from suppliers.
“Due to world events our suppliers have notified us of unprecedented demand for and an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder, and thus has increased our prices substantially,” Vice President of Sales, Sporting Products Brett Nelson said in the letter dated Dec. 1.
SEE ALSO: Vista Outdoor Sells Federal, CCI, Hevi-Shot, Remington Ammo & Speer for $1.91 Billion
“We must therefore raise our pricing to help offset those increases,” he added.
Newsweek confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
The price hike will affect various products, including shotshells, rifle, handgun, 22LR/Shorts, WMR/HMR ammunition, primers, and Alliant Powder.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Shotshell: 1-7 percent
- Rifle: 1-7 percent
- Handgun: 1-5 percent
- 22LR/Shorts: 1-5 percent
- WMR/HMR: 1-7 percent
- Primers: 5 percent
- Alliant Powder: 10 percent (limited availability).
Specific pricing details will be released in the coming weeks.
The company attributes the rise in ammunition demand partly to recent global events. It also informed customers that it will “reprice all existing and future orders shipped on or after Jan. 1st, 2024 to the new prices.”
Vista Outdoor, the parent company to numerous firearms businesses, just dropped a bombshell about a significant increase in ammunition prices. According to Newsweek, they're citing an "anticipated global shortage of gunpowder" as the primary reason.
— Colion Noir (@MrColionNoir) December 13, 2023
Ammunition has always been… pic.twitter.com/8CgmPIdKab
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1) harboring or supporting a criminal or fugitive.
2) insurgency, protest or disruption by any foreign national under a foreign nations flag (spying/treason) should be arrested and processed according to domestic and international laws.
I don’t buy Alliant Powder because it’s too expensive and the price increase of that powder doesn’t mean anything to me. I was buying Western Powder products but since Hodgdon bought out Western Powder, they put me out of business. As soon a hodgdon purchased Western Power, they immediately stopped production of Norma powder. And since Hodgdon owns most of the powder companies in the USA and Canada now, they have decided to just sit on their hands and put out very little powder and at the same time price gouge you to the breaking point. I’m currently boycotting Hodgdon for their dishonest business practices and looking for a importer for Vectan Powder. I have a feeling that, that pinhead in Washington D.C. put a stop to imported powders because I haven’t seen any Vectan powder for over 2 years now.
I tried to complete your Short Survey but all it did was sit there spinning. Nice web site you have here….. Jean Passineau
Interesting how some are so quick to blame “greedy” gun and ammo companies. It just shows a complete lack of understanding of market forces that no one has any control over. Think about this: With all of the artillery shells, tank shells and small arms ammo that have been consumed between the Ukraine and Isreali conflicts, wouldn’t you think that those supplies have to be replenished? Both for those countries in particular but for allies and others who now feel threatened by Russia and China. There are only a few ammo plants in the world who can produce artillery rounds in any quantity and there are MILLIONS of rounds that have to be replaced and stockpiled. And how much powder do you think is consumed in 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds versus a 30-06 or 9mm cartridge? No, 4831 is not used in any artillery shell. But the base component of gun power, nitrocellulose, is the same key component in almost ANY gunpowder. The world, because of the demand and increased production of large caliber artillery ammo, is now experiencing a shortage of nitrocellulose. Duh! That’s what’s driving up the price. General Dynamics, the gargantuan aerospace and defense company, owns St. Marks powder, one of the largest powder maufacturers in the US, makes gunpowder for almost all US based sellers of gunpowder, including Hodgdon, Alliant and Winchester among others. They also have a plant in Canada. Worldwide, gunpowder is manufactured in Sweden, Finland, Australia, Belgium, and France to name a few countries. Of course, Russian and China make powder for their militaries. Hodgdon , Alliant and Winchester put their labels on powder manufactured for them from some of the countries noted above. They no longer make their own. Why doesn’t someone just build another plant? Just imagine trying to get all of the required regulatory and environmental approvals to do so in the US today.
And you still have the worldwide shortage of nitrocellulose to deal with. Note that in the press release from Vista/Federal, it said “increased costs from suppliers.” We’ve all seen costs increase on almost everything we buy the last 3 years. Have you actually seen many prices come down, with the exception of gas/diesel? And those prices are driven by supply and demand. Why do you think OPEC is cutting production? To decrease supply and raise prices. Vista/Federal is just the first to announce the price increases and maybe they did it in advance so people could stock up while supplies last at current prices. Winchester, Hornady and everyone else will be announcing price increases as well. Mark my words. And if the shortage really materializes, regardless of price, there will be smaller manufacturers going out of business or severely reducing production for lack of powder. It’s easy to blame ammo and gun manufacturers and call them greedy. You really need to think about the root cause.
Looked a firearm yesterday looked like it came out of a truck floor board. There were scratches, dings, poor machine marks etc, didn’t buy. They already sold from what I understand.
Let it set on the shelf and don’t buy any, it’ll come down.
Vista can stick it. I will buy other products. Im not paying 50 buck for a pound of unique or 2400. Ive had it with these greedy companies. This is what happens when a company or many companies are owned by a large investment group who is trying to sell off to a foreign company.
Vista sells out and the new company is planning to sodomize consumers. ENOUGH WOKENESS!
I don’t know if the cause is as they say or if it’s greed. What I do know is we have reached the point where ammo, powder, brass and bullet manufacturers are beginning to price themselves out of the American shooters business. They may be able to stay a float with government contracts but the average Amercan shooter is scaling back. We have to, price of a box of 20 rifle hunting rounds is over $1.00 a round. A lbs of powder is nearing $50.00 per pound and a box of 1K primers is $80-90. Add to that the cost of food, fuel and every other necessity and we have no choice but to scale back. I haven’t purchased manufactured ammo since 2006. I haven’t purchased reloading supplies in several years and I have no intention or interest in buying either. Likewise I use to be an avid collector of firearms. I stopped collecting and haven’t purchased a new or used gun in over a year. The firearms industry has continually cheapened their products while raising their prices. Quality control for almost every manufacture is almost non existent. Even if you find a decent firearm the price of ammo and supplies makes it next to impossible to fully enjoy the gun.
Hells Bells, I can already the superior Vihtavuori brand powders for less than most of the Alliant line today. The government won’t have to disarm the people, just price the ammunition out of reach. I don’t know how this propped up economy can continue for much longer. It’s heading at a breakneck pace for a crash. Food Medicine or Ammo? The Feds are pushing for none of the above.
“ANTICIPATED” shortage of gunpowder…..so it isn’t happening yet…way to start fuckin people early. Merry Xmas Brett Nelson, I don’t need to buy your overpriced shit. Lot’s of us older guys can shoot regularly till we’re dead and never have to buy anything. I’m in that category. Why do I feel like American shooters are now footing the bill for Ukraine Presidents 2 new super yachts I hear he purchased in the middle of a Russian invasion??
What a bunch of crooks raising the price of ammo Well I guess I’m not buying any more of your stuff You know how to piss of people