Antimony shortage
 

Picking up on part of a discussion in another thread. Antimony is used to make lead shot harder and it is used in many other applications. It appears it could be in short supply going forward. Will it push up the price of a bag of lead shot higher than it already is?

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-G...rzseGTXjNALC7w

Last week a friend in the industry predicted 15-20% higher pricing for hard lead shot and much higher prices for loaded shotshells, both as the current supply chains start to be refilled.

PS: Most of my friends that shoot often are keeping 30 or more bags of lead shot on hand, along with equivalent powders, wads and sleeves of primers = Aesop's Fables ant and grasshopper analogy. :)

I read that as well Pete. While I don't know the answer, (does anybody) given the current state of affairs with tariffs etc. I am picking up another 20 flats of Fiocchi 1 oz 12 gauge loads tomorrow at $82.50 out the door while I still can. If none of this ever comes to fruition they won't spoil. Never thought I would consider $82.50 out the door to be a good price but..........

Pete, good warning for all of us. Thanks

I'm looking at RST 2 1/2" for $230 a flat plus shipping

This could spell the end of clays shooting for some folks and to limit their shooting to hunting only.





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Has someone calculated the cost of reloading? I never thought I'd have time to, but at almost a dollar a shell to shoot the Parker, I just might.

I have stockpiled enough AA’s to get me through this target year and maybe some of next year. And I continue to add to it as I clean out the shelves at Walmart when they have them in stock. As far as practice goes, I buy whatever I can find at the cheapest prices. I’ll go through 8000+ rounds on registered targets this season and don’t even want to think about how many practice rounds. I used to reload but components got so hard to find and I wasn’t saving any real money on 12 gauge. And Winchester does a much better job than I do.

Using the following parameters; $50 for 1 pound of powder, $80 for 1000 primers, $15 for 500 wads and $60 for 25 lbs of shot the cost to reload a box of 25 shells with 7/8 oz of shot with Perfect Pattern powder is $8.66.

Obviously this price changes if the cost of components changes or you have to buy your hulls.

I think reloading is the only way to go if you shoot vintage guns, it allows me to make shells that are not widely available with low pressure and lighter recoil that is kind to vintage guns and in many cases at much less cost.

I lucked out this past week and picked up 17lbs of powder at $50/lb, 5000 wads for $190, 5000 primers for $450 and 200lbs shot for $440 and that is in CDN prices and dollars. Most dealers here are as much as 50% more on the same component pricing and once the tariffs hit it is going to get much worse. My wife and I both shoot and I have been stockpiling as much as is affordable as we get nearer to retirement age. Pricing of targets, gas, travel etc. has caused us to curtail our registered trapshooting to the point we will not be renewing our ATA memberships for 2026 and I have my last dedicated trap gun posted for sale. My wife says she is not selling hers, lol. Fortunately we have about 80 flats of factory ammo in 12 and 20ga to shoot trap and skeet informally for a few years to come and I stockpiled us enough non-toxic loads in 12 & 20 to last us at least a decade of waterfowl hunting.

Bought 10 bags of lead 7 1/2 for $54 each today. Cheddite primers for $64/1000. Local supplier. Plan to go back for another 10 bags of shot. After covid shortages I'm taking no chances. My 3/4oz 12ga reloads cost about $7.85 per box.

So based on these numbers you’re talking $10 to $10.50 for a 1 1/8 oz load. Assuming my guesstimate is correct. I just paid 9.76/box, including tax and shipping, delivered to my door. These were Federal Top Gun, 1 1/8 oz., 1145 fps.

Rereading my prior post, it sounds like I'm trying to make an argument against reloading. I'm certainly not. Reloading is the only way to go for ,410, 28, 16, 10 and 8 gauges. And 20 and 12 when your going for specialty/specific loads.

Problem is cost and availability of 2 1/2” 16 and 20 ga shells

Agree on the covid shortages. I bought 20 bags of the outstanding Heper shot and the International Clays. If any one is interested I have some Int. Clays 4lb.

And you possess the largest known supply of Nitro 100 NF east of the Mississippi. Me thinks Daryl is in a good place from a powder perspective :bowdown:

Some of us here in Colorado have been wondering the same thing. Not only for the inflationary spike in ammo prices or the scarcity of it but come April first we'll also be dealing with a newly imposed 6.5% excise tax on all ammo sales.

When you add this to the cost of a round of sporting clays, plus your transportation costs to the range, a round can easily exceed a hundred bucks.

I am questioning to what extent these factors will affect the middle working-class guy who simply shoots recreationally? I know for this retiree it has had an impact.

In the 1990's I shot ATA Trap aka Registered targets. I am looking at the cost of doing it today and it's quite expensive. $30+ dollars for each 100 target event plus an additional $7 for ATA and State Association fees on the first hundred. So you drive 45 to 90 miles each way to shoot singles and handicap, that's $67 dollars in registration fees, plus gas. Most shooters like to start the day by shooting a practice round to shake off the drive, add another $7. You will need nine boxes of shells for that practice round and two events. That will be at least $90 to $100 in ammo if your shooting reloads, more if you shoot quality factory ammo such as AA or STS. If you didn't bring a lunch, a burger bag of chips and soda will cost another $10.

So there 's $167 for 200 targets and ammo plus lunch and then add the cost of gasoline. Shoot the third event, Doubles, now the total cost approaches $237 plus gas.

This is just for a small Sunday afternoon ATA event. Go to a State Championship with a 700 target program over three days and your cost in registration and ammo is at least $600. Need a hotel room for 3 nights add that to it. If you want play the Lewis purse, 25 and 50 options and enter the Calcutta keep adding more money to the cost.

Registered Trap and Skeet has truly become the sport of kings.

Is that a Colorado tax on ammo?

I know shooting is becoming more expensive, but I can look back on this forum several years ago and there were a few people telling other people to "Buy all you can now instead of complaining and don't stop buying." That has served me well and everyone should be in full buy mode now. As far as prices, think about the monumental waste of money GOLF is, and that makes the pain of shooting easy to tolerate.

If you must shoot 2 1/2” 16 and 20g shells, you can always cut down 2 3/4” hulls. There are always plenty of 20g empties on the range and when guys toss 16g hulls they are usually 2 3/4”.

At $20/lb and is the equivalent of Titewad, it was a no brainer. I thank you.:bowdown:

Now working on some International Clays. If you love to shoot then never pass up gunpowder at a reasonable price. Just saying.

Yes, it is a Colorado tax that will kick-in starting April 1st. There is also an ammo bill going through the state house right now that would place additional hassles & expenses for purchasing ammo or components online & having it shipped.

Up until this new excise tax was enacted we would only be paying the state sales tax rate of 2.9% for online ammo or component shipments. We will now have the 6.5% on top of that for a total of 9.4% plus the hazmat & shipping charges plus the state .29 cent delivery fee on everything we have delivered. Then if you buy in-state at a retail outlet, you'll have to pay the local taxes on top of the others. In some cities or counties this could add up to between 15 to 20% total tax for ammo or components purchases.

This state has gone nuts & the war on guns here continues unabatted.

I'm in NY, don't lose the faith.

Recent news on antimony from a mining company that’s currently developing some of its sites (I shortened some of the content):

> President Trump’s tariff orders, issued under emergency authority to counter what the White House describes as "large and persistent" trade deficits, introduces broad-based import duties with significantly higher country-specific rates. However, Section 3(b) of the order clarifies that certain critical minerals to include antimony are too essential to be imposed a tariff. This exemption status highlights the critical nature of antimony given its importance to multiple applications including renewable energy and the defense sector.

> Despite significant domestic demand, the U.S. currently produces no antimony, relying entirely on imports, primarily from China, Russia, Tajikistan, and other foreign sources. The continued exemption of antimony from U.S. tariffs underpins the urgency of securing stable, non-Chinese supply. And it affirms the development of critical mineral assets in trusted jurisdictions and to build robust, transparent and secure domestic supply chains for metalloids like antimony.

Antimony
 

Looks like one should play the market with Miltary Metals a penny stock


Just saying.