Memory Lane — The Price of Powder (How Things have Changed)

October 18th, 2021
Is inflation (and supply chain shortfalls) affecting the price of powder. You bet. You’d bet. Forum member “Two Time HM LR”, posted this photo (above), showing Hodgdon powder prices as of 1978, as sold to O.K. Weber in Oregon.
The prices, which range from $20 to $44, may not grab your attention at first. These prices are for EIGHT pound supplies. Eight-pounders cost less than $45 For example, H4895 cost $44 in 1978, which was 43 years ago. H335 cost $20 for eight pounds, which is just $2.50 per pound.
A single pound of H4831 powder, if you can find it, might cost $65 in some stores. Hodgdon’s website H4831 has a MSRP of $41.99. The current price of H4831 has increased by 763% since 1978, even though it is still a reasonable $41.99/lb.
Here are some comments from Forum members:
“Heck, those prices are about the same as current ones but with a smaller container now.” Joe
“I have some H4831 in an empty can marked ‘WWII Suspec Powder’ and a price tag $2.75. That will never happen again. Rick in Oregon
“1978 prices and 2021 earnings would be great. This doesn’t work. Powder costs about the same if you compare income and prices. We also need to consider the temporary gouging we are witnessing.” — Tmwinds
“So I used gas at 10 cents per gallon. They’d pump it, check the oil and clean the windshield. — Pirate Ammo
One comment suggests that powder price increases actually track U.S. currency inflation over four decades. Powder price increases may not be as bad as they appear when compared with how all prices have risen from 1978 to now:
“Using H4895 to compare at $58.50 (list prices) in 1978, it calculates it up to $246 in current money. Powder Valley prices are around $256 today for the same item. It has not gone up. Powder availability is another issue. If someone really needs powder, they might have to pay more than the suggested retail price. Drover
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Tags: Hodgdon Powder (H4831), Inflation, O.K. Weber