The Prices of Hodgdon Powder 45 Years Ago

Has inflation (and shortages in the supply chain) affected the price? You bet. You’d be surprised. This photo (above), posted by forum member “Two Time HM LR”, shows Hodgdon prices from 1978 as sold by O.K. Weber in Oregon.Eight Pounders under $45.00 in 1978You may not be attracted to the prices of $20 to $44 at first. Take note that these are numbers for EIGHT-pound containers. Eight-pounders were under $45 all the time! In 1978, H4895 cost $44 for eight pounds. That’s 45 years ago. H335 cost $20 for eight pound — that’s only $2.50 per pound. Hodgdon’s website shows that H4831 powder will cost $54.99 per pound by August 2023. H4831 costs $54.99/lb, which is TEN times more than it did in 1978 when H4831 was $44 for 8 lbs. Here are some comments made by our Forum Members. “Heck, those prices are about the same as current prices, just in a smaller container now.” Joe: “I have some H4831 that is in a can marked as ‘WWII surplus powder’ with a $2.75 price tag. We’ll also never see it again.” Rick in Oregon: “1978 prices and income for 2022 would be nice. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work. When you compare powder prices with income, they are about the same. You have to also discount the temporary gouging we are seeing.” Tmwinds “I used to buy gasoline for 10 cents a gallon, and they would pump it, check the engine oil, and clean my windshield.” Pirate AmmoOne comment suggested that the powder price increase actually tracks general U.S. dollar inflation over the past four decades. Powder price increases may not be as bad as it seems when compared with how prices have increased since 1978. “Using H4895 (list price) as a comparison in 1978, calculates to $275 today’s money. Powder Valley prices look like [$340] in August 2023 for the same item [a 24% increase]. If someone really needs powder, they may have to pay more than suggested retail. — Drover Related Posts:Tags : Hodgdon Powder Inflation, O.K., H4831. Weber, Reloading Scarcity