#2A - U.S. Ammunition Supply Faces Increasing Critical Shortages
The Impact of Global Conflicts & Manufacturing Strain
In the wake of mounting global tensions and disruptions to key supply chains, the U.S. ammunition industry is facing significant challenges. Several recent developments are converging to create a perfect storm that could lead to a gunpowder shortage, threatening both military and civilian ammunition supplies.
Alliant Powders Suspends Reloading Shipments
Back in May 2024, Alliant Powders, a well-known producer of reloading powders like Bullseye and Unique, surprised everyone by suspending shipments of its smokeless powders. This decision, driven by global conflicts—most notably the war in Ukraine—was fueled by a bottleneck in the production of nitrocellulose, the key ingredient in gunpowder. Alliant, owned by Vista Outdoor, prioritized its military contracts, diverting all nitrocellulose to ammunition production for defense purposes. This has left civilian reloaders scrambling for alternatives.
Alliant’s absence from the market is expected to continue until either military demand decreases or the production of defense-grade nitrocellulose expands—neither of which is likely to happen soon. Reloaders who have relied on Alliant’s gunpowder products are now being forced to switch to other brands, which may not have the same performance characteristics as their preferred powders.
China’s Chokehold on Ammunition Components…