Hodgdon Bought RCBS - am I the only guy who missed the press announcement?

[44hunter45]

Hodgdon Acquires RCBS: What It Means For Handloading Segment - Shooting Industry Magazine

Hodgdon Powder Company has acquired RCBS. What does this mean for retail partners and the handloading segment?

shootingindustry.com

 

[EastTNHunter]

Yep, it’s going the way of the industry… multicorporational conglomerates being made up of capital investment firms. At least Hodgdon is an American, family owned company hat has been around the block for a while. Still feels like getting close to a monopoly

 

[44hunter45]

Yep, it’s going the way of the industry… multicorporational conglomerates being made up of capital investment firms. At least Hodgdon is an American, family owned company hat has been around the block for a while. Still feels like getting close to a monopoly

Too bad they didn't get the powder business too. Hodgdon seems to be the only outfit that can keep product on the shelves.

 

[std7mag]

Too bad they didn't get the powder business too. Hodgdon seems to be the only outfit that can keep product on the shelves.

Really??
Seen any of their Enduron line recently?
I can go to my local distributor and get any of the Vihtavouri powders.
All are in stock at reasonable prices.

 

[44hunter45]

Really??
Seen any of their Enduron line recently?
I can go to my local distributor and get any of the Vihtavouri powders.
All are in stock at reasonable prices.

I like Viht, but I can't get it locally. I buy it when I'm on road trips.
Locally, I can have any powder I want, as long as its Hodgdon.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Really??
Seen any of their Enduron line recently?
I can go to my local distributor and get any of the Vihtavouri powders.
All are in stock at reasonable prices.

I thought that IMR discontinued the Enduron line? I may be wrong but at least some of them were discontinued for sure

 

[EastTNHunter]

Yep, I’m seeing reference to it in several forums and this article from a quick ddg search

In Pursuit Of Powder: Enduron Discontinued

Enduron Discontinued: Now that this popular smokeless powder is no longer an option, what substitutes are viable for reloading?

gundigest.com

 

[Guy]

Yes, the Enduron line was discontinued. Too bad, I'd found some real nice loads for it, particularly with IMR 8133 and the 7mm Rem Mag. Excellent accuracy and velocity. Ah well... My son's rifle shoots particularly well with it, and I've got enough on hand to load him ammo for a few more seasons probably.

Guy

 

[FREAK]

Yep, it’s going the way of the industry… multicorporational conglomerates being made up of capital investment firms. At least Hodgdon is an American, family owned company hat has been around the block for a while. Still feels like getting close to a monopoly

They were owned by Vistaoutdoor before being purchased by Hodgdon. If anything they went from a much larger conglomerate to one that is smaller and much closer to their core competencies. I think it’s a great move for them.

 

[44hunter45]

They were owned by Vistaoutdoor before being purchased by Hodgdon. If anything they went from a much larger conglomerate to one that is smaller and much closer to their core competencies. I think it’s a great move for them.

View attachment 333935View attachment 333936

Agreed - Glad this didn't go to an Eastern Euro mega-corp.

Revelyst consists only of the Vista division formerly known as "Outdoor Products". The other division of Vista, "The Kinetic Group" (once Sporting Products) is the subject of a proposed merger agreement with The Czechoslovak Group, aka "CSC"

https://investors.vistaoutdoor.com/Investors/news/news-details/2024/Vista-Outdoor-Announces-Increased-Purchase-Price-from-CSG-for-The-Kinetic-Group-of-2.15-Billion-and-Increased-Cash-Consideration-of-24.00-Per-Share/default.aspx

This stockholder report shows The Kinetic Group is still expected to produce as much as $1.47B in 2025. More revenue than the Revelyst division.

While this started as a cash sale to CSC, it is now a merger agreement. This will join the companies and give CSC a broader footprint in the US.

Earlier this year Sen Vance threw a red flag on that play. You can google it. He asserts that CSC has ties to Putin and the sale would put our military ammo production at risk.

Large shareholder Gates Capital has written an open letter to the Vista Board in opposition. I do not think this fight is lost quite yet.

GATES CAPITAL MANAGEMENT EXPRESSES CONTINUED OPPOSITION TO VISTA OUTDOOR'S PROPOSED SALE OF THE KINETIC GROUP TO CSG

www.morningstar.com

This is even weirder than last week's threads which Big Fin locked. US and German intelligence claim to have foiled a plot by Russia to assassinate the head of Rheinmetall AG, the parent company of Nitrochemie, the parent company of Reload Swiss. Reload Swiss makes, wait for it....

Reloder 17, Reloder 26, Reloder 33, and Reloder 50 for distribution by Vista brand Alliant Powders. The scarcity of those products is directly attributable to manufacturing priorities for Rheinmetall AG in their support of Ukraine.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-tried-assassinate-ceo-arms-firm-sending-weapons-ukraine-cnn-reports-2024-07-11/

I have enough primers, rimfire shells, and bullets to last until the end of my days. Given what I glean from the above Vista investor's report, I will no longer knowingly do business with Vista or CSC owned brands. If you add CSC to the mix, it also includes FIOCCHI ammo, and some fine Italian shotguns I would never have bought anyway.

I would still have bought my weight in RL-26, but alas...

I am writing the CEO and board of Vista today to tell them of my intent. One mouse raising his middle finger. I personally believe Vista is knowingly abandoning the US citizen shooter market.

In my gut I feel Senator Vance is right about this one. Before you all pile on, I literally had never heard of Vance until the RNC convention announcement of his selection as Trump's running mate. Please let's leave that alone. None of this is about who I plan to vote for.

If anyone wishes to follow me in this - DM me for the direct email addresses of the investor relations team and the Board Of Directors for Vista.

@Big Fin - You made me an activist, I'm going to be one. If you exercise your right as the owner of this outfit to shut me down, I understand. This is not really in keeping with the HT mission statement, and I get it. In my defense, I believe that access to ammo and hand loading components is an intrinsic part of the HT mission. Of course none of Vista's brands are aligned with your organization. Fair enough. I will put our relationship first, but I will certainly continue this fight on other venues. You have the final word on what belongs on your platforms.

 

[TheTone]

I’ve got a ton of family connections to cci, Speer etc. the whole deal strikes me as odd. I sighted in a new rifle today with hornady factory ammo. Never would have dreamed of doing that when I was younger

 

[EastTNHunter]

The industry has made strange bedfellows over the past decade or so, from Cerberus to Freedom Group to Vista and others. The proposed sale of Vista to the eastern bloc oligarch is what I was referring to when I stated that at least RCBS was staying with an established family owned company with deep ties in the industry. Hodgdon has bought up a lot of the powder companies, and now RCBS, but I don’t think that they’re going offshore anytime soon.

Hornady is owned and produced in the heartland (Nebraska) as well, but you may be surprised at how some interdependencies in the industry work for items like powder and primers. That’s why I pull for companies like White River Energetics out of Arkansas who has started manufacturing primers. I’m probably about to pick up some LR primers from them through Midsouth or Powder Valley fairly soon, as they are occasionally available but still pretty expensive… I just hope that they are a good quality product and that the company doesn’t get bought up by some capital venture group

 

[EastTNHunter]

I’ve got a ton of family connections to cci, Speer etc. the whole deal strikes me as odd. I sighted in a new rifle today with hornady factory ammo. Never would have dreamed of doing that when I was younger

Hornady has been pushing the envelope on marketing their new products lately. They are admittedly well designed cartridges (Creedmoor, ARC, PRC) and projectiles (ELDM, ELDX, A tip, VT Match, etc), but not quite the hyperbolic earth changing advancements that they claim. But their baseline products are usually available, good quality, and mostly affordable. It’s really hard to beat an interlock for a “poor man’s premium bullet.” And the American Whitetail or Black lines of ammo are usually hard to beat for the price

 

[mtmuley]

Hornady stuff is not for me. I use a lot of powders. Alliant a lot. Hornady just doesn't have a bullet I want to load. Well, except for the 40 gr V-Max in my .222 Remington. mtmuley

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Really??
Seen any of their Enduron line recently?
I can go to my local distributor and get any of the Vihtavouri powders.
All are in stock at reasonable prices.

As has been stated, we’re nearly 2 years from when the discontinuation of the enduron line was announced.

I’m a fan of viht. Used to be that they were way more expensive than Hodgdon and alliant so I couldn’t justify using it but that has flipped recently.

 

[mtmuley]

but that has flipped recently.

So how long will that last as I read more and more shooters have "flipped" recently? mtmuley

 

[Nicoli7153]

Hodgdon Acquires RCBS: What It Means For Handloading Segment - Shooting Industry Magazine

Hodgdon Powder Company has acquired RCBS. What does this mean for retail partners and the handloading segment?

shootingindustry.com

Hopefully they improve RCBS's quality and customer support. From my dealings with them it has really slid down hill. Can't even get basic stuff like a shellholder

 

[NY_BLUES]

I havent had any issues getting supplies from RCBS. Dies, holders, trimmer pilots, priming tool, all available and if you shop around, not too much of a mark up. Maybe the local shooting store doesn't have it, but Amazon, ebay, Brownells, mid south, they all have lots of Inventory.

Now if we just get large rifle primers to show back up, I'd be all set.

 

[antelopedundee]

Yes, the Enduron line was discontinued. Too bad, I'd found some real nice loads for it, particularly with IMR 8133 and the 7mm Rem Mag. Excellent accuracy and velocity. Ah well... My son's rifle shoots particularly well with it, and I've got enough on hand to load him ammo for a few more seasons probably.

Guy

Pick up a little more if you can when you see it for sale

 

[antelopedundee]

As has been stated, we’re nearly 2 years from when the discontinuation of the enduron line was announced.

I’m a fan of viht. Used to be that they were way more expensive than Hodgdon and alliant so I couldn’t justify using it but that has flipped recently.

There was scuttlebutt that they were bringing it back, but it seems that that never materialized.