Small Regular Pistol primers shortage? (March-'17)

[JBinMN]

Has it just been bad luck for me in the last two weeks? I have traveled quite a few miles in the last couple of weeks & everywhere I have stopped to look, they are out of Small Pistol primers, but have everything else. And in the 4 brands of Win., Rem. CCI, & Fed.. I was lucky today & bought 4 boxes of the Rem.,( which I have never used before) since I could not find any of the other 3 in Small Pistol.

I have looked in SE Minn at the larger stores( like Fleet Farm) & even stopped at a type of Tractor supply in Ashland Wisc. yesterday in my travels to see if any were available with no luck. Everything else well stocked, but no Small Pistol primers...

I don't know the where abouts of many of the small "Ma & Pa' LGS that might have them, so I can't say they are not available at all, but in the bigger stores things are not looking good around here.. Has me worried, anyway.


Anyone else having a similar trouble?

[BNE]

All are available here.

[scattershot]

If you have a Cabela's up there, they carry Sellier and Bellot, which work fine and are pretty inexpensive. You can also get them online.

Good luck!

[emorris]

Sometimes your forced to do the mail order thing. As always the key is a bulk order to spread out the shipping fees. I don't have a local shop that I can source out reloading components, so I don't feel bad about sending money to non local venders. Cabelas actually has Winchester Small Pistol primers on sale right now and you can get $5.00 shipping (plus hazmat).

[C. Latch]

Powder Valley has three different SPPs in stock right now.

[JBinMN]

Thanks! I will try to call Cabelas & see tomorrow morning.

I don't buy them online though, the costs with the hazard fee & shipping means a sleeve of 1000 would be like $65.00., when most of the time locally they are $38-42 for that same sleeve. Can't afford that cost right now.


Thanks for the replies though folks! It appears that this might just be a fairly local thing then... I hope it ends soon.

[JBinMN]

Powder Valley has three different SPPs in stock right now.

I will check these folks out also, but when I see those haz mat fees & the shipping, I choke.

[Dpmsman]

The willmar runnings had federal and remington for sure maybe cci. The willmar gun show is this weekend you could make a trip out of it.

[shoot-n-lead]

I will check these folks out also, but when I see those haz mat fees & the shipping, I choke.

You have to order more than 1K primers and 1lb of powder.

[JBinMN]

Yes. I understand. I have no need for any more dies, molds, brass , etc. right now though. I am just a small time caster & reloader, with just me & the missus with the occasional 2 sons & DIL to shoot with us. I am sitting now with aprox. 800+ small pistol cases to finish & I only have 4-500 primers. Just got the 400 today. Been looking for them for about 10 days in the areas I have been, with no luck.

I am also limited in $$ to afford to buy much in bulk for the future, so I have to get what I can when I can. Thus, the "choking" on those fees.


Thanks though.

[JBinMN]

The willmar runnings had federal and remington for sure maybe cci. The willmar gun show is this weekend you could make a trip out of it.

Just got back from Ashland, Wisc. on a 400 mile roundtrip & am wore out. And.. None to be found where I checked there also. had to leave to early for the last LGS/Range to open for them...
I do have a buddy going to Superior/Duluth who is going to look for me also, though. He will buy some & save them for the next trip one of us makes...
Thanks for mentioning the Wilmar show though. Like I said, maybe it is just local to me down here in the lower right corner area.

[Reddirt62]

I just ordered 10k from xtreme to see how they work.

[retread]

Grafs has CCI on sale for $135.99 for 5000.

[rototerrier]

Surely a 400 mile trip costs more than the $25 hazmat fee?

[JBinMN]

That trip was to get tires for my sons car at an old friend of mines tire shop. Tires installed for cost rather than full price. The fuel cost was $40. Saved a couple hundred $$ & spent time with a guy I have known for 40+ years & do not see as often as the years pass. Priceless....


I am going to save up to buy some primers & powder in bulk. Apparently that is the better way than searching for what I am looking for. Now I just need to locate some 2400 powder, LOL.

Thanks for the help!

[reddog81]

Weird. Down in central Iowa SPPs are easy to find. Scheels, Sportmans Warehouse, Mills Fleet Farm all have most brands.

[Mytmousemalibu]

Pretty much everything is available around here..... EXEPT FEDERALS!

Drives me crazy. I primarily run Federal primers since most of my ammo is for competition and I have multiple gun that only eat Federal primers. Plus I just prefer them, they are the tippy top for reliable ignition. Nobody else makes anything on par as far as sensitive goes. And I can't get any of the damn things. Neither SPP or SPM. Heck id run the Fed small rifle but I haven't seen them either. Federal doesn't seem interested in supporting handloaders it seems. Wished someone else would step up to the plate and make a competitive product.

[toallmy]

Yep can't even order fed small rifle primers . Checked midway , mid south , nanchez .......

[JBinMN]

Yep can't even order fed small rifle primers . Checked midway , mid south , nanchez .......

You might have missed this page when searching:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/953...le-primers-205

G'Luck!

[dverna]

JB,

At times, I will go in with a bunch of guys from the gun club and/or friends to justify a group buy to spread the cost of shipping and Hazmat fees. One caution, get the money up front if money is tight. I had one guy back out and had to eat his share but it was stuff I was using anyway; so I got more inventory and learned he was a jerk...win/win.