Has Anyone Found Primers In Stock........Anywhere?

[Hanzy4200]

Title says it. I am not yet in a bad way, but I have a number of new reloaders I am helping who are. Has anyone found anything in stock online?

[quilbilly]

The only ones I have seen in the last couple months around here have been LR primers.

[bangerjim]

The lefties will not have to take your guns. They scare all these stupid hoarders into buying up everything in sight and then nobody can reload to feed their guns.

Period. End of story. What good is our 2nd without ammo. I guess you can always throw your gun or beat them over the head with it! While the criminals/ANTIFA/BLM anarchists will still have plenty of ammo.......furnished by Soros and his evil minions.

[Hanzy4200]

It just seems odd that NOBODY has been getting re stocked. I get that CCI and others probably make much higher profit margins on loaded ammo, but it just feels screwy. Last panics some places like powder valley would at least get a few cases every month or so.

I had picked up the last 4 bricks of CCI SR primers at my Walmart maybe 6 weeks ago. They still had 4 bricks of LR when I bought them. Stopped on my way home from work today, and sure enough, there were still 4 bricks sitting there. Figured I had given anyone needy a fair enough shot. Took 3 of the 4.

[Idz]

I suspect all the primers are being diverted to the big ammo makers. We get whatever is left over which is currently nothing. Lucky for me I stocked up just before the insanity and those primers actually were boxed and labeled for commercial use.

[dverna]

It's suspect it is all about margins.

If a company can sell ammunition it has more "value added" so primers will go there first. Then, any they cannot use, will go to either the companies that sell reloaded ammunition or distributors. I have seen 9mm FMJ selling for $30/box and 5.56 FMJ for $1000/case. Hard to believe!!! If it was your business, where would you direct primer production?

[MUSTANG]

It's suspect it is all about margins.

If a company can sell ammunition it has more "value added" so primers will go there first. Then, any they cannot use, will go to either the companies that sell reloaded ammunition or distributors. I have seen 9mm FMJ selling for $30/box and 5.56 FMJ for $1000/case. Hard to believe!!! If it was your business, where would you direct primer production?

If it were "MY BUSINESS" I would be hiring more people, directing 24 hour, 7 day a week production of primers (+),and expand the shop space to meet demand. Of course; when demand drops of I would reduce to 8/40 shifts (and less if required), and put expanded shop space into moth balls.

Of course; I have had a diverse life starting with "YES; I PICKED COTTON by hand when very young" and learned that harvesting crops, making hay, and making a profit required immediate and long committed hours when an opportunity comes to exploit that opportunity (as well as tightening the belt and making do when times are bad). I also took "Formal" learning in life that reinforced my early education (BBA/MS/MBA).

[TyGuy]

My (semi) local Bass Pro had two bricks of LR magnums and a brick of 209s with a limit of 200 primers per sale. Aside from that I’ve found nothing in the last few months. I have alerts set for Grafs but nothing is coming up yet. I’m not desperate yet but I’d feel better if I had another brick of each type.

[evort]

I have been able to get large pistol magnum and small pistol magnum primers. Large rifle are easy to find, large pistol kind of easy to find, small pistol and small rifle are exceedingly difficult to get, have to call around every day and/or drop in the stores frequently.

[kungfustyle]

Like last time (when Ohbummer was in office) if you want to reload go out and buy a 300 win mag stuff on the selves for that but nothing for smaller. :(

[smkummer]

Found some small pistol magnum primers for a few friends that just got into reloading. They just back off powder charge .3 grains and they work fine in 9mm.

[Chad5005]

just got 4k today from a lgs but im afraid thats the end around here

[reddog81]

If it were "MY BUSINESS" I would be hiring more people, directing 24 hour, 7 day a week production of primers (+),and expand the shop space to meet demand. Of course; when demand drops of I would reduce to 8/40 shifts (and less if required), and put expanded shop space into moth balls.

But that doesn’t work for something like primers. You’ll spend $100,000,000 on the specialized facility and then you’ll have to find employees who know how to use all that equipment or spend huge sums training them. By the time you can sell the first primer from this new line, demand will have dropped off a cliff and your old facilities capacity will be adequate. Now your stuck paying for a new facility that’s not being used and creditors are pounding on your doors. Hello bankruptcy!

[reddog81]

If looking for primers I think you’ll have better luck finding stuff locally vs online. Call all your local stores ask if they have anything in stock. They’ll say nope. Now politely ask them when they might get some more back in stock. If the person on the phone is knowledgeable and helpful there’s a good chance they’ll tell you when they get restocked. Call back at that time and repeat the process. Back in 2013 I was able to find all powders and primers I needed rather quickly using this method when I starting reloading.

Buying online right now is just a matter of setting up “Notify me when in stock” alerts or just perusing reloading websites on hourly (or more frequent) basis. Online you’ll be fighting against scalpers who are buying and reselling along with everyone else who’s looking.

[jdfoxinc]

Hello? Covid shutdown?

[M-Tecs]

If it were "MY BUSINESS" I would be hiring more people, directing 24 hour, 7 day a week production of primers (+),and expand the shop space to meet demand. Of course; when demand drops of I would reduce to 8/40 shifts (and less if required), and put expanded shop space into moth balls.



They did that with the last big panic. Most stated they will not do that again since after the panic they the market was so flat after the panic they lost significant amounts of money due to the increased costs of the expanded operations. That was this spring so they may have changed positions based on on the new gun owners.

[dverna]

If it were "MY BUSINESS" I would be hiring more people, directing 24 hour, 7 day a week production of primers (+),and expand the shop space to meet demand. Of course; when demand drops of I would reduce to 8/40 shifts (and less if required), and put expanded shop space into moth balls.

Of course; I have had a diverse life starting with "YES; I PICKED COTTON by hand when very young" and learned that harvesting crops, making hay, and making a profit required immediate and long committed hours when an opportunity comes to exploit that opportunity (as well as tightening the belt and making do when times are bad). I also took "Formal" learning in life that reinforced my early education (BBA/MS/MBA).

I have been in manufacturing most of my life and it is not that easy. We were set up to run 24/7 during our peak months and dialed back when things got slow. Once running 24/7 there is nothing that can be done.

Successful companies do not invest in overcapacity. It is capital intensive and the economics do not work. It made more sense for us to invest in warehousing and at times we rented space to stockpile inventory in anticipation the peaks. Not sure what the regulations are for stocking piling millions of primers so that may not make sense. With primers lasing indefinitely, it is a viable solution if insurance and regulatory constraints can be met.

We also ran up inventory before contract negotiations. Helped in more than one way.

We only added capacity when we could forecast market growth or the exiting of a competitor. Short term demand spikes, like this one, would not trigger investing.

[Tonto]

As with most of these shortages, when the supply catches back up the price will magically settle at around $50/thousand and most of us will just be happy to get them. With 9mm ammo selling for a buck a round, that's where the primers are going. Finite capacity to produce, follow the money.

[Divil]

I picked up 1000 small pistol primers at my local gunshop 2 weeks ago. They got in 1 shipment, limited the quantity to 1000 per customer and were still out by the end of business that same day. Just happened to be at the right place at the right moment. Crazy times.

[Rick Hodges]

Shotgun primers and LR magnum at Jay's in Gaylord, Michigan last week. Limiting quantities to 400 at a time.

[Stewbaby]

My local shops say January for small pistol, ugh

[panhed65]

I was at one of the local places I buy reloading stuff from on Saturday, he had tens of thousands of primers, but they are $45.00 per 1000. don't really need any that bad, but did spend 1/2 hour in the bullet room. brought home 500 224 sp's. I always like the bullet room, the size of a decent bedroom, wall to wall floor to top of wall bullets on shelves, bullets on the floor. makes me smile.
Barry

[Green Frog]

An acquaintance at my shooting club had bought a bunch of primers of all sizes in an estate sale several years ago and back in the Winter offered SPPs for $17/1000. I told him I’d take them (he only had 3000) but didn’t hear from him again until yesterday, so I thought I’d missed out. Yesterday he showed up at a club meeting and had me come out to his truck to pick up the primers he’d saved for me. He still was expecting $17/1000, but I was so grateful I paid him $20/1000 and made him extra happy as well. I really wasn’t that low on SPPs and these were CCIs, but they make up a sort of cushion until things get back to “normal.” I can use them in my 9mm Smiths since they’re a little too hard for my revolvers.

Froggie

[Winger Ed.]

Our local guy always has several hundred or 1,000 of each on the shelf at about $4. per hundred.
I don't know how big his stash is, or how he's resupplied, but he seems to keep out enough to do what ya want to do,
but no one person is going to come in and clean him out either.

[44Blam]

My local gun shop rations out Small Rifle per visit. They'll give you 200 at a time. But there are Large Rifle and ShotShell primers...
So, just gonna have to defend your house from either 300 yards out or 10 feet in. :-o

[kevin c]

My club has primers in stock, but is limiting sales to 1K per customer. The manager said he needs to limit sales to avoid the buying in panic/hoarding quantities that would empty the storage area in very short order, and because the price has been kept low, he doesn't want the more enterprising souls to do the Walmart parking lot gouging thing when the intent is to get members through this tough spell without emptying their wallets. Similarly, I've helped out a couple friends, selling them primers at cost, but I'm rethinking my approach, not in terms of price (I'm not quite the cold hearted capitalist that'd sell at current GB auction prices), but how many and how often.

[LAH]

When the ammo panic ends there will be plenty of primers. Same as last time & when they stop moving they will go on sale & according to how long that is I might purchase a few. If you're needing primers today it might be a hard search.

[RyanJames170]

All the local places by me are bought up, did find some loaded ammo though, was a bit piggy about it but I don’t make it down to that store very often to play by the rules, and buy 2 boxes a day lol. Was able to work out with my dad to be able to round up some 380, 9mm and 270 ammo

[tazman]

Sorry, but I haven't been looking for them. I still have enough to run me for at least another four years at current consumption rates not including loaded ammo.

[Mal Paso]

At current consumption rates I could live forever and never run out.

[Thunder Stick]

A couple weeks ago, I was at the oldest gun shop in my area. I have never seen so many people in that place, where I have been going since 1980. Managed to pick up a set of 45ACP dies and 500 cast 230 grain RN boolits. They didn't have any boolit moulds. An old timer next to me asked if they had any primers. The salesman literally laughed out loud.

From what I read online, ammo manufactures are cranking out all the ammo they can to meet demand. That is what is using up the primer supply. It is what it is. Remember the .22 rimfire ammo shortage? Eventually it ended and we all stocked up. This shortage will end too. When it does, buy 'em cheap and stack 'em deep.

[Slugster]

I'm still using primers that I bought just before the "Assault Weapons Ban" went into effect. Continued to stock up as sales and extra cash permitted. At this point I suspect that I will have enough primers to last me until I reach my 160th birthday.

The old story of the ant and the grasshopper comes to mind.

[bakerjw]

Remember the .22 rimfire ammo shortage? Eventually it ended and we all stocked up.
The prices never dropped though. We all remember the days of 2 or 3 cents per .22LR. Then they forced us to accept 7 or 8 cents as the norm. Heck that's what I considered the norm for 9mm.

I paid too much for SPP from a member liquidating everything but I've got enough to reload pistol rounds for years to come. I need to post on armslist and see if anyone local wants to trade for some LPP or SRP.

[rockrat]

Was in a gun store this past Friday and they said they were expecting 300K primers in this week. $50/k is their price

[Russel A]

I have not seen any small pistol primers in 5 weeks. Maybe 7 sleeves of LR primers and down to 2 sleeves of shotgun primes left at the one store by me.
Even Remington gold .22's are $4.85 per 50 rounds now.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

there was plenty from several vendors at the local gunshow last weekend.
I bought a brick of CCI LPP and some cards (100 ea) of vintage "staynless" winchester LPP.

[Froogal]

The lefties will not have to take your guns. They scare all these stupid hoarders into buying up everything in sight and then nobody can reload to feed their guns.

Period. End of story. What good is our 2nd without ammo. I guess you can always throw your gun or beat them over the head with it! While the criminals/ANTIFA/BLM anarchists will still have plenty of ammo.......furnished by Soros and his evil minions.

My philosophy exactly! They have tried and failed to take our guns, so they are taking our ammo instead.

[MUSTANG]

But that doesn’t work for something like primers. You’ll spend $100,000,000 on the specialized facility and then you’ll have to find employees who know how to use all that equipment or spend huge sums training them. By the time you can sell the first primer from this new line, demand will have dropped off a cliff and your old facilities capacity will be adequate. Now your stuck paying for a new facility that’s not being used and creditors are pounding on your doors. Hello bankruptcy!


Your description is similar to the arguments for "JIT" (Just In Time) manufacturing and distribution. Works great as long as everything flows at a constant rate. The train goes off the rails if it slows or demand accelerates. We as a Nation offshore our Drug and Medical facility productions; predominantly to China and look at where that got us - inability to get/make WoHoo Masks, Respirators, medical gowns, pharmaceuticals, etc...


As to your observation on production of primers and a $100,000,000.00 facility cost.
(1) A day is 24 hours, and a week is 7 days. The facility is operating below capacity if not operated 24/7. Quite acceptable in order to provide "Surge Capacity" by adding overtime or additional shifts up to 24/7 to meet up and down trend requirements; or reducing down below a single shift when sales are bad.

(2) Training of staff. This is always a challenge for any operation be it picking cotton by hand in the field, making primers, providing medical services, building battleships, or in heavily regulated industries such as the nuclear power/weapons arena. It is a foolish management team that limits themselves to staff on hand only; with no ability to surge operations through overtime; or a plan to hire/train and expand operations (often splitting the core workers to lead/manage the expansion teams).

(3) Expanding an existing facility that cost $100,000,000.00 to expand operations requires additional expenditure ; but no where near a duplication of the cost for the original facility.

Lastly; I worked in the environments of 1,2, and 3 above for decades. I am available to "Fix the Problem" should any producer of primers, powder, our.... need consultation or a "Turn Over" expert. The problems we see are generally driven by what I call the Yarvard MBA's - a misdirected philosophy driven by the MBA programs of Harvard, Yale, UCLA, et.al. that are focused on short term profits, breaking up companies that are "Worth More as Parts than as a Whole", and many other flaws that focus on short term (usually personal) gain for the Senior Management rather than the long term success of the enterprise and benefit go the average stock holder (not just the super stockholders, Board, and Senior Management)

[LAH]

My philosophy exactly! They have tried and failed to take our guns, so they are taking our ammo instead.

Are you saying there is a push by the left to buy up the ammo from here out to keep us from having ammo? Do you feel that is what's happening at present? Is that how they are taking our ammo? Just trying to understand yours & others philosophy. Sounds interesting.

[kevin c]

Are you saying there is a push by the left to buy up the ammo from here out to keep us from having ammo? Do you feel that is what's happening at present? Is that how they are taking our ammo? Just trying to understand yours & others philosophy. Sounds interesting.

I guess you don't live in California...

[fredj338]

If it were "MY BUSINESS" I would be hiring more people, directing 24 hour, 7 day a week production of primers (+),and expand the shop space to meet demand. Of course; when demand drops of I would reduce to 8/40 shifts (and less if required), and put expanded shop space into moth balls.

Of course; I have had a diverse life starting with "YES; I PICKED COTTON by hand when very young" and learned that harvesting crops, making hay, and making a profit required immediate and long committed hours when an opportunity comes to exploit that opportunity (as well as tightening the belt and making do when times are bad). I also took "Formal" learning in life that reinforced my early education (BBA/MS/MBA).

Well you wouldnt because its cyclical. In 2012-13 primer manuf did go 24-7 but held off building new facilities. This is a bit diff. With covid, they really cant run 24-7. it would require time between shifts to completely clean & sterilize, every day, every shift. Otherwise they set themselves up for lawsuits. No this is diff. All pistol primers are going into ammo.
I doubt hoarders are causing this. There are 25M new handgun owners, probably as any new rifle owners. If everyone just got 100rds of ammo with their new toy, that is 2.5B rds. Then add in al the regular buyers that are adding to their supplies. Then add all the govt contracts for ammo. Then throw in the icing, which is the election. This wont go away until well after Jan & that is if Trump wins. If Biden wins, I dont see any let up, maybe next year about this time we see primers, maybe.

[fredj338]

there was plenty from several vendors at the local gunshow last weekend.
I bought a brick of CCI LPP and some cards (100 ea) of vintage "staynless" winchester LPP.

Well plenty is relative & without cost, irrelevant. if you found old ss Win, then you bought primers from the early 90s that cost maybe $10/1000.

[LAH]

I guess you don't live in California...

No Sir, I don't live in California so guess I'm not up on that state. I just find it interesting that the left is buying ammo to take it from us. First I've heard of it but guess if they have enough money that will work.

[Slingin'Lead]

My local, 1 man, gun shop had 1k large pistol mag in stock that I grabbed. Paid $35. I asked the owner when he might get some SP or SR in and he replied "No idea. Anything that even looks like a primer is scarce."

That said, he did have a decent supply of LR and shotgun.

[Hanzy4200]

I am eager to get to a gun show. They canceled most in my area until the last 6 weeks or so, and my schedule hasn't permitted me to go. I expect to see some available in the $60-$80 range.

[marek313]

Its not unusual for primers and things to be out around election time but we hit a triple whamy here:

1. Election year (high demand)
2. COVID19 (poor manufacturing and supply)
3. Antifa/Burn Loot Murder riots. (high demand)

Combination of those 3 is going to linger for a while I'm afraid. Good thing I found stuff on sale in the spring right before covid hit so I'm good .

[USSR]

Well you wouldnt because its cyclical. In 2012-13 primer manuf did go 24-7 but held off building new facilities. This is a bit diff. With covid, they really cant run 24-7. it would require time between shifts to completely clean & sterilize, every day, every shift. Otherwise they set themselves up for lawsuits. No this is diff. All pistol primers are going into ammo.
I doubt hoarders are causing this. There are 25M new handgun owners, probably as any new rifle owners. If everyone just got 100rds of ammo with their new toy, that is 2.5B rds. Then add in al the regular buyers that are adding to their supplies. Then add all the govt contracts for ammo. Then throw in the icing, which is the election. This wont go away until well after Jan & that is if Trump wins. If Biden wins, I dont see any let up, maybe next year about this time we see primers, maybe.

fredj338 nailed it.

Don

[Froogal]

No Sir, I don't live in California so guess I'm not up on that state. I just find it interesting that the left is buying ammo to take it from us. First I've heard of it but guess if they have enough money that will work.

It is only a theory, but considering that firearms and ammo sales have been steadily increasing every single month for several years now, don't try to tell me that the manufacturers did not see the hand writing on the wall and increase production to satisfy the demand. When you have guys like George Soros footing the bill, ammo hoarding is quite likely, and if the bad guys have all the ammo, your guns are totally useless, and you cannot fight back.

[BamaNapper]

I scored the mother load recently. A friend from out of state just got into reloading and found a small LGS with primers on the shelf. My friend was in and out of that shop a number of times over the last couple months and would always ask if I needed anything. Primers was always on the list. He was limited how many he could get on any given trip. When he came to visit last week he dropped off 6,000. There were 2 boxes each of SP, SPMagnum, and SR. All of them were priced $35 /thousand. Maybe 6000 primers isn't the mother load for some folks, but it will keep me going for a while.

[HATCH]

Its not unusual for primers and things to be out around election time but we hit a triple whamy here:

1. Election year (high demand)
2. COVID19 (poor manufacturing and supply)
3. Antifa/Burn Loot Murder riots. (high demand)

Combination of those 3 is going to linger for a while I'm afraid. Good thing I found stuff on sale in the spring right before covid hit so I'm good .

We have a winner here.

Stop shooting if you are low on ammo or reloading supplies.
You will need the ammo later and may not be able to restock before that need arises.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[monadnock#5]

Years ago I read a story (prolly the American Rifleman) on how primers are made. The cups are laid in a form and then a worker with a plastic spatula smears the moist priming compound across the form and into the cups. Those employees with a real talent and ability, are the ones selected to do the match primers also.

I haven't seen any stories on the subject recently, and so it could be that the process has been completely modernized and streamlined with robots and conveyor belts. If it's still done the old fashioned way though, well don't hold your breath.

[Conditor22]

3min 45 seconds in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_O9gSKFguU&ab_channel=Gunpowder%26Gasoline

[ohiochuck]

Saw 5000 WW 209 primers at LGS on Saturday.

[popper]

Winger - might have to drive down there sometime, could use a brick of CCI SRP.

[megasupermagnum]

Well you wouldnt because its cyclical. In 2012-13 primer manuf did go 24-7 but held off building new facilities. This is a bit diff. With covid, they really cant run 24-7. it would require time between shifts to completely clean & sterilize, every day, every shift. Otherwise they set themselves up for lawsuits. No this is diff. All pistol primers are going into ammo.
I doubt hoarders are causing this. There are 25M new handgun owners, probably as any new rifle owners. If everyone just got 100rds of ammo with their new toy, that is 2.5B rds. Then add in al the regular buyers that are adding to their supplies. Then add all the govt contracts for ammo. Then throw in the icing, which is the election. This wont go away until well after Jan & that is if Trump wins. If Biden wins, I dont see any let up, maybe next year about this time we see primers, maybe.

This might be true in California, but not true in most of the country. Minnesota, where Federal primers are made, does not require a business to shut down. The company I work at always has, and is still running 3 shifts. We also run most of Saturday, and open early Sunday. There is less than 16 hours we are closed in an average week, and that is not because of any regulation. Our sanitizing is done every shift, while people are working.

No, what we have here is a plain and simple high demand, with a supply that hasn't caught up yet. It's not a matter of hiring more workers. I never worked at Federal, but I'm guessing they are already running the machinery they have to their potential. Investing in more machinery only for these surges is not a good business strategy. We are not talking about buying a new oven here. When you get into real industrial equipment, the cost is measured in millions.

[Froogal]

This might be true in California, but not true in most of the country. Minnesota, where Federal primers are made, does not require a business to shut down. The company I work at always has, and is still running 3 shifts. We also run most of Saturday, and open early Sunday. There is less than 16 hours we are closed in an average week, and that is not because of any regulation. Our sanitizing is done every shift, while people are working.

No, what we have here is a plain and simple high demand, with a supply that hasn't caught up yet. It's not a matter of hiring more workers. I never worked at Federal, but I'm guessing they are already running the machinery they have to their potential. Investing in more machinery only for these surges is not a good business strategy. We are not talking about buying a new oven here. When you get into real industrial equipment, the cost is measured in millions.

But it really is NOT a surge in demand. The demand has been steadily increasing month by month for about 4 years now, ever since it looked like Hillary might get elected, and the demand is not likely to drop off even AFTER Trump gets elected for another 4 years.

[MUSTANG]

This might be true in California, but not true in most of the country. Minnesota, where Federal primers are made, does not require a business to shut down. The company I work at always has, and is still running 3 shifts. We also run most of Saturday, and open early Sunday. There is less than 16 hours we are closed in an average week, and that is not because of any regulation. Our sanitizing is done every shift, while people are working.

No, what we have here is a plain and simple high demand, with a supply that hasn't caught up yet. It's not a matter of hiring more workers. I never worked at Federal, but I'm guessing they are already running the machinery they have to their potential. Investing in more machinery only for these surges is not a good business strategy. We are not talking about buying a new oven here. When you get into real industrial equipment, the cost is measured in millions.

Not sure the analysis of "Not worth investing in the surge is worth it" is valid.

In 2018 there were 8,100,000,000 (8.1 billion) rounds of ammunition manufactured in the US. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/atf-423-million-guns-in-america-1-2-per-person-8-1-billion-rounds-of-ammo-a-year

Each round has a primer; and at an average retail price of 3.5 cents that translates to $283.5 Million dollars retail in primer value. Making primers for a corporation is fairly cheap (when capital machinery and plant costs are discounted). Assuming 25% in direct costs (mfg, pkg, labor, shipping) and a 25% mark up for distributor/retail operations; it still leaves $141.75 Million. If we see only a surge of 10% demand increase in 2019 & 2020; that means a ~$30 Million increase in primer cash flow to the manufacturers. On the surface; looks to me like there is a case for a more detailed analysis of the viability of expanding primer production by the Ammunition industry - using more actual numbers in the analysis.

By the way; anecdotally - it appears there is a much greater expansion of Ammunition (by inference primers) demand than 10% in 2019 and 2020.

[Winger Ed.]

Winger - might have to drive down there sometime, could use a brick of CCI SRP.

I'd call ahead just to make sure they got what ya want on the shelf, it is "On Target" in Mabank.
There's not a huge number of reloaders here, but they take pretty good care of us.

[Texas Gun]

There is nothing in stock anywhere

[Conditor22]

Just got this from CCI:

Good afternoon

We are working 24/7 to try and keep up with demand
With ammunition in high demand, reloading went into high demand.
Once product hits the shelves it is sold within minutes therefore it is really hard to say where it might be available.

Thank you

Premium365 – Shooting Sports
Vista Outdoor
Premium365@vistaoutdoor.com
1-866-223-9388


From: noreply@cci-ammunition.com <noreply@cci-ammunition.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 12:52 PM
To: Premium 365 <Premium365@VistaOutdoor.com>
Subject: CCI Contact Us – Where to Buy

[reddog81]

But it really is NOT a surge in demand. The demand has been steadily increasing month by month for about 4 years now, ever since it looked like Hillary might get elected, and the demand is not likely to drop off even AFTER Trump gets elected for another 4 years.

In 2018 and 2019 demand dropped off quite a bit. I get emails from a variety of vendors and during the first half of 2019 ammo and component sellers were desperate to move product. Retailers had primers on sale and Federal and Winchester had rebates available. Same with Vihtavuori powders. I stocked up for just over $20 per thousand primers and under $25 per pound of Vihtavuori powders(normally they run $33 per pound).

[fcvan]

I loaded every casing I had that was empty, then made sure I had plenty of powder and primers, not to mention alloy for casting. I won't say how much or each but lets just say a lot. I'm good to wait for things to come down before I get the things I don't have much of, shot shell primers and #11 BP caps. I just don't shoot much of either, but I still need to maintain a supply of components. I just won't panic buy at stoooopid prices. Last time, I wouldn't pay more than $30/1000 for primers. I stocked up when things went back to $22.50/1000 from my supplier, sometimes with hazmat waived or reduced.

[Froogal]

Okay. I f the reason I cannot buy primers is because all of those are going into loaded ammo, then why can't I find any loaded ammo anywhere?

[Mike in MD]

While driving through Western PA yesterday, I found two LGS that had some LRP and LRMP Federal and some Winchester. The other had 209 primers. No one has any SRP or SPP on the shelf that I have seen. And have you seen the craziness on GB? Hundreds of dollars a brick!

[reddog81]

Okay. I f the reason I cannot buy primers is because all of those are going into loaded ammo, then why can't I find any loaded ammo anywhere?

It's out there. You just have to know where to look or be willing to pay high prices. I have a couple local shops that I watch their Facebook feed and at least once per week one of them gets in a decent shipment of ammo at reasonable prices. Otherwise check out ammoseek and get ready to pay through the nose.

[Dancing Bear]

After going through numerous "shortages" over the last 25 some years I learned to stock up when I really didn't need to on both ammo and reloading components. Would I like more just in case? Sure but I'm set for now.
$5.99 for a box of 50 9mm target ammo sounds like fiction now but that's what we were paying.

[megasupermagnum]

Not sure the analysis of "Not worth investing in the surge is worth it" is valid.

In 2018 there were 8,100,000,000 (8.1 billion) rounds of ammunition manufactured in the US. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/atf-423-million-guns-in-america-1-2-per-person-8-1-billion-rounds-of-ammo-a-year

Each round has a primer; and at an average retail price of 3.5 cents that translates to $283.5 Million dollars retail in primer value. Making primers for a corporation is fairly cheap (when capital machinery and plant costs are discounted). Assuming 25% in direct costs (mfg, pkg, labor, shipping) and a 25% mark up for distributor/retail operations; it still leaves $141.75 Million. If we see only a surge of 10% demand increase in 2019 & 2020; that means a ~$30 Million increase in primer cash flow to the manufacturers. On the surface; looks to me like there is a case for a more detailed analysis of the viability of expanding primer production by the Ammunition industry - using more actual numbers in the analysis.

By the way; anecdotally - it appears there is a much greater expansion of Ammunition (by inference primers) demand than 10% in 2019 and 2020.

I'm just a lowly technician. I work on machinery, currently diecast and CNC's. I won't pretend to have the first clue about how Federal, Winchester, and the other primer manufacturers should do things. If they think they can make more money by investing in more equipment and workers, they will do so. I will say I have set up a number of work cells, and it isn't an overnight process. One die cast machine we got in I think January 2019, and we have been working on it since. I helped move the diecast machine in, set it up, ran plumbing, hoses, set up guarding, robots, conveyors, all that good stuff. Plus there is machining, polishing, etc. to set up too. All of this, and we are only just recently getting the parts approved for production for Harley Davidson for the 2021 model year. That is on top of the time for the manufacturer to build the machine, which can easily be a year.

There is way more to expanding than most realize. I have no idea what a primer making machine looks like, but I'm thinking it is more than a quick bolt together, and plug in ordeal.

@Froogal, it most certainly is a surge. 2017-2019 was known as the Trump slump for firearms and ammunition sales. I do not know what the numbers were, or are now, but there is a drastic increase in demand this year.

[Winger Ed.]

Okay. I f the reason I cannot buy primers is because all of those are going into loaded ammo, then why can't I find any loaded ammo anywhere?

It's hoarding, just like what happened with Navy Literature (toilet paper) a few months ago.
People that used a package or two every so often would buy a whole grocery cart full of it.

How many stories have ya seen, even here, where some place would get in a small shipment of primers, powder, .22LRs,
have their buddy hold it back from the shelf, or see it in stock somewhere, and they'd buy it all?

Like anything else, If a few people do it, its no big deal, the system can absorb it.
If almost everybody does that,,,, here we are.

[mad88minutejohn]

Midway usa in-stock notifications have been my friend.

I got 5k spp and 5k srp

Shared 2k of the spp with a guy on another forum for cost.



Sent from my moto e6 using Tapatalk

[dwtim]

I'm in the Northeast, and the only thing I can't find are small pistol primers. (But there are still magnum pistol primers.) The things that I can't find are factory ammo for 9mm or 38 Special. But then, I load my own mostly. If it gets really stupid, I'll go back to cap-and-ball guns for fun. But I guarantee my current supplies will outlast a hoarder's bank account.

I have a long history of being a contrarian with my purchases. Just buy what's not popular, right?

[blikseme300]

I have been in manufacturing most of my life and it is not that easy. We were set up to run 24/7 during our peak months and dialed back when things got slow. Once running 24/7 there is nothing that can be done.

Successful companies do not invest in overcapacity. It is capital intensive and the economics do not work. It made more sense for us to invest in warehousing and at times we rented space to stockpile inventory in anticipation the peaks. Not sure what the regulations are for stocking piling millions of primers so that may not make sense. With primers lasing indefinitely, it is a viable solution if insurance and regulatory constraints can be met.

We also ran up inventory before contract negotiations. Helped in more than one way.

We only added capacity when we could forecast market growth or the exiting of a competitor. Short term demand spikes, like this one, would not trigger investing.

I work in the packaging manufacturing industry with the majority of our product being used by produce companies that package their product into consumer and bulk packaging. Think Full color Apple, potato, mozarella bags, etc, from 1.5# to 50#.

We are outfitted with enough equipment so as to be able to at peak times to run at around 85% sustained production in 8x3x7 shifts. The 15% is consumed by maintenance or breakdowns, etc. Prior to Covid we were at peak due to seasonal demands. Typical lead times for new orders was 3 weeks then. Now we are still at at new crazy peak, which has in the past been a slow time with 2 shifts of 7hrs only, and our lead times are in excess of 3 months. This is due to the huge shift in demand for end user packaging versus a large proportion used by the hospitality business. Will we spend more CAPEX to meet these new demands? Yes, but only to streamline and cut out some glaring bottle necks but not to be able to return to our previous lead times. Maybe 20~30% more than the previous financial year.

I was not prescient in stockpiling enough reloading components because of Covid but with the sales on these items last year and remembering the crazy behaviors in the past number of election years and having some disposable income I purchased a number of items that store well typically every month. Primers were on top of my list so every month 4 bricks of CCI were purchased, spread across what I typically use. There were also good deals on firearms and accessories requiring me to add another large safe. Am I a hoarder, maybe, but I was not caught with my pants down either.

At the indoor range I frequent during summer, 95~105Degrees not uncommon where I live I’m typically alone in the 15 lane range. In stock ammo is scarce and when available with a 1box limit. Lousy times but we need to simply wait it out.

I apologize for this long post but I’m stuck in hospital with tubes including a catheter inside me. I do not recommend this to anybody as your ability to do certain things are impaired. :groner:

[Froogal]

Midway usa in-stock notifications have been my friend.

I got 5k spp and 5k srp

Shared 2k of the spp with a guy on another forum for cost.



Sent from my moto e6 using Tapatalk

Yes. I AM signed up to receive notifications. Signed up at least 6 months ago. NOTHING!

I also check the website twice per day. Again, NOTHING. Same goes for Graf's and Natchez.

[mad88minutejohn]

Yes. I AM signed up to receive notifications. Signed up at least 6 months ago. NOTHING!

I also check the website twice per day. Again, NOTHING. Same goes for Graf's and Natchez.Its a bad situation. They were out of stock within minutes of the notification. If you get the email, dont dilly dally. Put it in the cart and check out.

Sent from my moto e6 using Tapatalk

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Well plenty is relative & without cost, irrelevant. if you found old ss Win, then you bought primers from the early 90s that cost maybe $10/1000.

I didn't include prices, because they were all over the place.
all the primers I seen were new production, except the old ss Win that I bought at $2 per hundred.
also, I needed CCI LPP, and one vendor had them at $40 per 1K,,,more than I'd like to spend but still reasonable under the current conditions. as to the other prices, I seen several brands at several different vendors, multiple bricks stacked on the table...some were $35, not CCI :( ...but I also seen some at 55 and 65 and 70 and 80.
IMHO, the cost when varied this much, is irrelevent, but when shelves are bare at most all the LGS in my area, the fact that they are available at Gunshows is more the point, IMHO.

[toallmy]

We'll see what happens in November before I start to get concerned .

[LenH]

$5.99 for a box of 50 9mm target ammo sounds like fiction now but that's what we were paying.[/QUOTE]

I know a guy that just bought a 9MM, I made that statement and he laughed at me. He found a box at a Pawn shop and paid $40 for said box.
I bought a guys reloading equipment for pennies on the dollar because his wife wanted it gone and he had bought a Dillon 550B to reload 9mm.
That was in 2004 and I was buying 9MM for about $6. Funny how things turn out.

[mr surveyor]

I keep seeing y'all mention $6/box 9mm target ammo in 2004/2005. I don't remember seeing that price (around here) until the obamanation years started. In 2005 we were buying (9mm) Blazer Aluminum for $2.99/box and Blazer Brass for $3.99/box. I think it did bump up a dollar more in '06-'07.

But then again, I remember buying .22 ammo for 29¢ for shorts, 39¢ for longs and 49¢ for long rifles. That wasn't all that long ago .... :)


jd

[Hanzy4200]

I think if the best possible scenario plays out, we might see normalcy in 6-8 months. Otherwise it could be indefinite. Can you imagine if Joe wins? As underhanded as this is getting, I'm not confident in anything.

[WILCO]

The lefties will not have to take your guns. They scare all these stupid hoarders into buying up everything in sight and then nobody can reload to feed their guns.

No hoarding about it.

Burning cities and lawless government will motivate
all kinds of people into action.

Supply and demand.

[fredj338]

Not sure the analysis of "Not worth investing in the surge is worth it" is valid.

In 2018 there were 8,100,000,000 (8.1 billion) rounds of ammunition manufactured in the US. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/atf-423-million-guns-in-america-1-2-per-person-8-1-billion-rounds-of-ammo-a-year

Each round has a primer; and at an average retail price of 3.5 cents that translates to $283.5 Million dollars retail in primer value. Making primers for a corporation is fairly cheap (when capital machinery and plant costs are discounted). Assuming 25% in direct costs (mfg, pkg, labor, shipping) and a 25% mark up for distributor/retail operations; it still leaves $141.75 Million. If we see only a surge of 10% demand increase in 2019 & 2020; that means a ~$30 Million increase in primer cash flow to the manufacturers. On the surface; looks to me like there is a case for a more detailed analysis of the viability of expanding primer production by the Ammunition industry - using more actual numbers in the analysis.

By the way; anecdotally - it appears there is a much greater expansion of Ammunition (by inference primers) demand than 10% in 2019 and 2020.

Well the part you are missing is the manuf isnt making 3.5c per primer, more like half that. So the math isnt quite right.

[fredj338]

I didn't include prices, because they were all over the place.
all the primers I seen were new production, except the old ss Win that I bought at $2 per hundred.
also, I needed CCI LPP, and one vendor had them at $40 per 1K,,,more than I'd like to spend but still reasonable under the current conditions. as to the other prices, I seen several brands at several different vendors, multiple bricks stacked on the table...some were $35, not CCI :( ...but I also seen some at 55 and 65 and 70 and 80.
IMHO, the cost when varied this much, is irrelevent, but when shelves are bare at most all the LGS in my area, the fact that they are available at Gunshows is more the point, IMHO.

Well $40/1000 may be the new normal after this blows over.

[fredj338]

I keep seeing y'all mention $6/box 9mm target ammo in 2004/2005. I don't remember seeing that price (around here) until the obamanation years started. In 2005 we were buying (9mm) Blazer Aluminum for $2.99/box and Blazer Brass for $3.99/box. I think it did bump up a dollar more in '06-'07.

But then again, I remember buying .22 ammo for 29¢ for shorts, 39¢ for longs and 49¢ for long rifles. That wasn't all that long ago .... :)


jd

If you bought cheap russian poop. More like $8/50 in case lots for real ammo.

[mr surveyor]

If you bought cheap russian poop. More like $8/50 in case lots for real ammo.



well, I guess maybe you could say that 1964 just don't fit with "wasn't all that long ago" ;)

jd

[kevin c]

No Sir, I don't live in California so guess I'm not up on that state. I just find it interesting that the left is buying ammo to take it from us. First I've heard of it but guess if they have enough money that will work.

Sorry, I wasn't clear.

I don't know that there is any plan to buy up ammo to make it unavailable (like others, to me it seems that the scarcity is driven by civil unrest in combination with cyclic election concerns causing increased demand and CoVid shutdowns impacting production). What I was getting at is my impression that the antigun crowd out here seems to be trying an end run around 2A rights with various ammo laws.

[charlie b]

......I apologize for this long post but I’m stuck in hospital with tubes including a catheter inside me. I do not recommend this to anybody as your ability to do certain things are impaired. :groner:

I liked the long post. It is interesting to see how different industries have been impacted and how they are changing. I worked in the copper wire industry (automotive) many years ago and changing production rate or product (eg, automotive to house wiring) was difficult, if not impossible, without expending large sums of money and time.

Your medical condition brings back 'fond' memories :)

[MUSTANG]

Dropped by Sportmans & Ski Haus in Kalispell this morning after a trip to Wally World for Winter Windshield Wiper Fluid. Zero Primers - only empty shelves for all primer types. Sure happy I have a goodly supply on hand. (Multiple Years worth - even discounting the Kids and Grand Kids dropping by to reduce my hoard).

.22's and .17's seemed to be low in supply; and lot's of empty space where .223, .308, 30-06, etc ammo would usually be bulging this time of year.

Did find and quickly acquire two boxes of 30-40 Krag. I have a couple of them I have to feed; and when I see some factory will usually pick them up, even though I have a few hundred empty cases.

[USSR]

Bought 1,000 Fiocchi 209 primers for $24 and 1,000 Winchester LP's for $25; last ones in both cases.

Don

[Shiloh]

Bought a box of WLR about a month ago. There is nothing to be had.
I shoot cast almost exclusively. Checked 9mm and 380 for some of those in the lab.
They won't be shooting anytime soon.

[WRideout]

I bought a box of Winchester standard small pistol primers at the LGS today, and found they had gone up $10.00 a thousand. Since I have 2K standard and 1K mag primers, I will probably hold out for a price drop before I get any more.

Wayne

[Froogal]

I attended our local gun show yesterday evening. That is where I usually buy the primers I need. One vendor had 4 boxes of Winchester large rifle primers, and one box of Winchester shot shell primers. Another vendor that I have bought from in the past had absolutely NO primers.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Stopped looking. Have not stopped casting, loading and shooting though. Felt lucky to pick a couple boxes of 9mm hp at Scheel's in Eau Claire last week. Also picked up some .38 & .44 XTP j-words just to have on hand. Back ordered 500 .38 special cases from Starline. They are out of most common pistol brass but are replacing it fast.

[monadnock#5]

I just found out yesterday that a gun show planned for Oct 10, 20 min from my house, has been cancelled. No reason given. [smilie=b:

[PAndy]

I have found 1000 here or there in pennsy the last couple months. Last I bought were small magnum pistol...not ideal but they will work for me. Got lucky . What I see on the shelf if anything is large rifle mag primers.

[monadnock#5]

As of last Thurs at noon, there were 4 boxes of CCI .50 primers sitting on top of the reloading display at Old Glory Guns And Ammo in Greenville, NH. Sorry I didn't think to mention it before.

[pls1911]

Been piling components since the last shortage, So I’m well set.
Will be posting excess cowboy brass in swap& well next month.

[6622729]

Besides just enjoying the heck out of the science and black art of casting and reloading, It was previous runs on factory ammo that brought me into this end of the hobby. First it was reloading then a potential shortage of factory projectiles that lead me into casting. At the rate I am shooting, I have a beyond lifetime supply of lead and alloying materials even if I do run through my deep inventory of factory projectiles. I will never wear out all of the brass I have already on hand and it will be years before I run out of powder or primers. However, I will be buying more primers when this current situation eases. That is the closest I am to a weak link in my ammo supply chain.There are almost no primers, anywhere, for any price unless you shoot shotgun or 50BMG. Lol.

The shortages this time around are much deeper than they were in 2016. I am amazed that powder seems to be readily available.

[LAH]

Sorry, I wasn't clear.

I don't know that there is any plan to buy up ammo to make it unavailable (like others, to me it seems that the scarcity is driven by civil unrest in combination with cyclic election concerns causing increased demand and CoVid shutdowns impacting production). What I was getting at is my impression that the antigun crowd out here seems to be trying an end run around 2A rights with various ammo laws.

Thanks Kevin. I better understand what you were saying now. And yes ammo laws could be very effective in controlling arms.

[bakerjw]

I have a lot of SPP, that I spent way too much on, sitting here that I'm trying to trade for LRP. I did find someone many hours away offering 1,500 LRP for 1,000 SPP.

Even considering an AR-9 build since I can load more of them than anything else.

[dirtball]

I am still working mostly with the 50,000+ primers I bought when Obama first got elected. If Biden wins I will be looking for another 50 to 100 thou.

[muskeg13]

Ditto on the 50K+ Obama stash. I replaced what I shot and have added more over the last year. The questions are: How many to stockpile to last the rest of my lifetime, shooting perhaps another 25 years? Secondly, how much more powder should I store, and of which types? It's much easier to store primers in .50 Cal ammo boxes than to store powder in bulk. Short of acquiring a shot tower, I've almost attained my goal of being able to cast for everything I have.

[Tripplebeards]

Yep, my LGS currently has CCI in stock for $39.99 a brick. LMR, LR, SR LMP, and yes SP. Limited to one brick per day to slow the hoarders down. I’m sure if there wasn’t a one brick a day limit someone would have already went in a cleared them all out in one purchase like everywhere else in the country. The small pistol primers are limited to 500 a day. There are also some blue box brick of federal primers there. All the same normal every day price of $39.99 that they have always sold primers for before the panic. They have always had a limit of one per day even before the panic along with powder. I picked up a pound of varget from them a month or so back for $36.99. They’re only open a couple of days a week and I’m heading in there this morning with a buddy and my pops so we each can all get a brick today and tomorrow for my inventory. LMR and LMP are in my crosshairs today as I have approx 1 brick of LMP and 200 LMR left. I would assume LMR are not that popular. I just bought a couple 50 round boxes of 9mm America eagle 9mm at farm and fleet this past spring for $8.99. My pistol like the cheap stuff and I hardly shoot it anyways. I’m a wheel gun kinda guy.

[smithnframe]

All sizes available at a LGS in my area!

[Tripplebeards]

https://i.imgur.com/Tf9E2Hj.jpg

[Tripplebeards]

I just got back from the LGS. They had one brick of cci 200, 7 bricks of magnum rifle 250. 2 1/2 bricks of large magnum pistol which I bought one. Three bricks of federal LP, and about 5 or so boxes of cci SMP. They had small pistol in the back room which I didn't know about. The owner offered them to me . I've been going in there since the early 70's and they have done alot of business with me at places I've worked. I also purchased 500 of the cci 500's so if I get a hair up my wazoo I can brake in my 32 S&W die set I bought from a member here. I'll head back later with my pops so he can get 500 more and a brick of LMR 250 for me. If the last brick of 200's are there I might have him grab them instead and roll the dice to see if the 7 magnum rifle bricks are still there tomorrow. I dont see myself shooting my ultra mags 200 times in the near future. BTW there were a dozen customers and no one else was buying primers there. The owner did tell me he hid the SP primers in back since one guy was comming in and bringing all his friends to purchase them up....so I will learn from from his comment and not over do it myself.

... I did go back in the afternoon with my dad who picked up a brick of LR and 500 more SP. Only 300 primers were sold between the time I was there in the morning and my second visit. So no one is on fire in my area for primers apparently.

[truckerdave397]

I was stocking up four years ago with the anticipation that Hillary would be our next president. Good news, she lost. Let’s just say that I have my share.

[Wooserco]

No primers in my area what so ever. I've resorted to buying virgin primed brass 500 a time.

[charlie b]

Sportsman's here had small rifle mag and small pistol mag primers for the first time in almost 6 months.

[MUSTANG]

Pats Reloading (http://patsreloading.com/patsrel3/Items.aspx?category=Primers) seems to still have a selection of primers; but they are $57.00 per 1000 before shipping and Hazmat.

[beagle]

Got burned on the first Obama go around ad learned my lesson. Stocked up and haven't looked back since. Once in a panic, you guys should learn and be prepared./beagle

[kevin c]

Cleaning a bit around my club's reloading bench I found over 50 live primers. For those bidding on gunbroker, that's like $7.50. I guess it reflects not only the general messiness of some folks, but also that our club's manager is still selling primers at about $45/K, one brick at a time, and tells me he has plenty.

[Taterhead]

A user on another board hs been tracking another worrisome development. There are young leftist revolutionary types that are very much accumulating 2A hardware, ammo and components. They are techie people and have written apps to scrape websites to automatically make primer and ammo purchases the second they back in stock.

[Froogal]

A user on another board hs been tracking another worrisome development. There are young leftist revolutionary types that are very much accumulating 2A hardware, ammo and components. They are techie people and have written apps to scrape websites to automatically make primer and ammo purchases the second they back in stock.

THAT is exactly what I have suspected, and even voiced my opinion about the bad guys buying up all of the ammo, but I was just poo-pooed.

[djohns28]

THAT is exactly what I have suspected, and even voiced my opinion about the bad guys buying up all of the ammo, but I was just poo-pooed.

I'm not afraid of them amassing 2A gear, I am afraid that they will figure out how to actually use it. If these morons figure out which end of the bangstick the bullet goes in we are going to be facing some very interesting combat techniques. The only other thing I have to say is that I can hit a 10" gong at 600 yards, usually on the first shot.

[kevin c]

We've seen this stuff happen cyclically many times, and I really doubt leftist revolutionaries with roboprograms ever had anything to do with it. More likely just some combination of greed, fear and timing.

It's true, though that some liberal leaning folks are buying guns and ammo. Like many more conservative folks, they are afraid in these times (I am not going to discuss whose fault that might be). I just sold a handgun and gave basic firearms instruction to a couple who are non shooters who, for the first time, realized that real violence and personal risk live right outside in their neighborhood. They appreciated what I did for them, enjoyed the shooting and want to do and learn more. I doubt our respective views on many things will ever be in synch, but they now respect and understand gun ownership and rights from a personal perspective, and I can live with that.

[erief0g]

It's a crap shoot but lately if I keep refreshing the search at bass pro shop they seem to have fair stock of primers. they offer a free ship to store so when you search you are able to basically take any inventory and ship it "free" to your local bass pro.
I got 6k of large pistol magnums that added to the 2k I have will set me for at least a year. (only used in my 44mag loads) but if in a pinch I can load some 45acp if my small primer stock gets to low.
Sure isn't easy to find though. Last thursday powder valley had small pistol primers. By the time I noticed there was only 1k left which wasn't worth the hazmat to me.
it seems they sell out fast enough that ammoseek really isn't worth it as the time I ordered from Brownells and basspro neither showed up on ammoseek until they were actually sold out.

[Tripplebeards]

I stopped into my LGS today. In the last two business days the dozen bricks of CCI SMP were all cleaned out. Been zero boxes sold in the last three weeks prior. There were seven loose boxes left so I bought them for $3.99 a box. Figured if and when I run out if the brick of SP I bought from them a few weeks ago I can substitute these.

https://i.imgur.com/6Z1aAZ1.jpg

They still have about a half dozen bricks each of CCi 200,250, and 350’s all for $39.99 a brick.

[Beagle333]

Powder Valley had them earlier, but it was limit 1K each. Not worth the hazmat. They sold though.

[monadnock#5]

Over the weekend I found primers on the shelf at Shooter's Outpost in Hooksett, NH. There were several different types. The only one that I know for sure they didn't have was SP. CCI and Fiocchi. I picked up 1500 of the LP Fiocchi's for $43.99. Figured I'd better get while the getting was good.

[Tripplebeards]

I think primer inventory at the lGS’s is back on the rise accept for SP. The consumers that don’t want to leave the house or have access to LGS’s imo are still going to fight for primers for a long, long, time.

[Froogal]

I think primer inventory at the lGS’s is back on the rise accept for SP. The consumers that don’t want to leave the house or have access to LGS’s imo are still going to fight for primers for a long, long, time.

The nearest LGS that carries reloading supplies is 100 miles away. Why would an on-line supplier not have the same access and consideration as a brick and mortar store?

[Tripplebeards]

Because you have a billion people watching for on line primer inventory like a hawk and hoarding nation wide as soon as someone shows any inventory. IMO in this country our consumers have become lazy and would rather sit in front of computer than to walk into a store to make a purchase. For example my LGS currently has over 2 dozen bricks in stock of LR, MLP, and MLP as I type of CCI for $39.99. They have had these primers sitting there for over a month now with no buyers accept for me grabbing two bricks a day. They had 9 bricks of CCI MSP sitting there for over three weeks with Zero sold till two days ago. I procrastinated since I didn’t need them and ended up buying the last 700 since I figured I could substitute them in my 9mm loads. There had been zero primers available on line for months. If I wouldn’t have walked into my LGS three weeks ago I would be 10 bricks light. Most see on line that primers aren’t available anywhere and don’t take the time or energy to look. Not trying to start a fight but we as a nation have become way to laid back and buy most everything on line and are to lazy or don’t take the initiative to get off our butts and walk into a store anymore...and I’m guilty as charged as well. I live on a small city that most every item available for sale here are cheap, entry level products. Walmart’s, Target, ect. Anything of item quality or high dollar I have to order on line as well or go on a long drive to purchase.

[fredj338]

Because you have a billion people watching for on line primer inventory like a hawk and hoarding nation wide as soon as someone shows any inventory. IMO in this country our consumers have become lazy and would rather sit in front of computer than to walk into a store to make a purchase. For example my LGS currently has over 2 dozen bricks in stock of LR, MLP, and MLP as I type of CCI for $39.99. They have had these primers sitting there for over a month now with no buyers accept for me grabbing two bricks a day. They had 9 bricks of CCI MSP sitting there for over three weeks with Zero sold till two days ago. I procrastinated since I didn’t need them and ended up buying the last 700 since I figured I could substitute them in my 9mm loads. There had been zero primers available on line for months. If I wouldn’t have walked into my LGS three weeks ago I would be 10 bricks light. Most see on line that primers aren’t available anywhere and don’t take the time or energy to look. Not trying to start a fight but we as a nation have become way to laid back and buy most everything on line and are to lazy or don’t take the initiative to get off our butts and walk into a store anymore...and I’m guilty as charged as well. I live on a small city that most every item available for sale here are cheap, entry level products. Walmart’s, Target, ect. Anything of item quality or high dollar I have to order on line as well or go on a long drive to purchase.

Your opinion but many of us have no convenient LGS to visit. So 1hr drive each way to find out they have nothing? Uh no. Often a call saves that time, if they answer. No primers are not readily available. Sure you may find LR here or there, even LP, but SR & SP, good luck. Not about being lazy but being efficient.
IMO, not much hoarding going on, if anyone actually understands the term. I have about 40K SP in my stock. I am still a buyer at decent price. Do I need them, no. Do I want them, sure. I will use them, I shoot about 10K rds a year. So it isnt hoarding if you plan on using them, its just being prepared. its why I still have 40K SP.

[fredj338]

THAT is exactly what I have suspected, and even voiced my opinion about the bad guys buying up all of the ammo, but I was just poo-pooed.

I would like to see proof. I like a good conspiracy as much as the next guy but IMO, liberals' aren't really that smart.

[Tripplebeards]

Your opinion but many of us have no convenient LGS to visit. So 1hr drive each way to find out they have nothing? Uh no. Often a call saves that time, if they answer. No primers are not readily available. Sure you may find LR here or there, even LP, but SR & SP, good luck. Not about being lazy but being efficient.
IMO, not much hoarding going on, if anyone actually understands the term. I have about 40K SP in my stock. I am still a buyer at decent price. Do I need them, no. Do I want them, sure. I will sue them, I shoot about 10K rds a year. So it isnt hoarding if you plan on using them, its just being prepared. its why I still have 40K SP.

I do call before I make the drive myself. I also make sure to have them put away for me or I won’t go. It was nice to order and ship to store at cabelas since they are an hour drive...but they removed buying options for primers. Just pictures but no prices. Pretty frustrating.

[USSR]

I drive 1 hour to my gun store gladly. Gets me out of the house and gives me a chance to look at all the gun stuff. Bought another brick of large pistol primers today for $28.25. Life is good.

Don

[la5676]

Wife unit doesn't really keep track whether I'm short or long on primers, all she knows right now is diet Dr. Pepper is nowhere to be found in the local super markets or wallyworld. The hoarding has not affected her, but she is not a happy camper.

[joebaja]

Ia5676 - I think we are living the same life. Wife couldn't care less about my primer stash, but was upset when I came home from Sam's Club without Diet Dr. Pepper. I've never seen that particular cupboard bare before. If I don't track some down soon the 10k primers I have won't be enough. I'm going to need to find a place to hide.

[la5676]

Ia5676 - I think we are living the same life. Wife couldn't care less about my primer stash, but was upset when I came home from Sam's Club without Diet Dr. Pepper. I've never seen that particular cupboard bare before. If I don't track some down soon the 10k primers I have won't be enough. I'm going to need to find a place to hide.

We are going on a little driveabout tomorrow, to see if the smaller outlying communities haven't got the memo yet. Really hate to do that, but sometime ya gotta do what ya gotta do. I'm prolly sitting on closer to 75,000 primers, mixed between all sizes, but really pretty good on SP, maybe 5,000 still. Just picked up another 5,000 SR last week at club, plus 5,000 209 euros, I'm good on U.S. 209's. Both good prices, club not gouging.

[Froogal]

Your opinion but many of us have no convenient LGS to visit. So 1hr drive each way to find out they have nothing? Uh no. Often a call saves that time, if they answer. No primers are not readily available. Sure you may find LR here or there, even LP, but SR & SP, good luck. Not about being lazy but being efficient.
IMO, not much hoarding going on, if anyone actually understands the term. I have about 40K SP in my stock. I am still a buyer at decent price. Do I need them, no. Do I want them, sure. I will sue them, I shoot about 10K rds a year. So it isnt hoarding if you plan on using them, its just being prepared. its why I still have 40K SP.

THANK YOU!! For what it's worth, Bass Pro is the closest that has reloading components. 100 miles away. I checked with them yesterday. NO primers.

[ioon44]

One of my LGS has WSR primers in stock for $65.00 per 1000, I passed I don't need them that bad.

[rbuck351]

So, if most of the primers are going to making ammo, where is the ammo? Our local Cabela's ( 65 miles away) hasn't had any handgun ammo for a couple of months. No slugs or buckshot for your scatter gun either but you can still find shotgun primers and lots of bird shot.
I don't need primers of any size but I always check prices and stock when going to Kalispell.

[Froogal]

So, if most of the primers are going to making ammo, where is the ammo? Our local Cabela's ( 65 miles away) hasn't had any handgun ammo for a couple of months. No slugs or buckshot for your scatter gun either but you can still find shotgun primers and lots of bird shot.
I don't need primers of any size but I always check prices and stock when going to Kalispell.
Exactly!! WHERE is the ammo??

[Tripplebeards]

I just went to farm and fleet. They had about a dozen boxes of ammo on their shelves. Basically completely bare. What a joke. Good thing I reload and stocked up on rimfire and shotgun shells over the years.

[fredj338]

So, if most of the primers are going to making ammo, where is the ammo? Our local Cabela's ( 65 miles away) hasn't had any handgun ammo for a couple of months. No slugs or buckshot for your scatter gun either but you can still find shotgun primers and lots of bird shot.
I don't need primers of any size but I always check prices and stock when going to Kalispell.

ITs being bought as it hits shelves. There are regulars that hunt gunshops & online hourly. They buy everything for either flipping of stock piling because they think it will get worse & it certainly could.

[Murphy]

Like many others on this forum, I've seen this play out several times before. Our reloading needs are about as diverse as it gets. For some, a brick of 1,000 primers is enough to last them several years. For others, 10,000 would be a good start in hopes the supply comes back before they run out. And, we come from a host of economic backgrounds as well. I have empathy for those caught short and simply can't afford it. When will it end? Who knows? Providing the elections fall in favor of those of us who enjoy hunting and/or the shooting sports, it will still be a while before the supply lines are once again full. I do know balance in components is as important as primers themselves.

And lastly, for those who simply have to have that newest, latest & greatest handgun or rifle and have quiet a collection of them going. Instead of picking up yet another gun you may only put a couple of hundred rounds through and then it gets tossed in the safe. How about when you find that extra amount of new gun fund money burning a hole in your pocket, buy components or loaded ammunition instead? Just food for thought.

Good luck guys!

Murphy

[white eagle]

as long as you have a nation buying guns, and it's up tremendously,
they all need ammo to feed them there is the shortage of loaded ammo
as far as components I do believe people are hoarding just like they did
with toilet paper
seems as though a scare of a liberal becoming president and the
mostly peaceful demonstrations people feel the need to arm themselves
which is understandable

[shooterg]

Wife unit doesn't really keep track whether I'm short or long on primers, all she knows right now is diet Dr. Pepper is nowhere to be found in the local super markets or wallyworld. The hoarding has not affected her, but she is not a happy camper.

Me and your wife ! We actually have Diet Dr. P but NO cherry flavored diet Coke or Dr. P anywhere . I got primers but I hate this cherry shortage !

[Rex]

I saw several bricks of Large Pistol Magnum primers in a little gun shop in N.P. Nebraska the other day but that was all and they don't fit my .357 Mag.

[schpier]

Simply go for black powder firearms! No shortage of percussion caps!

[Tripplebeards]

BB guns must next. When I was at farm and fleet the other day there were five people double fisting air rifles and walking out with them. Most of the pellets were bought up as well.

[Froogal]

Simply go for black powder firearms! No shortage of percussion caps!

Really? I've not found any percussion caps anywhere. They all disappeared right along with the others.

[farmbif]

ok I got a question and an opinion, about the hoarding and the bad guys buying up all the stuff, just who exactly are these bad guys and what makes em bad, are they bad because they stocked up when getting was good. if they are real bad guys like gun thief gang bangers or something I really don't think many of those types of people reload ammo. but who know I may be all wrong.
the scary part of all these shortages is that come Tuesday night or whenever all the votes are counted the is a real possibility according to Vegas odds experts that things may possibly change forever and prices people are advertising stuff for right now could double or triple overnight. I hope I'm wrong about this possible scenario but it is a possibility. I'm just thankful I got a couple boxes of primers when prices were normal

[USSR]

ok I got a question and an opinion, about the hoarding and the bad guys buying up all the stuff, just who exactly are these bad guys and what makes em bad, are they bad because they stocked up when getting was good.

These are REALLY bad guys. They have the audacity to buy when supplies are plentiful and prices are normal. Why, the nerve of them using their intellect to foresee possible bad times in the future. Ask any guy who didn't think ahead and now has no primers and he will tell you.

Don

[GhostHawk]

Hit my local Fleet Farm store yesterday morning. They were down to about 2k of 209 shotshell primers no powder except a couple of pounds of Green Dot. No .22lr, .22mag, or standard handgun ammo. Only a very few factory rifle calibers had any on the shelf.

[Lead pot]

I was mostly raised on a farm and I learned that you make hay and stack the bales in the haymow when the sun shines and not when it rains. :D

[VariableRecall]

As a person that's just gotten into reloading, this is kind of a rotten time to start. However, I can't thank the other users on this forum enough to open their hearts and give me some primed brass to get me started. Now I've almost doubled the amount of factory ammunition that I have in stock. I've called intermittently to all my LGS's in my area and they have been out for months.

[monkey wrangler]

Exactly!! WHERE is the ammo??


There have been guys parked along the side of the road selling ammo out of the back of their truck. Did not stop to check prices as I will not buy from them even if they are cheaper than the stores. I wont assist people gouging other people if you don't need it leave it on the shelf.

I refused to buy 22LR at 100$ a brick in 2008 and now I have a life time supply. If the election goes good in a couple years I will have a lifetime supply of primers and other reloading components.

[kevin c]

Really? I've not found any percussion caps anywhere. They all disappeared right along with the others.
It may be unkind of me to think this, but with some folks panic buying stuff they don't even know to use, I can't help but wonder if some completely raw reloading beginner is sitting at his bench wondering why his new "primers" don't seem to fit any of his centerfire brass...

[schpier]

The percussion caps are in France where I’m at. BP is a cheap and highly effective alternative in my experience

[Froogal]

ok I got a question and an opinion, about the hoarding and the bad guys buying up all the stuff, just who exactly are these bad guys and what makes em bad, are they bad because they stocked up when getting was good. if they are real bad guys like gun thief gang bangers or something I really don't think many of those types of people reload ammo. but who know I may be all wrong.
the scary part of all these shortages is that come Tuesday night or whenever all the votes are counted the is a real possibility according to Vegas odds experts that things may possibly change forever and prices people are advertising stuff for right now could double or triple overnight. I hope I'm wrong about this possible scenario but it is a possibility. I'm just thankful I got a couple boxes of primers when prices were normal

The BAD guys are NOT you and me, or any other person who just likes to shoot and reload. The BAD guys are George Soros and his gang of thieves. The same guys who have been trying to take our guns away from us for several years now. They have found they CANNOT take our guns, so instead, they are buying ALL the ammo, reloading components, etc., and hoarding it. That is my theory. I hope I am wrong.

[Brass&Lead]

I am new to reloading. I have been saving brass for some time and ordered some powder, primers, bullets and reloading equipment when I started to see the writing on the wall early last year.

Over the last several months I have been able to get a few thousand more SP and LR primers online at the regular price. They come and go fast!

I have been able to stock up on Hornady XTP bullets by watching several sites. I have what I wanted and am out of the market for them till I dispense a good number.

Buy it cheap and stack it deep! Buy it when there is a plentiful supply so in times of scarcity you don’t have to put a load on the system and can leave more to for the folks that are not prepared. The old-fashioned term was planning ahead. It is NOT HORDING!

Went to pick up a new pistol at the LGS and had to wait 90 minutes for the background check. They said it has been taking at least an hour – it was 5 minutes or less last year.

With the demand being placed on the system it will take quite a while to get back to normal or we may end up with Francis “Beto” O'rourke.

[Walter Laich]

I've gone to sharpening sticks in large quanities

maybe will build a bow too

[Hardcast]

Went to the local gun shop yestereday. It's the largest shop in this area. Planned to pick up a can of 2400 and some small rifle primers
if they were reasonably priced. No 2400 and not a single primer of any kind on the shelf. The store owner, along with 4 other employees were working behind the counter so I asked the owner about primers, He said they had some very overpriced pistol primers in the back that they had not put out yet, but that is all. I left with nothing. Very disappointing.

[truckerdave397]

Went to the local gun shop yestereday. It's the largest shop in this area. Planned to pick up a can of 2400 and some small rifle primers
if they were reasonably priced. No 2400 and not a single primer of any kind on the shelf. The store owner, along with 4 other employees were working behind the counter so I asked the owner about primers, He said they had some very overpriced pistol primers in the back that they had not put out yet, but that is all. I left with nothing. Very disappointing.
What did he consider “ very overpriced “ as far as $$$?

[Cosmic_Charlie]

My lgs had large pistol and large rifle primers in stock. Limit 1,000. $40. Bought 500 LP.

[Hardcast]

What did he consider “ very overpriced “ as far as $$$?

He did not say. Maybe he was embarrassed about the price.

[Tripplebeards]

I just went over to my same LGS I’ve been buying primers from to buy the last pound of HS-6 they had for $26.99. Bricks of CCI MLR, LR, and MLP were still in stock for $39.99.

[Lead pot]

Well, Let this be a lesson to you guys that complain about hording. I mostly shoot black powder rifles, from stuffers and suppository rifles and maybe I might put the .45 Gold Cup or the .38 Special S&W 52 master in the jeep. Over the years and I'm 81 now but I'm still very active shooting Black Powder matches and I have seen component shortages before but I learned a lesson and that is keep a supply on hand and rotate the supply like the donut shop does putting the new supply in the back and use the front old stuff.
A sleeve of primers don't last me long I go through a case in short order and my powder consumption has dropped these last from 4-5 cases a year that is 100 to 125 lbs a year. When I load I use the Rock Chucker and there is a plastic tube dropping down into a gallon water bottle catching the spent primers and I have one bottle full and the bottle under the press is 1/2 full now. Next time I go to the scrap yard I will turn those used primers in for lead. They are all brass :)
I just pulled out a brick out of the broken fridge I keep them in to load some .44-77's and in the back is a old box of CCI with a $8.68 price tag on it. Things have changed. :)
Instead of complaining be prepared.

[monkey wrangler]

270763

[farmbif]

well now I feel like an idiot not cashing in the 401k and stocking up. sure does seem that potential profit from primers right now is on par with buying apple stock back in 1985

[VariableRecall]

well now I feel like an idiot not cashing in the 401k and stocking up. sure does seem that potential profit from primers right now is on par with buying apple stock back in 1985

I wouldn't do that, honestly. I'm new to all of this and people trying to sell primers at $10 a slice off of classifieds and Gunbroker is partly the reason why I can't actually find any around here.

[gnappi]

Last week at a gunshow a guy had a pack of 100 small pistol primers and they were $25!!! Now THAT's gouging.

Luckily I always keep sufficient primers around, but some I have, I'll not use in 20 years like 209 shotshell primers.

[Elpatoloco]

Because you have a billion people watching for on line primer inventory like a hawk and hoarding nation wide as soon as someone shows any inventory. IMO in this country our consumers have become lazy and would rather sit in front of computer than to walk into a store to make a purchase. For example my LGS currently has over 2 dozen bricks in stock of LR, MLP, and MLP as I type of CCI for $39.99. They have had these primers sitting there for over a month now with no buyers accept for me grabbing two bricks a day. They had 9 bricks of CCI MSP sitting there for over three weeks with Zero sold till two days ago. I procrastinated since I didn’t need them and ended up buying the last 700 since I figured I could substitute them in my 9mm loads. There had been zero primers available on line for months. If I wouldn’t have walked into my LGS three weeks ago I would be 10 bricks light. Most see on line that primers aren’t available anywhere and don’t take the time or energy to look. Not trying to start a fight but we as a nation have become way to laid back and buy most everything on line and are to lazy or don’t take the initiative to get off our butts and walk into a store anymore...and I’m guilty as charged as well. I live on a small city that most every item available for sale here are cheap, entry level products. Walmart’s, Target, ect. Anything of item quality or high dollar I have to order on line as well or go on a long drive to purchase.

I walked into the local Academy a couple of weeks back. Decided to swing by the ammo dept just for giggles to look at the empty shelves. They had 3 bricks of CCI small pistol primers on the shelf with a sign that said limit 3.
They all went home with me. Gave my son a brick and kept 2 for myself. I never had reloaded anything in the last 25 years that took spp, so I didnt have any in my stash. Wife decided to learn to shoot a handgun, so I picked up couple 9mm. She will be set for a while.

I'd imagine that components will not be readily available for the long haul with the way this election is leaning. Never know though

[fredj338]

Last week at a gunshow a guy had a pack of 100 small pistol primers and they were $25!!! Now THAT's gouging.

Luckily I always keep sufficient primers around, but some I have, I'll not use in 20 years like 209 shotshell primers.

Only gouging if he makes you buy them.

[charlie b]

The Sportsmans here has lots of powder. Maybe not the specific one you want, but, there is a bunch. Primers not so much. When they do get some they are gone in hours (normal prices).

[Tripplebeards]

I believe the whole reason most are hoarding these is to try to get rich by “trying to” resell at a huge profit. Same stupidity as the high capacity magazines and AR rifle gouge in years past. If everyone remembers a few years later prices were below normal everyday retail prices on both magazines and AR’s because the hoarders couldn’t unload what they had at double retail and were trying to cash out on all the money invested into their piles of inventory. Just hold tight a don’t buy if over $40 a brick imo. There are still LR,MLR, and MLP bricks in stock for $39.99 at my LGS.

[fredj338]

I believe the whole reason most are hoarding these is to try to get rich by “trying to” resell at a huge profit. Same stupidity as the high capacity magazines and AR rifle gouge in years past. If everyone remembers a few years later prices were below normal everyday retail prices on both magazines and AR’s because the hoarders couldn’t unload what they had at double retail and were trying to cash out on all the money invested into their piles of inventory. Just hold tight a don’t buy if over $40 a brick imo. There are still LR,MLR, and MLP bricks in stock for $39.99 at my LGS.

This is what everyone wants to think but it just isnt true. The vast majority of primers made today are going into ammo which people are buying buy the 1000s. If the so called "hoarders" were being able to sell enough over priced primers to matter, then the price would start to drop as the people will only pay so much for anything they do not NEED.

[USSR]

Hoarders, Hoarders, Hoarders! Actually, I think the Russians are behind this. Sound familiar?:-P

Don

[dverna]

Looks like the going price for SPP and SRP on GunBroker is over $100/1000 with shipping.

I doubt it will get much better anytime soon. Every indication is it might get worse. Biden poised to win and the Trump court challenges may result in more "demonstrations".

[Froogal]

This is what everyone wants to think but it just isnt true. The vast majority of primers made today are going into ammo which people are buying buy the 1000s. If the so called "hoarders" were being able to sell enough over priced primers to matter, then the price would start to drop as the people will only pay so much for anything they do not NEED.


if what you say is true, then where is that ammo? Since I can't buy primers, I thought I would just buy up some "ready to shoot" .38s, .357s, 9mm etc., but even THAT is out of stock and unavailable everywhere I look.

[elmacgyver0]

if what you say is true, then where is that ammo? Since I can't buy primers, I thought I would just buy up some "ready to shoot" .38s, .357s, 9mm etc., but even THAT is out of stock and unavailable everywhere I look.

Perhaps to the government?

[Froogal]

Perhaps to the government?

What calibers does the government use? I'm sure that the military has a contract for a certain amount, and then there is local law enforcement as well as the FBI, which would maybe explain the shortage of 9mm, .40, and .45 acp, but how many .22 LR does the government use?

[dtknowles]

I don't think that the military or law enforcement would be buying enough small arms ammo right now to be the issue. I think it is mostly supply chain disruptions due to COVID 19 driven production changes up and down the supply chain. Where I work we are seeing delays parts and materials because our suppliers are being impacted by COVID 19.

Tim

[dtknowles]

This is not just impacting primers and ammo. My wife can't get her Mountain Dew Code Red or her favorite flavors of Mike and Ike's either. Certain cuts of meat and other things are hard to find as well.

Tim

[brewer12345]

I don't think that the military or law enforcement would be buying enough small arms ammo right now to be the issue. I think it is mostly supply chain disruptions due to COVID 19 driven production changes up and down the supply chain. Where I work we are seeing delays parts and materials because our suppliers are being impacted by COVID 19.

Tim


That and demand has gone berserk. Don't see the latter changing any time soon.

[468]

I demand a recount!

Sorry. Wrong thread.

Local Sportsman’s has LPP and LRPs

[rockrat]

My nearby Sportsmans doesn't have one single primer on the shelf!!

[Josko]

I called CCI a month ago. They have been hiring like crazzzzzy!
They never even slowed down during covid. They can not keep up.

[Josko]

We all reload ..... sooooooo why don't we just make our own primers? No brainer. It's easy. 3-4 ingredients depending on the type of primer your making.
WWI type primers are easy guys and cheap!

[fredj338]

Looks like the going price for SPP and SRP on GunBroker is over $100/1000 with shipping.

I doubt it will get much better anytime soon. Every indication is it might get worse. Biden poised to win and the Trump court challenges may result in more "demonstrations".

Yet how do they ship with HM?????

[fredj338]

if what you say is true, then where is that ammo? Since I can't buy primers, I thought I would just buy up some "ready to shoot" .38s, .357s, 9mm etc., but even THAT is out of stock and unavailable everywhere I look.

Millions of new gun owners = 100s of millions of rounds of ammo plus all the current buyers of ammo buying even more do to covid, riots & the election.

[fredj338]

I called CCI a month ago. They have been hiring like crazzzzzy!
They never even slowed down during covid. They can not keep up.

What covid has done though is thin the supply chain of raw materials imo. That will cause shortages.

[farmbif]

I posted a link in our town primer shortage thread that explains the facts of the greatest primer shortage of all time

[Hanzy4200]

Stopped by the newly opened Sprotsman Warehouse in my small town this weekend. Just happened to be there when they were stocking. Got 4 bricks of SP. 1 CCI for $24.99 and 3 Federal for $29.99.

[Big Ben]

Was at a gun auction last month and a bunch sold for about $35/1000. Probably should have bid on some...

[tmanbuckhunter]

Zip, nada. Got enough to last me a while, but like anyone, I'm sure I could use more. The gouging on gun broker is NUTS.

[tankgunner59]

I wish I could have y'alls luck. We have one Game Masters store here that sells some components and they haven't gotten in any primers for several months. I need SRP's and I could get by with 500, but there aren't any near here.

[GasGuzzler]

Odd how people on a forum such as this did not stock up. I guess some people started reloading in February?

Most of the people at the retail level lucking into primers are not reloaders or hand loaders. They are resellers. That's why you all should stock up mid-term.

[gnappi]

There's a LOT of animosity out there towards those of us who buy in advance, and many of those who have little supply on hand blame us for shortages, not themselves who are buying them at inflated prices.

Last week at a gun show a fellow had ONE pack of 100 primers for sale at $25, another one at over $30 and they claimed to have sold thousands. MY fault? I do not think so.

So here's my plan... stay the course and watch from the sidelines.

[Lloyd Smale]

my local dealer goes to the shot show every year and buys his supply of powder and primers for the distributors there. He said he was already told that there would be no primers availible this year so for the most part at least around here there will be none till the summer of 2022.

[rototerrier]

Just survive the first few weeks and then you can scavenge all you need. No need to panick.

[Lloyd Smale]

im not to worried. For the most part i could shoot every day for 5 years before i even got nervous.

[dogdoc]

im not to worried. For the most part i could shoot every day for 5 years before i even got nervous.
Me too. I learned from the last few shortages and stocked up during times of plenty. I feel bad for new reloaders however

[GhostHawk]

Ssitting on around 20 thousand assorted primers, + 30 lbs of Red Dot, I'm not worried about much.
Plus another 2k of 209 shotgun primers and 500 primed new cases.

I can afford to be patient and picky.

I won't sell any, would rather have primers, powder and lead than money which is worth less every day.

[Froogal]

Odd how people on a forum such as this did not stock up. I guess some people started reloading in February?

Most of the people at the retail level lucking into primers are not reloaders or hand loaders. They are resellers. That's why you all should stock up mid-term.

I've been reloading for about 8 years now. I saw no need to buy more than I would need for a year, because anytime I needed primers, I could find them at a gun show, or just buy on-line. The primer shortage we are experiencing now is unprecedented. The shortage has never been this bad before, and I honestly do not believe the shortage is because of demand.

[la5676]

Ssitting on around 20 thousand assorted primers, + 30 lbs of Red Dot, I'm not worried about much.
Plus another 2k of 209 shotgun primers and 500 primed new cases.

I can afford to be patient and picky.

I won't sell any, would rather have primers, powder and lead than money which is worth less every day.

I had a carpenter down in my playroom the other day, and he was asking what are you gonna do with all this stuff. It got me to thinkin', and I've thought about it before at my age, 64, what the wife unit will do with all my "stuff". I looked up at 30,000 209s on the shelf, and then over on the shelf, no less than 35,000 centerfire primers of all flavors. I have always been a bargain buyer, but if I don't soon start to shoot more, I really should start selling, or the wife unit will sell all the stuff for pennies on the dollar at some yard sale. And I ain't telling anyone where I live.

[la5676]

Ssitting on around 20 thousand assorted primers, + 30 lbs of Red Dot, I'm not worried about much.
Plus another 2k of 209 shotgun primers and 500 primed new cases.

I can afford to be patient and picky.

I won't sell any, would rather have primers, powder and lead than money which is worth less every day.

I had a carpenter down in my playroom the other day, and he was asking what are you gonna do with all this stuff. It got me to thinkin', and I've thought about it before at my age, 64, what the wife unit will do with all my "stuff". I looked up at 30,000 209s on the shelf, and then over on the shelf, no less than 35,000 centerfire primers of all flavors. Powder the same way, prolly 200# or more powder in the store room. I have always been a bargain buyer, but if I don't soon start to shoot more, I really should start selling, or the wife unit will sell all the stuff for pennies on the dollar at some yard sale. And I ain't telling anyone where I live.

[USSR]

The primer shortage we are experiencing now is unprecedented.

Uh, No, we go thru this every 4 years, whenever there is a threat of a Dem being elected president.

Don

[Froogal]

Uh, No, we go thru this every 4 years, whenever there is a threat of a Dem being elected president.

Don

Bought my very first handgun way back when it looked Hillary might be the next president. Got into reloading shortly after that. In all those years, I have NEVER experienced a shortage of reloading components OR ready to shoot ammo. YES, this shortage IS unprecedented.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

There's a LOT of animosity out there towards those of us who buy in advance, and many of those who have little supply on hand blame us for shortages, not themselves who are buying them at inflated prices.

Last week at a gun show a fellow had ONE pack of 100 primers for sale at $25, another one at over $30 and they claimed to have sold thousands. MY fault? I do not think so.

So here's my plan... stay the course and watch from the sidelines.

This animosity which you describe really shouldn't exist, should it-- because when those with the foresight to buy it when it is available do so there is no shortage at the time, and their purchases do not cause the shortage. That is caused by those who hoard or panic buy once a perceived shortage exists, and by circumstances such as the vast number of new gun owners who need ammo for instruction and practice. When I purchased my primers and .22 ammo the shelves were full and the inventories just rotating normally. Then, suddenly, within a week or even less the shelves start to empty. We agree.

[dondiego]

Bought my very first handgun way back when it looked Hillary might be the next president. Got into reloading shortly after that. In all those years, I have NEVER experienced a shortage of reloading components OR ready to shoot ammo. YES, this shortage IS unprecedented.

There was a shortage in the '80's. You don't remember that one? Clinton got beat 4 years ago.

[dogdoc]

This is not unprecedented . I remember the first one around 1990. This one may end up being worse but I remember at least 3 past severe shortages. Stock up in times of plenty. I hate it for the newer reloaders who have not seen it and for folks who are unable to afford to stock up. I have been there.

[35remington]

The “first” primer shortage was in the nineties, not the eighties. It occurred around the time of the assault weapons ban during the Bill Clinton presidency. There were no primer shortages in the eighties because Republican presidents were in power.

I do agree the ammo and component shortages are not unprecedented. This has happened multiple times including multiple times fairly recently and if someone is caught flat footed by this there is really not much excuse for being caught unawares unless one has been living in a cave.

[dogdoc]

Yes you are right . It was about 1993 or 1994. I purchased an ar15 right before Clinton took office.

[USSR]

Bought my very first handgun way back when it looked Hillary might be the next president. Got into reloading shortly after that. In all those years, I have NEVER experienced a shortage of reloading components OR ready to shoot ammo. YES, this shortage IS unprecedented.

Sorry, but there was a shortage of primers during the Bill Clinton administration, and a severe shortage of nearly all components in 2013 - 2014 during the Obama administration. You couldn't have been looking too hard if you missed the Obama shortage. Been reloading for about 35 years, so tend to notice those things.

Don

[elmacgyver0]

You may have a long wait.

[Lloyd Smale]

There was a shortage in the '80's. You don't remember that one? Clinton got beat 4 years ago.

yes sir.

[Lloyd Smale]

Sorry, but there was a shortage of primers during the Bill Clinton administration, and a severe shortage of nearly all components in 2013 - 2014 during the Obama administration. You couldn't have been looking too hard if you missed the Obama shortage. Been reloading for about 35 years, so tend to notice those things.

Don

yes sir again. If you havent seen prolonged shortages either you havent been loading long or dont shoot enough to use large quanitys of components. Personaly i could care less if someone says im a hoarder. While there crying im shooting!! Personaly i chuckle at guys that buy 30 guns that cost between 500 and a 1000 bucks a pop but are to cheap to buy a case of primers for a 130 bucks or buy a one lb can of unique to feed 4 handguns and complain when they run out and cant find more. Do you keep your car and truck gas tank on empty? Do you just keep enough food in the house for one week??? Soon as there available and prices get normal ill buy another 10k of each just because i saw this shortage. Hoarder and sure arent apologizing to unprepared people for doing it.

[brewer12345]

People must be getting really desperate. Watched an auction for a brick of LR Win primers go for $255 plus shipping this morning. I knew small pistol and small rifle primers were going for stupid money, but not LR. I wonder how many of these bricks of primers are just being sent through the regular mail?

[dtknowles]

Ssitting on around 20 thousand assorted primers, + 30 lbs of Red Dot, I'm not worried about much.
Plus another 2k of 209 shotgun primers and 500 primed new cases.

I can afford to be patient and picky.

I won't sell any, would rather have primers, powder and lead than money which is worth less every day.

It is quite likely that in a year or two primers will be worth half what they are worth today. I'm not trying to sell any of mine. I might sell if someone made me a face to face offer or if a friend asked.

[dtknowles]

Bought my very first handgun way back when it looked Hillary might be the next president. Got into reloading shortly after that. In all those years, I have NEVER experienced a shortage of reloading components OR ready to shoot ammo. YES, this shortage IS unprecedented.

Hillary running for president is not way back when, it was recent. Are you very young? Way back when Carter was running for president. Since then we have gone thru this a few times.

Tim

[dtknowles]

This animosity which you describe really shouldn't exist, should it-- because when those with the foresight to buy it when it is available do so there is no shortage at the time, and their purchases do not cause the shortage. That is caused by those who hoard or panic buy once a perceived shortage exists, and by circumstances such as the vast number of new gun owners who need ammo for instruction and practice. When I purchased my primers and .22 ammo the shelves were full and the inventories just rotating normally. Then, suddenly, within a week or even less the shelves start to empty. We agree.

The animosity is natural, it is called jealousy and envy. Not a good thing but a normal thing. You just have to shrug it off. Bragging about your bounty does not make things better. That is another bad but normal thing called pride, immodesty.

Tim

[Der Gebirgsjager]

That is true, Tim. But I feel that in most instances where the "older" guys say that they have a good stockpile it is meant more as a learning experience to be shared with the "younger" reloaders, and not so much as bragging or gloating. I, myself, have a good supply and would give some to one in need who came to ask. But, since we just got 8" of snow and the storm warning is through 10 p.m. tonight, I'm not expecting any visitors!

[dogdoc]

Agree 100 percent . Boy Scouts are prepared! If you assume stuff will be available, well you know what they say about assume��

[dtknowles]

That is true, Tim. But I feel that in most instances where the "older" guys say that they have a good stockpile it is meant more as a learning experience to be shared with the "younger" reloaders, and not so much as bragging or gloating. I, myself, have a good supply and would give some to one in need who came to ask. But, since we just got 8" of snow and the storm warning is through 10 p.m. tonight, I'm not expecting any visitors!

Some gloat, some scold and some educate. It is all in how they make the case.

Tim

[jessdigs]

14¢ each, before hazmat
https://zincpoint.com/ammo-components/small-pistol-primers-genix-3500-ct/

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[Hanzy4200]

There's a LOT of animosity out there towards those of us who buy in advance, and many of those who have little supply on hand blame us for shortages, not themselves who are buying them at inflated prices.

Last week at a gun show a fellow had ONE pack of 100 primers for sale at $25, another one at over $30 and they claimed to have sold thousands. MY fault? I do not think so.

So here's my plan... stay the course and watch from the sidelines.

I see this over, and over. Not only that, but people get upset if you score any! I spoke of buying the last 4 bricks at my Walmart a month or so ago. They had been sitting there on the shelf since spring. I got 3-4 nasty comments of "Way to screw the next guy" and "What, going to sell them on Gunbroker for $200?" I swear, some grown men can be such babies.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Well it's winter around these parts and that means I shoot less. I got enough to last me well into next summer. But I'll feel better when the gun stores are restocked. There won't be much point in them being open if they don't have stock to sell.

[The Dar]

14¢ each, before hazmat
https://zincpoint.com/ammo-components/small-pistol-primers-genix-3500-ct/

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

I really wanted to read the two reviews on these primers. Funny though, the reviews won't open. I'd almost bet the reviews are remarks of how their gouging. I'm not complaining, I have plenty of primers, powder and I cast my own bullets. No ammo or component shortage at my house.

[Wooserco]

I spoke recently with a contact that has "connections within the industry." He's saying he's been told 4,6 - 8 months and things should get back to normal. COVID shutdowns took their toll, panic buying of components and ammunition... It was stated that the primary production of components - primers in particular is for the ammo manufacturers and what we loaders and reloaders get are production over runs.

Yes, I remember the shortages when Bill Clinton and the gun ban crowd were making their noise. Every Saturday during club high power rifle league shooting a formation of three black helicopters would fly over. I always wondered what that was about.

[Lloyd Smale]

I see this over, and over. Not only that, but people get upset if you score any! I spoke of buying the last 4 bricks at my Walmart a month or so ago. They had been sitting there on the shelf since spring. I got 3-4 nasty comments of "Way to screw the next guy" and "What, going to sell them on Gunbroker for $200?" I swear, some grown men can be such babies.

yup some take it personal when someone trys to educate them and because there pride gets in the way want to turn that education into something personal. Id bet some of the guys that have run out will be the same ones when this happens again (and it will) being on the side of the people who had the sense to make getting stocked up a priority instead of some chrome for there harley or pickup or a new golf club.

Comical thing is ive got a guy i worked with that during the last shortage came over and bummed some 22 shells to take his kid to camp. I gave him a brick and said have fun. About 6 months ago he called me and asked me if i had any 22 shells he could buy. I LAUGHED at him. Hes got a 200k house a nice truck and car a 4 wheeler and two snowmobiles but was to tight to buy a half a dozen bricks of 22 shells. If you take this education as bragging or gloating then youll be in the same predicament 10 years from now when it happens again. Hanzys post hit it on the head. Its hard to admit you were wrong and its easier to be a baby and cry. Id bet none of you here are under 18 years old and sure shouldn't need me to educate you and its not my job to do so. But here you are. But to come here and say this shortage is the first or unprecedented is ridiculous. If your out you should be chastising yourself not someone here. You darned sure should have known better and next time your in walmart and they have 22 shells put the steak and beer back and buy some 22 shells.

[Lloyd Smale]

Shotgun primers and LR magnum at Jay's in Gaylord, Michigan last week. Limiting quantities to 400 at a time.

he rick if your ever in there and they have and will part with cases of small rifle or pistol pm me. Its hardly worth the drive all the way down there unless i can come out with 3 or 4 cases.

[joatmon]

During good times the store owners all ways thanked me for supporting them and buying stock so they could pay the bills.

Aaron

[tmanbuckhunter]

The thing that kills me is percussion caps. Yeah, I got a good stock of them too, but why hoard those? Head scratcher...

[MT Gianni]

Lets say that you manufacture primers. You probably also make ammo. Both are flying off the shelf at record paces. Your ammo makes you 22% return on investment[number pulled out of the air]. Your primers do also. Are you going to sell just primers and let the divisions of your company that assemble, box and process ammo, manufacture powder and bullets set idle? As has been the case in the past reloaders who compete with the ammo manufactures will be the last to get taken care of. The only exception would be if primers were now earning 55% return on investment. Primers are up but I am not sure is is as large a rise as ammo.
This is a hobby where you absolutely have to plan for surges in supply.

[Froogal]

Lets say that you manufacture primers. You probably also make ammo. Both are flying off the shelf at record paces. Your ammo makes you 22% return on investment[number pulled out of the air]. Your primers do also. Are you going to sell just primers and let the divisions of your company that assemble, box and process ammo, manufacture powder and bullets set idle? As has been the case in the past reloaders who compete with the ammo manufactures will be the last to get taken care of. The only exception would be if primers were now earning 55% return on investment. Primers are up but I am not sure is is as large a rise as ammo.
This is a hobby where you absolutely have to plan for surges in supply.

In theory, what you just said sort of makes sense, but if true, then there should be plenty of ammo on the shelves. WHERE IS IT??

[bangerjim]

I truly feel sorry for those new folks on here just now getting into casting and loading. Heck, you cannot even find comm-loaded ammo in stores unless you are VERY lucky and you take a 2nd on your house. Our supplies are almost non-existent. I am personally very fortunate to have stashed away many 10's of thousands of primers, dozens of large bottles of good powders, and over 2 tons of Pb and alloys, and enough brass (range pick-ups) to last me a lifetime.

Good luck on your quest out there. As Hidin' Biden recently said............"we are in for a long dark winter" (x4 I am afraid!)

banger

[brewer12345]

The thing that kills me is percussion caps. Yeah, I got a good stock of them too, but why hoard those? Head scratcher...

I wonder if they compete with primers for production capacity? If so, I assume that manufacturers won't have much reason to do a run of caps for a long time as they try to catch up with primer and ammo demand.

[tankgunner59]

None of you owe anyone an apology for planning ahead. Remember the old adage, no one plans to fail, they just fail to plan. I didn't stock up on as many primers as you guys did. But that is because I don't shoot as much as y'all do. I have plenty of my components on hand for my families shooting needs for at least a couple years. Anyone who didn't see this shortage coming and isn't a beginner in hand loading, just didn't pat attention in the last several election years. On top of that we have this COVID thing going on that exacerbates the situation.
I personally would like to compliment you guys who planned ahead for the current shortage. I did, but my error was not paying attention to the ammo I bought at an LGS with small rifle primers. They were 6.5 CM rounds from Federal (FC headstamp). Everything else I have is LRP's. The good news for me is it was only 100 rounds. So I'll keep them on hand till this is over. I'm not upset, and I'm definitely not upset that you gentlemen were farsighted enough to stock up on your components, kudos!
All that being said, if anyone near Quincy, IL has 100 or so small rifle primers they could sell at a decent price I'm open.

[dogdoc]

yup some take it personal when someone trys to educate them and because there pride gets in the way want to turn that education into something personal. Id bet some of the guys that have run out will be the same ones when this happens again (and it will) being on the side of the people who had the sense to make getting stocked up a priority instead of some chrome for there harley or pickup or a new golf

Comical thing is ive got a guy i worked with that during the last shortage came over and bummed some 22 shells to take his kid to camp. I gave him a brick and said have fun. About 6 months ago he called me and asked me if i had any 22 shells he could buy. I LAUGHED at him. Hes got a 200k house a nice truck and car a 4 wheeler and two snowmobiles but was to tight to buy a half a dozen bricks of 22 shells. If you take this education as bragging or gloating then youll be in the same predicament 10 years from now when it happens again. Hanzys post hit it on the head. Its hard to admit you were wrong and its easier to be a baby and cry. Id bet none of you here are under 18 years old and sure shouldn't need me to educate you and its not my job to do so. But here you are. But to come here and say this shortage is the first or unprecedented is ridiculous. If your out you should be chastising yourself not someone here. You darned sure should have known better and next time your in walmart and they have 22 shells put the steak and beer back and buy some 22 shells.

club.


Agree 100 percent. If you have been in this game for 5 years or more there is no excuse for not stocking up in times of plenty. Call me a hoarder or whatever but I purchased when product was everywhere and on special. I am shooting as much as I want right now and can for a long long time. This will pass. Learn from it and do not get caught with your pants down next time. If you are new to the game, it just plain sucks. It caught me years ago and I learned. Good luck

[LAH]

In theory, what you just said sort of makes sense, but if true, then there should be plenty of ammo on the shelves. WHERE IS IT??

Where is it?? My local shop sells ammo as soon as it hits the shelf. It's in the hands of those who purchase it. And my local shop is like ever shop in the country I guess, they have plenty ordered & waiting. Those factories can only make so much & all they make is being purchased. The old stock here was sold mostly in a week or so. That is demand & that demand is country wide. At least that's how I see it.

[elmacgyver0]

If you buy online you almost have to buy in bulk in order for it to pay.
The hazmat is the same for 100 primers or 10,000
If you buy powder the same holds true.
And who the heck buys .22 shells by the 50 rnd box?
The last time I did that I was a poor farm kid that sold dressed out rabbits for 50 cents apiece to fund my .22 shells.

[bangerjim]

I still have, somewhere (!) in my collection from the "golden olden daze" of my childhood in Iowa, a couple boxes of .22LR's of the Western Auto brand. 50 in a box - - and the price (hand written on box by the store) is 25¢. I could walk in and by them after school for a weekend's fun outing in the rolling hills of southern Iowa.

My how times have changed.


banger :violin:

[MUSTANG]

I still have, somewhere (!) in my collection from the "golden olden daze" of my childhood in Iowa, a couple boxes of .22LR's of the Western Auto brand. 50 in a box - - and the price (hand written on box by the store) is 25¢. I could walk in and by them after school for a weekend's fun outing in the rolling hills of southern Iowa.

My how times have changed.


banger :violin:

and growing up; there were a variety of Gas Stations and Mom & Pop local convenience/butcher shop stores where the kids (4or 5 and up) could buy .22's at 1 cent each or at times 2 for a penny out of the box. We (kids in general) would walk the bar ditches looking for soda pop bottles to take back to the store to trade for candy/gum or even .22's to go shoot with. For some of us; those were the good ole days. Helicopter Parenting and school/government intervention in family lives had not been invented yet.