At what price point do you stop shooting?

[dverna]

Currently, primers are over $150/1000 on Gunbroker.

Primers are not available in my area. There is no option to buy ammunition in most calibers.

What is your level of pain? If you had a very limited supply of primers, at what cost would you decide to stop or severely limit shooting?

For me it is $200/1000.

If the “new normal”, after 12 months, becomes $60/1000, how will that affect you?

[Cargo]

I paid $60 for a brick of small rifle primers about three months ago so I would probably be ok with that. Our shooting has slowed quite a bit. We're shooting more shotguns lately as target loads are still running around $25 per 100 and the kids are worn out after a couple of boxes lol.

[Chris S]

I have a large stockpile of ammo built up. All the calibers that I shoot. But still... I have turned to airgunning to keep my skills up. I have several guns that I can shoot in my garage/back yard that will not alert my neighbors. Pellets and CO2 or even pumper/springer guns are cheap and easy to find...for the time being.
FWIW
Chris

[Der Gebirgsjager]

My personal opinion is never. You just shift your shooting habits a bit. These shortages always eventually come to an end and then it's time to stock up for next time. Myself, I am not experiencing any shortages as I have lots of primers stockpiled, lots of powder, and can make by own boolits. However, again my own personal situation, winter is here and I don't greatly enjoy shooting in the snow. So I use the winters to reload, which might be why I've stockpiled a lot of components. This winter I decided, among other reloading projects, to reload .410 shotgun ammo. I recently acquired two (2 1/2" & 3") .410 Lee Loaders from a fellow forum member. I have two coffee cans full of empty .410 hulls I saved from my activities over the years and always wanted to reload them. So I needed wads and started investigating on line for what might be available. I checked BPI and found that they had several types of wads, about half of them sold out, but some that would work very well. Surprisingly, they also had 2 1/2" PRIMED Cheddite hulls at a very reasonable price. So I picked up 200 hulls and two bags of wads. Next, I shopped MidwayUSA and they had 3" PRIMED Cheddite hulls, a .410 roll crimp tool, and a manual. Went back to BPI and picked up a second, different manual and a bag of No.7 nickel plated shot. I'm set for many hours of reloading, but already thinking I might need to invest in a MEC press. Anyway, if the shortages have put a person off balance they just need to adjust accordingly. One can always spend their time casting boolits, sizing and gas checking them, lubing or powder coating, processing brass, etc. Buy a couple of old guns and see if you can't restore them to usefulness and beauty.

[Kraschenbirn]

Uhmmm...something I haven't as yet given a lot of thought. I turn 76 in a couple of weeks and between loaded ammunition and components on hand, I have, at least, enough to keep me shooting for the next 3-4 years. After that, who knows?

Bill

[Der Gebirgsjager]

We're in the same boat, Bill, me being 78. When discussing continuing to shoot the rest of one's life...... :roll:

Kind of reminds me of the two lifelong shooting buddies, Ron and Bob. They had a deal that whichever one died first, he'd come back and tell the other if there was shooting in Heaven. Bob went first.

Not long after Bob's death Ron awoke in the middle of the night, and there stood Bob at the foot of his bed.

Bob said, "I told you I'd come back Ron. I've got some good news and some bad news."
"Well," said Ron, "give me the good news first."
Bob said, "Sure enough, there is shooting in Heaven. There's no wind, every shot is a bullseye, and you never have to clean your rifle."
"Wonderful," said Ron. "What's the bad news.?"
Bob replied, "You're scheduled to shoot in the first relay tomorrow morning."

Sorry.

DG

[Dapaki]

I too have just shifted my shooting habits (thanks Der) to shoot my Benjamin .22 break action airgun instead of gunpowder rifle shooting and dry firing drills with the pistols. I am also loading primed .22 LR shells with BP, turning cast booloits down to 40gr to take nuisance animals.

I will return to 'normal' once we see the supply chain start to open up once more.

(That there is funny, DG!!)

[Ickisrulz]

I won't pay more than $40/1K of primers. Fortunately I have enough stuff for several years and eventually I will be able to re-stock at normal prices.

[dkonrai]

I won't pay more than $40/1K of primers. Fortunately I have enough stuff for several years and eventually I will be able to re-stock at normal prices.But will normal prices ever be the same? I stocked up when primers were cheap, 15.00 per 1k. Don't think it will ever be that cheap again. IMHO 40 per will be the normal once things get settled.

Sent from my A7 Pro using Tapatalk

[adcoch1]

If primers are over50 bucks for 1000 I am in disaster mode. Which is basically very little shooting and we switch to bows, slingshots, etc. I will still shoot a little bit, but my primers get kept track of. I am decently stocked, but shot up all my 9mm ammo right before covid hit and hadn't ordered more yet when stuff sold out. So lighter on spp than I want, but not desperate yet...

[Harter66]

Much over $40/1000 and I'm pretty much shut down but I spent 2+ yr buying 2-4k every 6 weeks at $24-38/1000 mostly . I bought what was available at first and what I needed to fill in the gaps later for about 3-4 months all I could get was spp then the lpp srp and pro came back in and I didn't see an app for 2 yr . It took 3 years to get some #41s and when I did I bought a 5241 ct arsenal pack . See this face ? :) It's my remorse for hoarding face . :)

Of course if a guy runs out of powder 20k primers does nothing for him .

[Chad5005]

we are down to sighting in hunting guns and hunting,no plinking or practice.id never pay over 100/1000 but have enough to last till prices get back to normal.i guess you really never have enough

[tomme boy]

It will all depend on who actually gets to be POTUS. If they successfully pull off the fraud that was put on us then $60-$80/1K or more will be the new norm. It we get the truth about what happened then $40-$50/1K will be the new norm.

I have enough for several years to come. But I am always on the lookout for more primers. I have been buying up all I could get the last 4 years. But I have been going through 4X the # of 9mm than I ever have. A AR9 is just too much fun to shoot.

[namsag]

I am already at the point where I am not buying anything at current prices. My local state gunowner's forum has had quite a few "long-time members" with 15-20 posts come out of the woodwork lately, selling their marked-up ammunition and components. I am sorry to see that some of the members are buiying from them. I am going to wait for things to settle down again, although when that will be, who knows. I guess I will cut back some on shooting. For self-defense shooting though you can still get some good practice from dry-firing, will probably increase that.

[weldprof1]

Excellent! How come, being a life long shooter (competitive) and other, I have never heard that one?

[weldprof1]

Wow! I am shocked at the complacency in the responses to the question asked. This is not good. We should seriously be looking at taking offensive measures instead of waiting for it to get worst. These prices are ridiculous. They don't need to take the guns away and they know they can't but a gun without ammo is nothing more then an ornament to look at and remember what it was like "back in the day". What about your kids, grand-kids? Are they going to be born of the Bill of Rights or will they just look at us and say, "grandpa/grandma what were those guns on the wall there used for"?

[Conditor22]

I won't pay more than the normal price before covid.

IF businesses price gouge now I will remember and avoid them when this is over.

Same with private parties. Individuals can charge what they want but I won't do business with them after this is over.

Like many of you who lived through the last shortage, I stocked up. I did find myself a little low on SPP so I did some trading straight across and now have an ample supply of SPP.

I'm shifting my shooting practice and load development to calibers I have the most primers for.

[dverna]

The way I looked at it, if I went down to shooting 100 rounds a week that is 5000 rounds a year. If primers got to $200/1000 that would add $170/1000...$850 per year over “normal” costs. At $100/1000, it adds $70/1000 or $350 a year. Shooting is my favorite past time so even $100/1000 primers would not be too terrible.

I would do less plinking with the pistols and pistol caliber carbines. Do more 5.56, .30/30, and .308 rifle shooting. Cannot see myself ever stopping completely.

Certainly something to think about. I bet the socialists follow forums like this, and if $50/1000 primers is a tipping point they do not need to pass much in terms of more gun control.

I like the idea of investing in air powdered guns to keep shooting for fun at a reasonable cost. Trigger time is trigger time. And if I can cast decent pellets it would be very inexpensive. $1000- 1200 for a PCP rifle, compressor, and mold might not be a bad move even at my age (70). If I sold 24 bricks of .22 ammunition, my grandkids and I could plink for free for the rest of my life.

[slim1836]

I've just shifted my expectations to minute of torso at 200 yards for my load development of rifles, for my pistols it's 25 yards. I've got plenty to to pick from. I set no schedule, it's when I decide I need to get out and shoot. Makes it more enjoyable. At this rate, I can shoot well over 2 years if I rotate properly.

This gives me time to think about what I can change to tighten up the groups, should give me something to do until the good Lord takes me.

Slim

[samari46]

All of our primers,powders and projectiles are finite. Including Pistol and revolver calibers we make our own projectiles. I had bought a jug of 2400 few weeks later a good friend from the gun club showes up at my house with some trade goods for a high dollar stock someone had given me before they had passed away.
He gave me 8 pounds of 2400,3cans of 4895 and two cans of 4227, which if things get worse two of those powders are usuable as pistol loads.Plus what I already have on hand. As far as rifle projectiles are concerned well I can make my own, For years I have a aluminum box full of 150 grain 30 cal spitzer bullets. got them in a deal so long ago cannot remember where or how I came in posession. And some odds and ends. But as said everyone has their limits. Blackpowder can still be had but percussion caps sre in short supply. And a lot of stuff we have were legally prevented from shipping across state borders by federal law.Frank

[Four-Sixty]

If this demand persists, someone, eventually, will add production capacity.

[MrWolf]

Kinda weird but my timing with having to get stuff done around here "helped" me not notice my lack of shooting in 2020. My pistol range building is up (utility shed with a separate 10x10 double Dutch door setup) but I still have to frame and such which will probably be in the spring. I did stock up before so set for awhile no matter the President (it will be Trump). I still have to put up a small building and put in my 50,100,200, and 300 yd rifle range AND make leather holsters and reload this winter. On a disability retirement so can only realistically get a few hours of stuff done a day. Promised myself from here on out half my time is work and other half is for me but who knows. Good luck.

[Lloyd Smale]

with the liberals in command that might not be possible. Im not sweating it to much. Im 64 and could easily keep shooting at my pace for 10 years or could slow down some and make it till i die with the ammo and components and lead i have now. I havent bought factory ammo other then a couple boxes of hp pistol stuff in the last 30 years anyway.

[Pressman]

I stumbled into a brick of large pistol primers last week at Scheels, last on they had. I have knowledge of a stash of all sizes of primers that is mine for the going to pick them up. 2000 mile round trip. I don't have enough large rifle to get me through the summer with the plans of load work I have. Road trip? Probably.

Ken

[richhodg66]

Was noticing my long bow sitting idol for several years the other day. Might be time to diversify my shooting interests for a while.

I also have a couple of old Sheridans and a cool .25 caliber Springer I haven't worked with much yet.

Was in Wal Mart yesterday, nothiong but shotgun ammo and not nearly as much of that as usual for this time of year. This is gonna go on for a while.

[Brass&Lead]

My Grandfather worked for $0.80 per day. I earn a lot more. Inflation will continue. Buy it cheep and stack it deep when it is available.

[Ickisrulz]

But will normal prices ever be the same? I stocked up when primers were cheap, 15.00 per 1k. Don't think it will ever be that cheap again. IMHO 40 per will be the normal once things get settled.

Sent from my A7 Pro using Tapatalk

During the last shortage people predicted 22 LR would never get down to 3 cents a round again. It did. Eventually everyone gets a surplus and stops buying. Then prices drop to where they were before.

[remy3424]

I won't pay more than the normal price before covid.

I businesses price gouge now I will remember and avoid them when this is over.

Same with private parties. Individuals can charge what they want but I won't do business with them after this is over.

Why is this bad? If they sold them at "their" purchase price, people would "hoard purchase" them. At higher prices, shooters that truely "need" them now, can still purchase some. Why worry about purchasing more now if you aren't "needing" them? This will blow over, although, this one might take a few years, stockpile then like most shooters have done. If you don't "need" now, don't buy now....or buy all you can find at any price like new guy posted earlier, trying to create more frenzy than we already have. Keep all the political conspiracy therory crap in the PIT please.

[wv109323]

In 2019 Winchester had a rebate on primers.
I don't know for sure but I assume they had excessive inventory. I bought spp but could not find lpp.

[RU shooter]

I'm not going to buy at panic mode prices and I just don't target shoot a lot anymore . I've shot and practiced enough in my life already I know how to shoot and shoot well . I have an air rifle , bow , crossbow and flintlocks that will get me through if I need or want to kill paper . Same principle different propulsion is all .

[GhostHawk]

"My personal opinion is never. You just shift your shooting habits a bit. These shortages always eventually come to an end and then it's time to stock up for next time. "

Yep, I'm sitting on a nice stash. Not as nice as I'd like perhaps, but at this point I can shoot whatever I choose as much as I choose. But with the Covid thing my shooting is down as I prefer to stay home and stay safe.

When the supply does come back, and it always does, prices may be a bit higher at first. But they drop in time.

Example .22lr was over 13 cents a round in the shortage before this one, and the prices did drop back to 3 cents a round before this shortage started.

Trick is to watch the trends, strike at the right time, stack deep wide and high when you can. Ride it when you can't.

[Lloyd Smale]

I stumbled into a brick of large pistol primers last week at Scheels, last on they had. I have knowledge of a stash of all sizes of primers that is mine for the going to pick them up. 2000 mile round trip. I don't have enough large rifle to get me through the summer with the plans of load work I have. Road trip? Probably.

Ken

in a pinch those lg pistols will make your rifles go bang too.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

OP asks:

At what price point do you stop shooting?
I'll never stop shooting. Honestly, the current political climate requires it.
=====================================



I stumbled into a brick of large pistol primers last week at Scheels, last on they had. I have knowledge of a stash of all sizes of primers that is mine for the going to pick them up. 2000 mile round trip. I don't have enough large rifle to get me through the summer with the plans of load work I have. Road trip? Probably.

Ken
Ken, I got you covered ;)
in fact I haven't done anything with the previous lot of LRP (except sort them by Mfg) that you steered me into...I believe 400 of them are CCI #200

[leadeye]

I've got most bases covered for the ammo I shoot, it's the epa camel getting it's nose into the scrap lead tent that worries me.

[Blanket]

thinking about gopher and prairie dog shooting is going to be good this year, no worries on ammo

[snowwolfe]

To many people panic. There are reputable vendors out there who sell at normal prices. Sign up for email alerts and act immediately and buy. In a few months or so you will be stocked for the time being.

[Froogal]

I will pay up to $40 to $45 for a box of 1,000 primers. I will stop shooting before I pay any more.

[Schreck5]

I really enjoy shooting my flintlock. I have plenty of black powder and flints, although flint's aren,t exactly cheap anymore. But at least they are readily available. Shooting flinters makes me slow down in a fast-paced world. I can truly relax and enjoy myself.

[memtb]

For myself, it’s not price oriented.....it’s product oriented. I am good for a long time with restricted shooting (not stopped). When/if supplies and prices return to somewhat normal....I will replenish my components. I will never allow myself to be depleted on supplies....even if it means that I stop shooting! There may come a time when the need for components is much more important than for recreational shooting! memtb

[flyingmonkey35]

My club has already started shooting the bull more then shooting guns.

As for me I am just going to cast more.

And stock pile lead.



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[RogerDat]

Seems to me this panic will pass, eventually all the stockpiling and snatching up the commercial supplies for resale at shortage prices will saturate the market. Or as suggested someone will ramp up capacity to take advantage of the elevated prices. Then some retailers will offer "sale price" or "discount" deals at lower prices that will garner market share in a very finite market, a market that by then may well have stacked them deep reducing demand. Eventually the same thing will happen as has happened before. Prices will drop.

Only a fool doesn't take into account available replacement supply assuming one expects to be around long enough for it to matter. You use less of something the greater the replacement cost or difficulty procuring replacement will cost. Gas costs go up, people drive less. Shooting costs go up, people will shoot less. Where the problem will come in is casual shooters who decide to shoot very little if any due to cost of ammo. Reload your own and you tend to have a supply on hand that seems weird to non-reloader people. We see 1000 cnt bricks as "normal" many shooters don't buy ammo in lots of 1000, or if they do they don't do it in batches of 5000 to get the most from shipping costs.

I will shoot more I expect the easier it is to replace what I use. Cost is a factor that can influence how easily replacement of components fits in the budget.

I agree if you can sign up to be notified and create an account at the store (greatly speeds checkout) you can still land needful items. It isn't as easy as it was a while ago but it can be done.

If someone wants to pay money to have something from my stash then the amount of money has to be sufficient that I don't feel bad about not having that item anymore. If I had an envelope of cash to use when prices drop that would cover higher costs I expect to prevail sitting in with the primers and a couple fewer boxes... I don't know how "evil" that would be. Have less sympathy for the people who snatch all the commercial product up to resell. Walmart .22 zombies I'm talking about you. Personally I almost never sell components I can use or lead I don't consider well surplus to my needs.

[rbuck351]

I'm 72 and I'm fairly sure that I can step up my shooting a bit and still be good for 15/20 years. I have my own shooting range for lead recovery and about 1500lbs of lead and plenty of powder and primers and 22lr. I have way more j bullets for hunting than I will ever use and shoot cast for most everything else. So I will still buy more components if and when prices are right even though I don't need them. Prices can't get high enough to stop me from shooting but can force me to stop buying.

[imashooter2]

I’m 63 and Psoriatic Arthritis is chewing at me. Not sure how long my shooting career will last. Regardless, it is probable that existing stores take me to the next life.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I recall the last time when .22 ammo was unavailable. I phoned an exec. at CCI and he told me that wealthy hoarders were trying to obtain 100,000 rounds per family member, sometimes 1,000,000 rounds for the entire family.

But, later, .22 became easy to find once again, although the price never went all the way back down to pre-shortage days.

I think that will happen again. The factories are going to keep producing. The hoarding will slow, and they'll catch up and surpass demand. Prices will fall, but not to what they were. But, I don't really expect to see primers permanently at $100 per 1,000. Maybe $40.00, as the pre-shortage price was running around $30 +/-.

Even if the DemoRats take over the govt. (we'll know pretty soon now, won't we?) their thrust has been to confiscate you dog faced pony soldier's AR-14s, and that won't effect component prices or supplies once the factories fill the backlog. They would have to specifically legislate against the components industries, bans or taxes. Not saying that this can't happen, but they're kind of slow to learn, will meet with resistance in the courts, etc.

Next time....stock up!

[marlin39a]

I’m not participating in the gouging. I am well stocked with brass, powder, and primers. Also have a lifetime supply of .22 ammo. I knew this was coming. Steak, or primers? I ate hamburger and bought primers.

[beemer]

My personal opinion is never. You just shift your shooting habits a bit. These shortages always eventually come to an end and then it's time to stock up for next time. Myself, I am not experiencing any shortages as I have lots of primers stockpiled, lots of powder, and can make by own boolits. However, again my own personal situation, winter is here and I don't greatly enjoy shooting in the snow. So I use the winters to reload, which might be why I've stockpiled a lot of components. This winter I decided, among other reloading projects, to reload .410 shotgun ammo. I recently acquired two (2 1/2" & 3") .410 Lee Loaders from a fellow forum member. I have two coffee cans full of empty .410 hulls I saved from my activities over the years and always wanted to reload them. So I needed wads and started investigating on line for what might be available. I checked BPI and found that they had several types of wads, about half of them sold out, but some that would work very well. Surprisingly, they also had 2 1/2" PRIMED Cheddite hulls at a very reasonable price. So I picked up 200 hulls and two bags of wads. Next, I shopped MidwayUSA and they had 3" PRIMED Cheddite hulls, a .410 roll crimp tool, and a manual. Went back to BPI and picked up a second, different manual and a bag of No.7 nickel plated shot. I'm set for many hours of reloading, but already thinking I might need to invest in a MEC press. Anyway, if the shortages have put a person off balance they just need to adjust accordingly. One can always spend their time casting boolits, sizing and gas checking them, lubing or powder coating, processing brass, etc. Buy a couple of old guns and see if you can't restore them to usefulness and beauty.

I started playing with the 410 a several years ago. It's a lot of fun and sometimes frustrating. I do think it is useful round, anything from pesky critters to deer in a survival situation. I load 4 to 5 grains of unique and 80 or 90 grains of shot for a small critter load, really surprises you how well it does out of a smooth bore. A .395 round ball passes through the choke of my H & R, you can move it pretty fast and hit your hat at 25 yds. I think you will like tinkering with the 410.

Dave

[Shawlerbrook]

Luckily I have a good stock and I don’t shoot competitively. I would say that when I have to pay approaching $100/1000 for primers my shooting would be limited to sighting in , testing , hunting and any thing that requires an emergency shot. If I was totally out of primers I probably would pay $100 to 200/1000, but they would be used very sparingly.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

While I BELIEVE I have enough stuff to get through the current panic, I also have accumulated a few pellet rifles that have enough power for the rabbit/squirrel/sitting bird kind of hunting and recreational shooting. I might think about a flintlock that doesn't need caps or primers. a .36 or .40 should shoot many times with a few pounds of black. For hunting bigger stuff, pointy sticks (archery) is another way to keep on.

[dverna]

It is good to see a lot of you were prepared and others will accept a higher price point when supplies get back on store shelves.

If I had more knowledge/contacts I would look into foreign manufacturers. I remember paying $16/1000 for Russian primers a few years ago and they were good primers. They will not have millions of people buying ammunition and components so supply and prices should be good.

[RogerDat]

I’m not participating in the gouging. I am well stocked with brass, powder, and primers. Also have a lifetime supply of .22 ammo. I knew this was coming. Steak, or primers? I ate hamburger and bought primers.

This is how it is done. You buy steadily, you make choices, with luck the choices work out to your advantage. Taking care of what is important instead of what is urgent is a tough lesson. Applies equally to the immediate gratification of a steak vs the long term gratification of a well stocked ammo and component supply.

Once you have a stock that seems sufficient one can just replace as used, or add to it as deals or especially good opportunities show up. Of my last two lead purchases more was passed onto friends at cost than added to my couple of tons. Both purchases were good deals. Mono at a buck a pound, plain at 75 cents. Point is once you have what you "need" adding to it becomes more discretionary. Maybe the money can go to a mold or doing something nice for the spouse once the budget for steady purchasing has yielded a good supply.

I don't really think I will live to the point when I will run out (self rationing should prevent that) but I figured out what I wanted on hand and steadily worked off of that list for a few years. Now I'm to the happy place where use a pound add it to my shopping list and if there is a shortage again? Well there is that 8# jug of it in reserve :-)

Black powder is cool, not because it is less dependent on external supply, although that is nice, but because it is fun to shoot, the pace is relaxing, the connection to history is satisfying. It is the one area I feel a strong need to increase my investment in. If you are worried about components and supplies it could be a pleasant alternative for your funds right now when component items are so expensive.

Raise your hand if you bought a .22 rifle for a low price during the great .22 ammo shortage. If one thing is scarce buy something else that you will enjoy with your money. Or sell something that is now high priced so later you can buy something you will enjoy owning more.

[higgins]

I remember seeing Winchester primers for $55/1000 over 15 years ago during one of the Clinton shortages, and I refused to buy.
The last primers I bought at retail several months ago were Winchester primers at Sportsmans Warehouse for $24/1000. Prices do come back down when supply catches up. It probably won't be $24/k, but I bet it won't be scalper prices either.

[Idaho45guy]

I've lived through a couple of shortages and panic buying before this one. In the past, having a few months or a year's worth of ammo and components on hand was no big deal and things returned to near normal.

This time, it's different.

Never before have those who oppose the 2nd amendment gained so much power and become so focused on taking away guns.

Will the Supreme Court step in and affirm our rights under the 2nd? I think so. But America is changing rapidly and those on the left will stop at nothing to destroy all of our freedoms.

This shortage may seem like the ones in the past, but I think it may continue far longer and never truly be over.

[Winger Ed.]

I doubt if I'd ever stop; but if component prices go WAY up, I can see myself not going to the range as often.

[bpatterson84]

Buy when you see under the current prices! I had bought a whole lot back in the day at $14/1000, but last week I paid 140 for 3000, highest I’ve done yet, but below market value! I know we don’t like high prices, but it’s a risk of a capitalist society. I surely hope no one here is advocating for price controls on valuable commodities, that would be very leftist of you.

[osteodoc08]

I bought primers at $50/1000 this week for LPP. This will keep me shooting my main calibers of 10mm, 41 Mag, 480 Ruger and 45 ACP. I also can load and shoot 44 Special and 44 Mag. The 41/44 I also have lever guns so I can shoot revolvers and long guns. I’ve got a plethora of powder and my weak point is/was Primers. This is the top end of what I’m personally willing to pay. I’ve got enough to last me through the drought/hoarding stage judged by previous timelines. These were just added insurance should I get really down on primers.

Let’s also keep the thread and all others with similar vein on the rails folks.

[kerplode]

I'm set for a good long while, but I'd pay whatever it takes to keep shooting. It's not a hobby...Stopping is not an option. You just shoot less. Or adjust your financial priorities.

These shortages have been happening on the regular since the 90's. If you didn't stock up over the last couple years when we were awash in cheap ammo and components, I can't help you.

[dtknowles]

I think I would use very few if primers were a dollar each. I would still make sure I had some ammo for each of my guns. If primers were a dollar each how much would loaded ammo cost? I bet if thinks went that way you would be able to get black market smuggled 9mm and 5.56 cheaper than store bought.

I might make primers so that I could shoot more and for the bragging rights at the range if there was anyone there to brag too.

I have loaded ammo to last me years but I don't shoot that much. I have powder, primers and lead so I could load a bunch more. A current project is sort of stalled because the powder I was using is hard to find.

I don't think this drought will last years. I am prepared for worse, no primers or powder and "guns" being confiscated. I don't think it will ever come to that but be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

Tim

[rockrat]

I figure that if I go to the range and shoot a box of ammo and primers have gone from $50/K to $200/K, it means that the box of ammo cost me $3 more. If you could get a box of ammo at WM and it cost $3 more, would you quit shooting or just fork over the extra $3?

[ShooterAZ]

I too am set for a very long, long time. I stocked up on powder, lead, and 22LR when I thought Hillary could possibly win in 2016. Last year Midway had a huge sale on primers with very generous rebates from Vista Outdoors. I ordered a bunch of primers, and ordered even more primers with my rebate credit cards. Sadly, I saw this situation coming from miles and miles away. Having been through this election cycle component shortages a few times already, I learned my lesson about primers.

[farmbif]

well after watching what bob Dylan has just done I'm thinking maybe its time to cash in on some stuff.
if I was a good prepper I guess I should have stocked up on at least 40,000 primers a year for at lest 5 or 10 years. unfortunately turns out I've been better at hoarding cans of spam rather than primers. but I did come across a box of federal small pistols and a couple thousand oddball 209's, cheddite and fiottchi 616's that I forgot I had.

[Hick]

Uhmmm...something I haven't as yet given a lot of thought. I turn 76 in a couple of weeks and between loaded ammunition and components on hand, I have, at least, enough to keep me shooting for the next 3-4 years. After that, who knows?

Bill

ditto (only 74 but same situation)

[pworley1]

I am still using primers I bought in the 70's for $3.00 a thousand.

[turtlezx]

$3.00 @1000 wow nice

[JimB..]

I am still using primers I bought in the 70's for $3.00 a thousand.

Must have been early 70s, they were double that by the end of the decade...back then inflation was real!

[dverna]

I am still using primers I bought in the 70's for $3.00 a thousand.

You are a smart fellow. My first bulk purchase was in 1975 when I bought 50k CCI SPP from a guy in Detroit. I was living in Canada and needed special paperwork to transport them and clear Customs. Wish I had bought a million. Cannot remember the price, but they were really cheap.

BTW, $3.00 in 1975 would be about $15 today.

[Ed K]

Cheapest I have on hand are marked $12. Did buy LPP a couple of weeks ago at $50. Wouldn't readily pay a lot more unless really desperate but who really knows where this is going? Even at $50 for the primers, add a little 2400 and a lead stockpile and you're good. How much would it cost to buy 1000 Buffalo Bore LBT WFN 44 mag rounds? Not $52!!! Be glad for this site and that you can cast and handload!

[brewer12345]

I am good on supplies for quite a while and I will guess my pile will outlast the panic pricing. That said, if I thought I was getting lower than I would be comfy with I would simply switch to shooting my percussion black powder guns exclusively. An afternoon of pistol shooting is 300+ rounds. An afternoon of round ball shooting is more like 30. I also bought the percussion cap making die and some priming compound, so I should be OK there for a long time.

[am44mag]

At $200 per 1000, I would not be happy, but it's tolerable. With cast bullets and well used brass, you could still come in under $0.30 per round for something like 9mm. If primers end up costing that much, then the cheapest ammo around is still going to be well over $0.30 per round.

I would probably shoot less, or at least shoot something I consider to be worth that cost. I would also probably change how I shoot too. There would be less "plinking", and more serious target shooting.

[Idaho45guy]

I figure that if I go to the range and shoot a box of ammo and primers have gone from $50/K to $200/K, it means that the box of ammo cost me $3 more. If you could get a box of ammo at WM and it cost $3 more, would you quit shooting or just fork over the extra $3?

Good way to look at it.

I didn't get into reloading to save money, per se. I got into reloading for the freedom to tailor loads to specific firearms. Even if reloaded ammo is the same cost as factory ammo, it will still be more accurate and perform better in specific firearms.

I paid $70 for 1000 large pistol primers the other day. Usually $30 per 1000 around here. That's $2 more for 50 rounds of hard cast .45 Colt "bear loads" that can do an inch at 25 yards in my Ruger Bisley.

I don't feel like such a sucker now; thank you for the perspective.

[CastingFool]

I just picked up 2k of lpp, for $24. Each. The last two in the store. I consider myself very fortunate.

[AZ Pete]

whatever the price point, it appears to have been reached for many folks, locally. We shoot on NF land, and there are commonly five or more groups out there every week day morning, often more. Today there was no one but us. First time I have seen this happen.

[RogerDat]

We are a notional group. Clinton assault weapon ban drove surplus ammo prices up, Y2K drove prices up, there have been several times of low supply and high prices. Over the years. I guess I think this is just one more. One that will pass as supply catches up.

Each election cycle or news story or politician proposing legislation can really impact demand. Which encourages buying up the commercial supply for re-sale, encourages putting by just "a bit more". That demand will happen without fail going into any presidential election since one of the candidates will be more in favor of regulations.

Having a "supply" means different things to different people. Just as having enough does. I suppose if prices got horrible so it would be difficult to replace I would go shooting half as often and use half as much ammo each trip. Still if one wants to have it available no if's and's or butts one has to buy it in quantities.

I paid $5.22 per hundred (500 limit) for magnum large rifle primers, Federal. For a certain powder BL-C(2) used in a certain caliber .308 those magnum primers are useful. Bolt action it will take as long as it needs to in order to use that up. It was a choice. Those primers let me get better use from that powder. 500 of them represented 25 boxes of 20 rounds, so using that powder supply and the 25 boxes were worth the money.

I hate CastingFool but then he could have bought a lotto ticket with that luck, instead he got two boxes of primers. That makes me feel better. :-)

[gnappi]

I'm one of those nasty inconsiderate buyers who look forward to future use otherwise (unfairly) known as a hoarder. Nowadays I shoot maybe 100 pistol rounds a week, down substantially from earlier this year but at my current rate of consumption I likely have enough to last several years of just about everything for every caliber I load.

On a few competition sites some who shoot thousands of rounds a week are really ticked off at shooters who have acquired primers ahead of time... Too bad some do not look ahead and give those who do a hard time.

Oh, at the last gunshow I went to in late October a guy was selling packs of 100 small pistol primers for $35. My GF said I should sell mine... nope!

[Lloyd Smale]

not nasty or inconsiderate. Just intelligent.

[Slim Chance Pistolero]

i have been reloading since about 1974, last 12 yrs or so i have been Cowboy Action Shooting .. this CAS has increased my bullet reloading substantially .. so, i built an Excel spreadsheet to calculate my reloading costs ... using this sheet, which takes into account each components cost i can get a great cost per bullet ... using this sheet i looked at the cost per bullet for 38 spcl, my main match bullet, with primers at $32/1,000 my per bullet cost is $0.12, then i used $100 for 1,000 spp and my cost per bullet went to $0.19 ... so a box of 50 bullets at $0.12 was $6.12 and at $100 for 1,000 spp is $9.52 for 50 bullets .... this proves to me i will still save money and lots of money to continue to reload with the increase cost of primers ... i doubt this forum would let me post this Excel spreadsheet BUT i could make it available in other ways IF somebody wanted a really good cost spreadsheet, it includes many different bullet costs

[gnappi]

A spreadsheet is a good idea.

I make a spreadsheet for a whole lot of purposes. Whether it'd tracking solar output from my system, inventory of serialized stuff should I need an insurance claim, my guitar collection, specifications, tracking rechargeable battery life, you name it. Spreadsheets are so usable, especially if you need to do "what if" scenarios in math like cost of items.

[popper]

Not about price point, about trigger finger and Arthur, or gun grabbers in Gov.

[memtb]

not nasty or inconsiderate. Just intelligent.


^^^^^^^^ This ^^^^^^^ memtb

[bangerjim]

If this is your one and only hobby, you should be willing to pay whatever it takes to keep you happy.

I have 3 additional hobbies which do no rely on things going bang :Fire:, and I just invest my time and money in those right now.

I have probably 5-6 years (at the rate I shoot) of primers stored safely away.

When Trump came down the escalator, I had a feeling things were a-changin', even if he had not won, so I stocked up on everything! Like they say, "Ya' snooze...."ya loose." :dung_hits_fan:


banger :guntootsmiley:

[downzero]

Wow! I am shocked at the complacency in the responses to the question asked. This is not good. We should seriously be looking at taking offensive measures instead of waiting for it to get worst. These prices are ridiculous. They don't need to take the guns away and they know they can't but a gun without ammo is nothing more then an ornament to look at and remember what it was like "back in the day". What about your kids, grand-kids? Are they going to be born of the Bill of Rights or will they just look at us and say, "grandpa/grandma what were those guns on the wall there used for"?

Higher prices are literally the signal the market needs in order to produce more. What "offensive" measures do we need to take in response to unprecedented demand?

[TXGunNut]

I stop buying when panic buying starts. If someone wants to buy at those prices they need ammo worse than I. I can shoot all I want; this ain’t my first rodeo.

Mike

[Gunslinger1911]

I have cut back on the volume of shooting somewhat.
I thought I stocked up pretty well, somehow got caught short on SPP - must be all the 9mm I loaded for family.
The airguns come out more often, thinking about AirSoft to get trigger time.
I need to keep an eye out for more black powder and caps I guess.
I never really considered that a huge jump in primer price is a fairly small jump per box of reloads.
I also noticed there is quite a variance in "normal" primer prices; I saw prices of ~$25 per brick - normal here in central Ohio has been $40-45

[downzero]

I stop buying when panic buying starts. If someone wants to buy at those prices they need ammo worse than I. I can shoot all I want; this ain’t my first rodeo.

Mike

Which is exactly what the law of demand says most of us will do.

I'm with you. I could shoot all the rifling out of my guns before I run out of components, so I'm not paying panic prices, either.

[HATCH]

I have limited the shooting of ammo that I don't reload with the exception of 22 LR.
I think I could get a belt fed 22 lr machine gun and would still take a few years before I ran out.

Are you a betting person?

Not to go into Politics (and PLEASE DON'T or I will move this thread to the pit), with the way things are going, I suspect that ammo and items required to make ammo will be in short supply for at least the next 4 years or more.
The best thing you can do right now is limit your shooting even if you have a pile of supplies and see how this next year goes.
I did sell 5K CCI primers last month to a friend that was out of primers and was unable to do any pistol matches. He set the price.
But other then that, there will be no more selling or giving away loaded ammo any more.
A couple years ago, I gave away 500 rd ammo cans of 125 gr LRN 38sp to my friends so we could take our kids shooting.
That won't be happening any more because at this point, I don't know if I can replace the primers or powder.

[godzilla]

NEVER!!! Kidding aside I stopped shooting 22's during the Obama era due to the difficulty of replacing my stocks. Now we have the second coming of the administration I am considering a quality pellet gun to keep my skills up and preserve my 22 stocks yet again :(

[Bazoo]

I've cut back a little, but I aint shot large quantities for a couple years. Been sick this year. I have more rifle primers, so I started doing a little more 30-30 shooting to balance it out. Right now I have a comfortable two years and a stretched 4. I'm still looking for primers.

To answer the question, I think I'd pay 55.00 now, and if normal jumped to 75.00 I'd still shoot as normal. I don't burn ammo normally, I keep in form and shoot for my own enjoyment. I don't compete.

[FarNorth45]

I suspect that ammo and items required to make ammo will be in short supply for at least the next 4 years or more. .[/QUOTE]

Man i hope you are wrong ..... but fear you are right !!!!!! I have enough for a good stretch , but not to shoot like i really want . Some times i feel the need to just go wild and blow off a lot of rounds ......... that won't be happening again for a while .

[GhostHawk]

Well I'll keep shooting my reloads as and when I feel up to it.
But I am not shooting any more of the factory loads I have stashed.
They are in theory worth too much to waste.