Out of Control Cost Of Powder And Primers At LGS

[jonp]

Saw a billboard on I40 for a $189 shotgun so stopped to scope it out. On the shelf was some standard powder. 4850, 335, 4350 etc. The price, though, was silly. $75 lb. Started talking to the man behind the counter and asked about primers.
"We have some, $40" .
"Not bad per thousand"
"No, a hundred"
Seriously, $75 powder and $40/100 primers?
Hope they like them as i doubt they are going to sell much at that price.

[1Papalote]

I would not be going back to that store. I quit a local store, gander mountain and bass pro shop because of pricing. He can eat his $75 powder.

[sparky45]

Gun Show today; brother got (2) one pound H335 for $70 out the door.

[deltaenterprizes]

I have enough powder and primers and bullets to last a while but if prices stay at these crazy levels I will be selling the majority of my reloading equipment and casting equipment.

[1Hawkeye]

Our lgs is not quite that bad but he's still ripping people off. Powder is 20.00 to 25.00 over retail per pound and primers are 15.99 per 100 limit of 3 trays. like the rest of us I'll be glad when all this c--p is back to more supply than demand. Then hopefully these scalpers will be remembered for there efforts. We had one shop here a couple of years back when ar's went nuts who was selling cheap brand ar's for 2500.(bushmaster) rugers were 2800 and colts started a 3000. When the market stabilized his customers rememberd those "deals" and he runs a car wash now.

[Winger Ed.]

Our guy is pretty good.
When he gets powder in, he sells it with whatever normal mark up is.
I haven't bought any in a few months, but it was in the mid-high $20.oos for Red Dot when I got a couple one pound bottles.
I'm not sure what the going rate is, but it didn't seem too bad.
But when it's gone---- it's gone until he can get more in.

I think his customer base is content with that concept rather than being scalped.

When he got primers, he'd put a limit of two flats so they could get spread around some.
I think they were $8.oo, but I still have plenty for what I do now days, so I left 'em.

[ACC]

I guess I am not very optimistic. I don't believe things will get any where back to what they were. Not as long as the owners of Federal,Speer, Remington are the only owners. They have no need to. Most reloaders think they are our bestest buddies and 2A supporters. They are not. They are in business to make money. Hand over fist at anyone's expense.

ACC

[Hannibal]

I have enough powder and primers and bullets to last a while but if prices stay at these crazy levels I will be selling the majority of my reloading equipment and casting equipment.

Wait too long and you may have a hard time giving it away.

[farmbif]

mid south and powder valley both have price increases but they are still much lower cost than the rest. IMHO the rest of them can keep their over priced stuff

[barnabus]

I guess I am not very optimistic. I don't believe things will get any where back to what they were. Not as long as the owners of Federal,Speer, Remington are the only owners. They have no need to. Most reloaders think they are our bestest buddies and 2A supporters. They are not. They are in business to make money. Hand over fist at anyone's expense.

ACC

exactly...its over folks this is the new normal especially when it comes to primers.

[jonp]

Saw a SW M&P 4in 10mm I've been thinking of at that gunshop. Ky Gun and several other places right about $589-$599. They wanted $659.
" That your best price"?
"yes"
"put it back in the case"

Not going back in. I saw a number of professional browsers in there that just wanted to handle guns and knew everything about them. Almost took a used Ruger Target heavy barrel 22lr for $299. Looked barely used but no mags. Gunshop warrior looking at it remarked on it and then expounded on the the mags, accuracy etc. I almost said "I've got 4 mags for that so hand it over, xxxxxx" but I have one already that is a tack driver. The comment from that guy that really set me off was "I might be the only guy that knows how to take that down". Stand aside Waldo, I got this.....but I let it slide.

[Hannibal]

Saw a SW M&P 4in 10mm I've been thinking of at that gunshop. Ky Gun and several other places right about $589-$599. They wanted $659.
" That your best price"?
"yes"
"put it back in the case"

Not going back in. I saw a number of professional browsers in there that just wanted to handle guns and knew everything about them. Almost took a used Ruger Target heavy barrel 22lr for $299. Looked barely used but no mags. Gunshop warrior looking at it remarked on it and then expounded on the the mags, accuracy etc. I almost said "I've got 4 mags for that so hand it over, xxxxxx" but I have one already that is a tack driver. The comment from that guy that really set me off was "I might be the only guy that knows how to take that down". Stand aside Waldo, I got this.....but I let it slide.

Things like this are the second biggest reason I buy online. The first being I don't have to drive all over the place trying to find what I want and have multiple conversations with 'experts' like this.

[Shawlerbrook]

Glad I stocked up back in the early 2000’s.

[MrWolf]

Saw a SW M&P 4in 10mm I've been thinking of at that gunshop. Ky Gun and several other places right about $589-$599. They wanted $659.
" That your best price"?
"yes"
"put it back in the case"

Not going back in. I saw a number of professional browsers in there that just wanted to handle guns and knew everything about them. Almost took a used Ruger Target heavy barrel 22lr for $299. Looked barely used but no mags. Gunshop warrior looking at it remarked on it and then expounded on the the mags, accuracy etc. I almost said "I've got 4 mags for that so hand it over, xxxxxx" but I have one already that is a tack driver. The comment from that guy that really set me off was "I might be the only guy that knows how to take that down". Stand aside Waldo, I got this.....but I let it slide.

I have a few different guns I have been waiting on. My LGS gives me a price (approx) and we wait till one comes in. I am in no hurry as my immediate needs are taken care of. Have waited over a year already but I won't pay those ridiculous prices. They come in great, if not, oh well.

[Budzilla 19]

Local gun show today had primers, a bunch of them! One guy, $12 a hundred for Federal LP, I left them lay.He also had oolllddd powder cans, for $50 to $60 a pound! ( old. Bullseye, for $60:a pound? Bite me.). My old shooting buddy, getting out of the business, $85 a thousand for WLP. And also,small rifle for $85. If I wasn’t flush for primers, I would have picked up 5k of large pistol, but.......... Hopefully it’ll start coming available again, powder I mean, but the cheap days are gone, I’m afraid! Be safe.

[imashooter2]

My guess is that is that those are the prices they arrived at that lets them sell, but the first guy in the door doesn’t buy them all. Yes, supply may come back a bit someday and prices may drop a bit. But they aren’t coming back to 2015 any time soon.

But take heart! If you live long enough, you can be bragging on whatever replaces these forums about how you got to buy at only $400 a thousand back in 2022.

[elmacgyver0]

It is the "new normal", get used to it, not going to change anytime soon.
Elections "DO" have consequences.

[Tazman1602]

I see a lot of complaining about prices and comments like “I won’t be back” etc. What you need to realize is that doesn’t matter —— SOMEONE is paying those prices or they wouldn’t stay that high, as long as idio….I mean people, keep paying these prices they are not about to go down.

It’s like the Ruger made Marlin SBL I’ve had on order with LGS who is happy to sell it to me for MSRP but it’s a 9 month wait now. On the other hand, if I wanted one bad enough they are all over Gunbroker for $2K when MSRP is $1399……I’ll never get one unless the morons quit paying that much for them…….and they keep right on paying.

Art

[imashooter2]

They aren’t morons. They are people with a spare $2,000 that like shooting more than keeping the cash.

[ACC]

Saw a SW M&P 4in 10mm I've been thinking of at that gunshop. Ky Gun and several other places right about $589-$599. They wanted $659.
" That your best price"?
"yes"
"put it back in the case"

Not going back in. I saw a number of professional browsers in there that just wanted to handle guns and knew everything about them. Almost took a used Ruger Target heavy barrel 22lr for $299. Looked barely used but no mags. Gunshop warrior looking at it remarked on it and then expounded on the the mags, accuracy etc. I almost said "I've got 4 mags for that so hand it over, xxxxxx" but I have one already that is a tack driver. The comment from that guy that really set me off was "I might be the only guy that knows how to take that down". Stand aside Waldo, I got this.....but I let it slide.

Why go to a gun shop that over prices everything? I haven't been in one in years. The last three guns I have bought was at Academy Sports. Prices cheaper than any gun shop around here.

Some say if you buy from a gun shop and something goes wrong the gunsmith can fix it. I have bad news for any gun people around here. None of the gun shops in San Antonio have gunsmiths as of this writing except one. Only Dury's has a gunsmith. The way they are NOW working is that you pay to have them fix your gun THEN claim against the gun company. Just ask my BinL how well that works.

ACC

[Bad Ass Wallace]

The powder, primer, boolit shortage is everywhere, people are advertising powder which retailed for $AU105 for $AU800 and getting it.

https://usedguns.com.au/gun/459580/

As licensed pistol shooters, we are required to attend up to 16 competition shoots every year but the authorities don't give us any leeway because of lack of ammunition or components.

[fatelk]

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I predict <$50 primers and <$30 powder easily once supply catches up with demand. When/if the opposition party retakes the house this fall, panic should subside, demand will relax, and prices will fall. I've seen a number of these things (though never this bad), and that's how it always goes. I've seen primers a couple times in the last few months, small quantities at big box stores. They limit sales to two trays, and the price has been about $6/100. They go quick, but they're still making money at that price.

There's a common misconception about market forces. Whether it's gas, groceries, or ammo, you hear people say "Now that they know we'll pay that much, prices will never go back down!"

Fortunately that's not how it works. Yes, in times when demand is greater than supply, some WILL pay that much. When demand levels off and supply catches up, guess what: the shelves are full because on average people won't pay that much. So, prices come down to what buyers will pay. If prices fall below the cost of production, some manufacturers will go out of business, causing supply to decrease, causing prices to rise again.

[Ickisrulz]

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I predict <$50 primers and <$30 powder easily once supply catches up with demand. When/if the opposition party retakes the house this fall, panic should subside, demand will relax, and prices will fall. I've seen a number of these things (though never this bad), and that's how it always goes. I've seen primers a couple times in the last few months, small quantities at big box stores. They limit sales to two trays, and the price has been about $6/100. They go quick, but they're still making money at that price.

There's a common misconception about market forces. Whether it's gas, groceries, or ammo, you hear people say "Now that they know we'll pay that much, prices will never go back down!"

Fortunately that's not how it works. Yes, in times when demand is greater than supply, some WILL pay that much. When demand levels off and supply catches up, guess what: the shelves are full because on average people won't pay that much. So, prices come down to what buyers will pay. If prices fall below the cost of production, some manufacturers will go out of business, causing supply to decrease, causing prices to rise again.

Right on. I've been saying this for years.

[Hannibal]

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I predict <$50 primers and <$30 powder easily once supply catches up with demand. When/if the opposition party retakes the house this fall, panic should subside, demand will relax, and prices will fall. I've seen a number of these things (though never this bad), and that's how it always goes. I've seen primers a couple times in the last few months, small quantities at big box stores. They limit sales to two trays, and the price has been about $6/100. They go quick, but they're still making money at that price.

There's a common misconception about market forces. Whether it's gas, groceries, or ammo, you hear people say "Now that they know we'll pay that much, prices will never go back down!"

Fortunately that's not how it works. Yes, in times when demand is greater than supply, some WILL pay that much. When demand levels off and supply catches up, guess what: the shelves are full because on average people won't pay that much. So, prices come down to what buyers will pay. If prices fall below the cost of production, some manufacturers will go out of business, causing supply to decrease, causing prices to rise again.

In a free market economy this is correct. However, we do not have that in the United States. The government manipulates the price of goods on a regular basis, sometimes unintentionally and sometimes on purpose.

[farmbif]

above my pay grade to try and say how or why. all I know is what I see when I search through the internet and look at what different sellers price goods at and what happens in auctions. for example in the past year or so ago right here in the swap and sell section, someone was selling I think it was 357 mag brass once fired for $30/100= $300/1000 plus postage and it all got bought up but now starline has it and many others back in stock and new 357 mag brass is $167/1000 with free shipping. is this supply and demand? it wasn't all that long ago I watched people on gun broker bid a jug of imr4350 up to $800. so you can pay crazy prices from sellers that think they gonna get rich or you can just wait till the tried and true fair and square dealers get inventory back in stock.

[kevin c]

This current component pickle I think has been worse and longer due to the perfect storm of an election cycle with unfavorable gun rights results, the pandemic and supply chain issues, social unrest and maybe even the war in Ukraine with its drain on matériel.

My impression is that experienced reloaders that have gone through a few shortages stock up if they have the financial resources to do so, but this has been dragging on so long that some are now looking at the last dregs of what they have. New reloaders were caught unawares and are starved for supplies.

All that being said, I have the feeling that even when supply chain and other issues are resolved and components finally get directed back to the reloading market, prices will stay high and availability still tight for a while because of pent up demand as those caught short swear “never again” and buy well beyond current need to create their own stockpiles.

Afterwards, maybe as much as after the next presidential election, assuming no new jolts, availability may be back to normal. With inflation, though, I doubt we’ll ever see $25/K or $15/# again.

[gc45]

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I predict <$50 primers and <$30 powder easily once supply catches up with demand. When/if the opposition party retakes the house this fall, panic should subside, demand will relax, and prices will fall. I've seen a number of these things (though never this bad), and that's how it always goes. I've seen primers a couple times in the last few months, small quantities at big box stores. They limit sales to two trays, and the price has been about $6/100. They go quick, but they're still making money at that price.

There's a common misconception about market forces. Whether it's gas, groceries, or ammo, you hear people say "Now that they know we'll pay that much, prices will never go back down!"

Fortunately that's not how it works. Yes, in times when demand is greater than supply, some WILL pay that much. When demand levels off and supply catches up, guess what: the shelves are full because on average people won't pay that much. So, prices come down to what buyers will pay. If prices fall below the cost of production, some manufacturers will go out of business, causing supply to decrease, causing prices to rise again.
the

I agree here. Many won't buy at current prices..My gun club has become a morgue most of the time where it used to be packed every day...I sort of don't mind either as the range had been taken over by all the AR-15 shooters firing as fast as possible seemed like. They show up in camo with 20 mags and with all their military garb on, why I don't know, but now with ammo prices going up they have really diminished and the range is more pleasant again..

[john.k]

Yep,the good old days,when someone would fire a round,check the target with their scope,maybe make a small adjustment,note the adjustment,then carefully lift another round from their box ,have a look see if anyone else was about to fire,then carefully chamber the round ,and so on.........how different to one of these nit wits showing you a target with holes all over the place,and say..."pretty good shooting ,eh ,old man."

[Milky Duck]

Well Im really pleased to read the last two posts,as it makes what Im about to say seem not so radicle....
there would be no shortages if people shot what they needed to do and werent simply mag dumping for the heck of it...
Ive watched videos from good ol USA of folks shooting down drowns piloted across a feild for them to shoot,and blitzing cars with everything up to and including anti aircraft belt fed weapons.... all line up and let rip,using in minutes enough ammunition to feed a small country.
Im not saying "thou shalt not waste ammunition' far from it...but its a bit on the nose to do so and then whinge there is not much left on shelves.
we seeing the same thing here with prices ,some auctions online go to crazy prices...6.5mm projectiles are going for up to #2NZ per pill so close to dollar a round US...... crazy money...loaded rounds up to $7NZ for simple stuff and up to $20 for premium.......stuff that,my reloading keeps my price below dollar a round and luckily I have enough supplies to last for years.
speaking of magdumping...Ive even seen guy cooking bacon on suppressor can buy mag dumping......must be wonderful for guy selling new barrels and amunition to see that...like the tyre guy listening to burnouts in carpark,all he hears is cha chinggg of cash register.

[john.k]

Funny you should mention that.....I live next to a Mc Donalds/Gas station,and since the high price of fuel hit ,the nightly street racing ,burnouts ,giant pickups blowing black smoke and flame ,even the drug dealers in their pimped convertibles have just about disappeared.......maybe one loud exhaust every couple of hours.....and with the deserted roads,the speed men are a sitting target for the cops.......one more modified car in the impound waiting the monthly visit of the shreader..........there is the real "gone in 30 seconds "....into scrap metal.

[dverna]

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I predict <$50 primers and <$30 powder easily once supply catches up with demand. When/if the opposition party retakes the house this fall, panic should subside, demand will relax, and prices will fall. I've seen a number of these things (though never this bad), and that's how it always goes. I've seen primers a couple times in the last few months, small quantities at big box stores. They limit sales to two trays, and the price has been about $6/100. They go quick, but they're still making money at that price.

There's a common misconception about market forces. Whether it's gas, groceries, or ammo, you hear people say "Now that they know we'll pay that much, prices will never go back down!"

Fortunately that's not how it works. Yes, in times when demand is greater than supply, some WILL pay that much. When demand levels off and supply catches up, guess what: the shelves are full because on average people won't pay that much. So, prices come down to what buyers will pay. If prices fall below the cost of production, some manufacturers will go out of business, causing supply to decrease, causing prices to rise again.

I tend to agree as well.

It will take longer to reach the "new normal" because people have learned their lesson. Many folks will start building stock at $75/k and they will buy more when there is a "sale" at $60/k. Only a fool or a poor person will not have a decent safety stock after what has happened. Many folks will be tapped out after putting up 20k primers. Demand will plumet.

Manufacturers will continue to run full out and prices will inch down. I think $50/k is very possible. "Hoarders" like me will wait it out. We are not the problem...we are not feeding the beast.

[jonp]

Why go to a gun shop that over prices everything? I haven't been in one in years. The last three guns I have bought was at Academy Sports. Prices cheaper than any gun shop around here.

Some say if you buy from a gun shop and something goes wrong the gunsmith can fix it. I have bad news for any gun people around here. None of the gun shops in San Antonio have gunsmiths as of this writing except one. Only Dury's has a gunsmith. The way they are NOW working is that you pay to have them fix your gun THEN claim against the gun company. Just ask my BinL how well that works.

ACC

First time in the place. If they would have matched KY Gun and the FFL fee of, say, $25 for $610 id have walked out with it. BTW: powder had dust on it so no one was buying it

[FISH4BUGS]

This kind of stuff is exactly why I stocked up in 2019. I have almost enough to last me the rest of my days (if I can stay away from full auto mag dumps :) )

[Geezer in NH]

:goodpost::awesome:[smilie=l::drinks:

[reddog81]

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I predict <$50 primers and <$30 powder easily once supply catches up with demand. When/if the opposition party retakes the house this fall, panic should subside, demand will relax, and prices will fall. I've seen a number of these things (though never this bad), and that's how it always goes. I've seen primers a couple times in the last few months, small quantities at big box stores. They limit sales to two trays, and the price has been about $6/100. They go quick, but they're still making money at that price.

There's a common misconception about market forces. Whether it's gas, groceries, or ammo, you hear people say "Now that they know we'll pay that much, prices will never go back down!"

Fortunately that's not how it works. Yes, in times when demand is greater than supply, some WILL pay that much. When demand levels off and supply catches up, guess what: the shelves are full because on average people won't pay that much. So, prices come down to what buyers will pay. If prices fall below the cost of production, some manufacturers will go out of business, causing supply to decrease, causing prices to rise again.

When .22 LR was impossible to find in 2013-2015 people said $75 to $100 per brick of 500 was the new price and would stay that way forever. I stocked up in 2018 when prices dropped back to $18 to $20. I checked Brownells a few times last week and every single time I looked they had pistol primers, rifle, or both in stock. I just looked right now and they have CCI and Remington. You can get small or large and pistol or rifle. Supply is finally starting to catch up. You can go to Zincpoint.com and buy 10,000 small pistol primers from Argentina for $770. You can go to CapitalCartridge.com and buy 5,000 Bosnian primers for $450. Once everyone is stocked up with what they think they "need" prices will have to come down. The panic buying is subsiding. Prices will come down eventually.

[Shawlerbrook]

I do hope those that are optimistic about the future supply and prices are correct. That said, I doubt that primers will ever be readily available for $50 or less per thousand. I do hope I am wrong, but raw materials and politics just will not let that happen.

[Idaho45guy]

I was able to buy CCI SPP for $8.99 per tray. Limited to two trays. IMR 4895 was $32 a pound. Lots of bullets available, but still no cases.

Ammo shelves are full, but prices are still up about 50%. Blazer Brass 9mm, which was about $12 a box a couple of years ago, is now $18. The only ammo I've purchased the last two years has been 5.56 since I have a couple of firearms in it and don't reload for it.

[fatelk]

When .22 LR was impossible to find in 2013-2015 people said $75 to $100 per brick of 500 was the new price and would stay that way forever. I stocked up in 2018 when prices dropped back to $18 to $20.

Same here. I'm set for a decade for .22 LR, even with kids who like to go tot he range with me. I don't stock up like some of you all do, but for my purposes, I have a LOT. I didn't quite do that with primers, even though I saw them at gun shows here and there for as low as $100/5k. I know the local fire marshal personally, and am aware of local storage ordinances, so I didn't want to go nuts. It wasn't until later that I realized I could have stored them in a friend's shop out of town. Oh, well. I'm not into competition or high-volume shooting in general, so I'm still fine for the near future. Barring highly unusual circumstances, and assuming that the (R) party regains congress this fall, I expect that we'll have another reprieve, for at least a little while.

I fully expect prices to drop, but how fast and how far is the question, like dverna says. This panic/shortage has been the worst and longest yet, so there are millions of us just waiting to buy when prices fall to whatever price each of us is comfortable with. It may take some time to fill all the shelves and find a nice supply/demand equilibrium again.

Speaking of high-volume shooting, it's interesting how the firearm culture has changed over the decades. When I was young it was primarily about hunting. The only guys that I ever saw shooting huge quantities were the machine gun guys, typically well-off professionals (doctors, lawyers, etc.) who could afford such things. I have nothing against ARs and such, did the "mag-dump" thing myself when I was younger, but I do often wish that it wasn't ALL about tactical, all the time now.


Yep,the good old days,when someone would fire a round,check the target with their scope,maybe make a small adjustment,note the adjustment,then carefully lift another round from their box ,have a look see if anyone else was about to fire,then carefully chamber the round ,and so on.........how different to one of these nit wits showing you a target with holes all over the place,and say..."pretty good shooting ,eh ,old man."

Funny story- I was at the rifle range a while back, and there was a guy there with a new AR. He and I were the only ones there, and he was clearly enjoying "sighting in" his new toy, but also clearly had no idea what he was doing.

Personally I would have removed the upper and BCG, and bore sighted so the first round at least hit the target. I'd have had it on paper at 100 yards on the first shot. If it's was a reasonably quality rifle, it would be sighted in with a small handful of rounds.

What he did was fire a 30 round magazine, look carefully at the buckshot-size 25 yard group, tinker with his red dot sight a little, then blast off another 30 rounds. I didn't know him, and he wasn't asking for help so I generally minded my own business, other than saying hi and offering a hand if he could use it, which was politely declined. After a while, the ground was littered with brass, he proclaimed his rifle "sighted in", and he left with a big smile on his face. I picked up the empties he left behind, and as I recall it was something like 450 rounds.

Another short story- about 20 years ago I took a coworker shooting. He was a young guy who just got out of the Marines. I brought several different rifles, including a Colt AR15. In my bag of ammo I had a pouch with three 30-rnd magazines. We got set up and he started with the AR, put in a mag- BLAM,BLAM,BLAM... empty. Before I could even say anything, he swaps it out and empties the second one, and then the third, not really even hitting much. He then looked at me and asked for more mags! I didn't know what to say, other than something about how I wasn't the Marine Corps and didn't have an unlimited supply. I think maybe he sincerely didn't know how much ammo costs. I never offered to take him shooting again; he never even offered to help pay for some ammo. Nowadays I never bring full magazine like that. Ninety rounds of store-bought ammo costs more than I typically spend on my wife on a date! :)

[ACC]

You could always go across the border into Mexico and get really cheap primers and powder. The last time I was there in April spp were 40 pesos ( about 8 bucks at the current rate) per 1000. Now getting them across the border will be a trick although I have known folks to do it.

They also have brass and bullets.

You would have to go to a major city not just a border town. Monterey, Matamoros, Mexico City. Some town like those.

ACC

[imashooter2]

Seems if there were a reasonable supply of $8 per thousand primers in Mexico they would be being imported. If we can import from Bosnia, Mexico shouldn’t be a problem.

[Soundguy]

Look at Sandy Hook... PRI.er prices never went back down after that. I was buying wolf primers at 2.5cents before.. After.. 4.5-5... Powder on average went up 3-5$ as well..never went back.
Low prices were for a surplus sales market... There are no surpluses available now..and many new shooters and reloaders came into existence the last 2 years.. None of the existing suppliers wanted to tool up more output... Remington was a ghost town, many imports stopped ( when was the last time you saw new S&B primers on the shelf... No wolf/tula.. ) and newcomers to the primer business won't be tooled and in production toll next year, and word is that their bulk pre sales are probably filled for 24mos out.
Surplus pre-covid-biden prices are gone..train left the station... That's my prediction.
I remember 1.2c primers at retail 12$/1000 from long ago... Anyone notice that prices go up..but never go back?... At least not for consumer level sales. If you can buy a palate full..sure... Deals were available... That's not the average user.

[JoeJames]

Look at Sandy Hook... PRI.er prices never went back down after that. I was buying wolf primers at 2.5cents before.. After.. 4.5-5... Powder on average went up 3-5$ as well..never went back.
Low prices were for a surplus sales market... There are no surpluses available now..and many new shooters and reloaders came into existence the last 2 years.. None of the existing suppliers wanted to tool up more output... Remington was a ghost town, many imports stopped ( when was the last time you saw new S&B primers on the shelf... No wolf/tula.. ) and newcomers to the primer business won't be tooled and in production toll next year, and word is that their bulk pre sales are probably filled for 24mos out.
Surplus pre-covid-biden prices are gone..train left the station... That's my prediction.
I remember 1.2c primers at retail 12$/1000 from long ago... Anyone notice that prices go up..but never go back?... At least not for consumer level sales. If you can buy a palate full..sure... Deals were available... That's not the average user.I can beat you on that. About a month ago I found an old sleeve of Winchester Large Pistol primers from my storage bin - Walmart = $1.14 tag on it = $11.40 a carton.

[Soundguy]

Nice..yeah..thats similar to what I found.. Winchester lpp. With 12$ price tags on them. Light blueish purple on white tag..kmart maybe?.. But for sure a couple decades+ old.

[Soundguy]

I remember 1k bricks of 22lr for either 8.99 or 9.99 at Kmart..

[JoeJames]

I remember 1k bricks of 22lr for either 8.99 or 9.99 at Kmart..I must either be a little bit older, or started shooting a bit earlier; for I remember $7.00 a carton for Remington GB's.

[Soundguy]

Good price!

[farmbif]

if you think shooting is expensive dont even think about flying or sailing for hobbies

[imashooter2]

A poster on another board told me (regarding a gun purchase) you didn’t pay too much, you just bought too soon. Prices go up over time. Live long enough and you can brag to the newbies about how you bought primers in 2022 for just $400 a thousand.

[Soundguy]

Yup... I remember when my brand new colt anaconda was 400$.... Wish I had taken a 2nd mortgage on the house and bought a bunch of them and pythons.. Then sold them the last 10ys.

[fatelk]

Look at Sandy Hook... PRI.er prices never went back down after that. I was buying wolf primers at 2.5cents before.. After.. 4.5-5...

It was different here. Prices did come down, especially after 2016. I was buying primers for 2.5 to 3.5 c easily in 2018. I’m still kicking myself for not buying more.

[dswancutt]

It was different here. Prices did come down, especially after 2016. I was buying primers for 2.5 to 3.5 c easily in 2018. I’m still kicking myself for not buying more.

Same here. Feb 6 of 2019 a case of Winchester small pistol from Brownells cost 2.6 each. A month before, I bought two cases of CCI Large for 2.9 cents a primer.

[David2011]

if you think shooting is expensive dont even think about flying or sailing for hobbies

Amen! I worked on aerobatic aircraft and have owned about 18 boats, but that includes a few dinghies. OTOH, tooling around the harbor in a dinghy is great fun.

I went to a gun show the Saturday after Barry Obama was elected. One vendor sold out of the $20,000 worth of 5.56 ammunition he brought by noon.

Near the end of the great .22 shortage of 2013-2015 or so I went into the LGS and asked if they they had any .22 ammunition. The clerk, barely old enough to have a job, cheerfully said that they had plenty; $8.99/box. When I declined, he asked if I thought that was too high. I explained that 3 years earlier it was under $2.00/box. He was incredulous. The same store had powder at mostly under $30/pound at the same time so I bought from them regularly. Just not .22s.

[rbuck351]

If you don't think they are going to drop in price, you might as well go buy right now. Govt deficit spending IS inflation, and the federal reserve dumping new money into the system is inflation. That has been some 6 trillion over the last two years making the dollar worth around 50% less than two years ago. That combined of raw material shortages and worker shortages and supply and demand has put the cost of power and primers where they are. If our govt continues to spend lots more than it takes in, prices will continue to rise.

I lived in Nome Ak for 6 years and found that things were much more expensive there and often not available until the next barge came in. It taught me to buy stuff when available and stack it deep. I will be shooting primers at an average cost of $15/$20 per thousand for the rest of my life, my average powder cost is around $12/$15 per pound and I will be giving my son a bunch of both when I finally take a dirt nap.

When I first started reloading primers were $.79/$.89 per hundred. I remember buying surplus 4831 for $.67 per pound and normal powder price was around $3 per pound.

[reddog81]

It was different here. Prices did come down, especially after 2016. I was buying primers for 2.5 to 3.5 c easily in 2018. I’m still kicking myself for not buying more.

Yep, Winchester and Federal had 25% rebates in 2018 and you could get primers from powder valley for $28 to $32. Rebates were only valid for 5,000 primers from each company. I utilized that deal.

[Mal Paso]

The Sales before it hit the fan were driving me crazy. I think a keg of 2400 was down to $119 and 5,000 unit cases of Federal LPP were $120. I had to turn it off, the cupboards were full. Should have realized I would get into other calibers. Hindsight is 20-20.

[imashooter2]

Member Slughammer told me that there were primers on the shelf in the Delaware Cabela’s today. Federal SPP, $100/M, LPP only $90/M. No sales tax in DE, so that would be out the door. My stores allowed me to leave my car in the driveway, but it is always nice to hear of primers on the shelf somewhere.

[rintinglen]

This current component pickle I think has been worse and longer due to the perfect storm of an election cycle with unfavorable gun rights results, the pandemic and supply chain issues, social unrest and maybe even the war in Ukraine with its drain on matériel.

My impression is that experienced reloaders that have gone through a few shortages stock up if they have the financial resources to do so, but this has been dragging on so long that some are now looking at the last dregs of what they have. New reloaders were caught unawares and are starved for supplies.

All that being said, I have the feeling that even when supply chain and other issues are resolved and components finally get directed back to the reloading market, prices will stay high and availability still tight for a while because of pent up demand as those caught short swear “never again” and buy well beyond current need to create their own stockpiles.

Afterwards, maybe as much as after the next presidential election, assuming no new jolts, availability may be back to normal. With inflation, though, I doubt we’ll ever see $25/K or $15/# again.

I second this opinion. Inflation is real and while prices may decline some, I suspect that 6¢ 44 special loads will be a distant memory when things stabilize.

[WRideout]

I broke a promise to myself not to quote the price of gasoline in 1968. Now I need to make another promise not to quote the price of primers in 2005.

Wayne

[farmbif]

Amen! I worked on aerobatic aircraft and have owned about 18 boats, but that includes a few dinghies. OTOH, tooling around the harbor in a dinghy is great fun.

I went to a gun show the Saturday after Barry Obama was elected. One vendor sold out of the $20,000 worth of 5.56 ammunition he brought by noon.

Near the end of the great .22 shortage of 2013-2015 or so I went into the LGS and asked if they they had any .22 ammunition. The clerk, barely old enough to have a job, cheerfully said that they had plenty; $8.99/box. When I declined, he asked if I thought that was too high. I explained that 3 years earlier it was under $2.00/box. He was incredulous. The same store had powder at mostly under $30/pound at the same time so I bought from them regularly. Just not .22s.

flying is lot of fun but spark plugs $50ea for the cheap ones, tempest-the good ones $130ea x8, a pair of magnetos --oh about $3400, new plug wires--about $180 x2
just part of a simple 2000hr tune up.
folks complain about gas price, avgas is about the $6.70/gal
bottom line is it costs a lot to go out and have fun these days no matter what the hobby

[jonp]

The Sales before it hit the fan were driving me crazy. I think a keg of 2400 was down to $119 and 5,000 unit cases of Federal LPP were $120. I had to turn it off, the cupboards were full. Should have realized I would get into other calibers. Hindsight is 20-20.

When it was on sale I bought 4 kegs of Promo for $96 each.

[dverna]

When it was on sale I bought 4 kegs of Promo for $96 each.

Smart man!!

I bought 4 at $68. Wish I had bought 10 more. I was going through 30 lbs a year back then. Loaded 4000 shells one miserable winter day and used 10 lbs.

[fatelk]

I second this opinion. Inflation is real and while prices may decline some, I suspect that 6¢ 44 special loads will be a distant memory when things stabilize.

Unfortunately I have to agree. I'll be surprised to ever see primers much under a nickel if/when supply demand balances out again.