Primer cost

[Burnt Fingers]

Those stacks of primers were surplus to CCI's needs for their own loaded ammunition at the time. I've been attending the SHOT Show since 1990, and have talked to all the manufacturers, and they all tell the same story. When they have excess primers, those primers are sold to distributors, who sell to wholesalers, who cater to the reloading market. If there are no extra primers after they supply their own needs for loaded ammunition, then the distributors and wholesalers don't get any, etc.

The largest profit for the manufacturers is in loaded ammunition. The margin on components is less than loaded ammunition, so it just makes good business sense to make the products that are going to benefit the bottom line the best, and currently, that's loaded ammunition, since they can't keep up with demand.

At the 2009 SHOT Show, Fiocchi announced at the show that their entire production for the year had been pre-sold, and they were taking orders for 2010. Most of the other companies were announcing similar "news", since the SHOT Show is always held in January, which meant most of them didn't have any additional product for sale until the following year. I would imagine it will be the same in the upcoming SHOT Show this coming January. This year's show was canceled.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Explain to me how Scheel's is getting primers on a weekly basis????

There sure as heck aren't any "surplus to needs" primers on the market right now since ammo is so backordred.

[robertbank]

I get the shortage caused by Covid, military demand and normal retail requirements. That said competition demand has to be down due to restrictions imposed to combat the virus. What I don't get are folks who are storing up primers and powder fearing the end of the would scenario. To me the latter makes little sense. Having 100K of primers set aside to some imagined catastrophe adds to an artificial demand that hurts all of us. Now if shooting is your game and you do shoot tens of thousands a year fill your boots.

Just saying.

Take Care

Bob

[reddog81]

That's not what Scheel's is selling them for.

They are going for $3.99/100 when they have them.

Announced price increases would put them in the $38-$40/1000 range right now.

Scheels in West Des Moines had large pistol and small rifle last month. All prices were $70 to $80 per 1000

[30calflash]

Posted a response similar to this on another forum.

Have a budget for primers/ powder/ ammo. $30 a week, a month, whatever. You buy what you need at the going rate, 20 rounds, 300, whatever. If you don't have the scratch or nothing you can use is available add it to the next installment period.

Doing it this way you purchase less when the cost is high, more when the cost is low. Like a mutual fund. You get the item you need without doing without, especially with hunting season coming.

Folks will squawk over $40 a bx for ammo when it was $20, but the increased cost of fuel to get to your hunting area or a room to rent has gone up far more than a $20 bill and folks will think nothing of spending it for that. Or a new truck. Or $6 a cup coffee.

It's a small part of the equation, don't get wound up over it, life is too short.

[Idaho45guy]

I get the shortage caused by Covid, military demand and normal retail requirements. That said competition demand has to be down due to restrictions imposed to combat the virus. What I don't get are folks who are storing up primers and powder fearing the end of the would scenario. To me the latter makes little sense. Having 100K of primers set aside to some imagined catastrophe adds to an artificial demand that hurts all of us. Now if shooting is your game and you do shoot tens of thousands a year fill your boots.

Just saying.

Take Care

Bob

That's very Canadian thinking of you. Just saying, lol.

[rototerrier]

For the first time in my short 43 year life I'm finally beginning to think things are not going to get better. We are in an ever increasing decline. To me, it seems more likely everyone will be wishing primers were still 100/k in the foreseeable future.

You folks that would stock up big at 40/k might want to dig deep and get it done now at 100. Prices might drop, but what if they don't? Yes, you may have overpaid but your final price per round with still undoubtedly be less than retail so you'll still be on the upside.

It's still a win either way at 100/k. Keep waiting and you may be left sitting with your proverbial manhood in your hand wishing you'd acted when you still had the opportunity.

Reminds me of the old joke where the guy died stranded at sea waiting for god to save him while passing up several means of salvation... of which god had sent. Or maybe something even simpler, A bird in hand...

[Shawlerbrook]

Although almost all online outlets like Graf’s, Midsouth, Midway,etc. haven’t had them for a while, their listed price is $60-70/1000. I think that will be the new normal when and if the supply becomes available.

[Battis]

A few weeks ago, I bought 1000 Small Rifle primers for $80. I used to pay (as we all did) $4.00 to maybe $6.00 per hundred. I also remember what gas prices used to be. The store had a good supply of the primers, plus powder (I bought a pound of Titegroup for $26, which wasn't bad, but I also bought a pound of IMR4227 for around $40, which is high). I went back to the store a week later and they had replenished their stock of primers and powder, but, for the first time in awhile, I did not feel that panic need to buy more.

[robertbank]

That's very Canadian thinking of you. Just saying, lol.

Well I guess you gotta have experience to a different view point. It can't hurt any of us to look at things through a different lens. Disappointing to see what we tolerate from the fringe these days. I am talking about Canada now. The crazies up here get way more ink than they deserve and our politicians seldom take them head on. It didn't work for Chamberlain back in the day and it sure is not going to work for Trudeau & Co. up here either.

Take Care

Bob

[Burnt Fingers]

A few weeks ago, I bought 1000 Small Rifle primers for $80. I used to pay (as we all did) $4.00 to maybe $6.00 per hundred. I also remember what gas prices used to be. The store had a good supply of the primers, plus powder (I bought a pound of Titegroup for $26, which wasn't bad, but I also bought a pound of IMR4227 for around $40, which is high). I went back to the store a week later and they had replenished their stock of primers and powder, but, for the first time in awhile, I did not feel that panic need to buy more.

I've never paid that much.

My last purchase was 10K of Winchester small pistol primers for $30/1000

That was way back in January of 2019.

[hc18flyer]

At a local gun show this past weekend there were small amounts of primers @ $150. per 1,000. I have enough for now, but will reduce my shooting before paying close to that! hc18flyer

[Red River Rick]

When reloading components were in short supply a few years back, I made sure that I wouldn't get caught short handed when the next wave hit.

I picked up primers at $40.00 per M and bought all I could. I have more than enough to last me.

RRR

[slohunter]

I'll reduce my shooting, mine will last me the rest of my life. Last time I bought primers, 1981, $9.95 a thousand, thought that was too much, they were $7.98 a thousand for years!

["Spoon"]

I learned after the great .22 famine that when there is an abundance that's when you buy. I am not saying I won't buy primers at the current $69/1000 (Scheels), because I did. I just have a phobia digging in to what I have without replacing it. Am I going to hoard? No! But if I should come across a deal, all bets are off.

[uscra112]

I used to say "it's not hoarding until you have more than lifetime supply".

I wasn't a hoarder until age-related infirmity reduced my rate of primer consumption for me.

Now I am one.

[LAH]

Or $6 a cup coffee.

I draw the line there.

One answer is to maintain a 5 year safety stock

The route I took.

I learned after the great .22 famine that when there is an abundance that's when you buy.

I was close to exhausting my supply of 22LR then. That won't happen now. You are correct, buy when they are plentiful & stack them deep.

[Burnt Fingers]

I learned after the great .22 famine that when there is an abundance that's when you buy. I am not saying I won't buy primers at the current $69/1000 (Scheels), because I did. I just have a phobia digging in to what I have without replacing it. Am I going to hoard? No! But if I should come across a deal, all bets are off.

I learned this lesson over 30 years ago.

These shortages have been going on for at least that long that I know of.

I'm squirreling money away every month waiting for the supply to get better and the price to drop. I have picked up an additional 48 lbs of powder in the past year, but still can't get Clean Shot.

[dverna]

I get the shortage caused by Covid, military demand and normal retail requirements. That said competition demand has to be down due to restrictions imposed to combat the virus. What I don't get are folks who are storing up primers and powder fearing the end of the would scenario. To me the latter makes little sense. Having 100K of primers set aside to some imagined catastrophe adds to an artificial demand that hurts all of us. Now if shooting is your game and you do shoot tens of thousands a year fill your boots.

Just saying.

Take Care

Bob

Sir, those who stockpiled over 100k primers are not the cause of the current shortages or pricing. That demand was satisfied when suppliers offered sales/reduced shipping/reduced HazMat to promote primer sales. EVERYONE could have stocked up then!

It is the unprepared who are driving up prices....not the prepared, because those who prepared do not need any. So you should be thankful some crazies have well over 100k primers and are not part of the problem.

If every reloader had kept a four or five year supply of primers, this would have been a non event. You may not understand why someone has 100k primers...I cannot understand why someone has a one year supply.

[robertbank]

Sir, those who stockpiled over 100k primers are not the cause of the current shortages or pricing. That demand was satisfied when suppliers offered sales/reduced shipping/reduced HazMat to promote primer sales. EVERYONE could have stocked up then!

It is the unprepared who are driving up prices....not the prepared, because those who prepared do not need any. So you should be thankful some crazies have well over 100k primers and are not part of the problem.

If every reloader had kept a four or five year supply of primers, this would have been a non event. You may not understand why someone has 100k primers...I cannot understand why someone has a one year supply.

What you describe is a perfect example of hoarding. I doubt most shooters load and shoot more than 1K to 3K primers per year. Those who participate in action shooting sports yes. The average shooter not likely. Less for hunters for certain. With the distribution systems we have here in NA the only reason to buy in bulk is to gain some advantage on pricing. Even then if you are shooting a box or two of ammo per month having 10K primers on hand would last you about 10 years and 100,000 primers 100 years easy.

There are some pretty dedicated casters on this forum and some, with out a doubt, consume a large volume pf powder and primers per year but I certainly get the impression from the comments folks post here that most do not.

It is no coincidence that every time a US Election comes a along the drum beats of gun legislation rise up like clock work and those who tend to be Republican voters and center right Democrats go on a firearm/component buying spree. Without the 2nd Amendment up here we do have real concerns when a Liberal Giv't takes power but in the US? From watching what goes on down there the chances of meaning full anti gun legislation ever getting past at the Federal Level is about as close as a snow balls chance in hell. This isn't to say, it takes some effort to keep the Democrats fingers off the turn button on the stove. Just not very likely.

Shortages of components up here tend to lag behind the shortages in the US. One reason is the volume demands are significantly lower per population and as a result, the amount of powder and primers required to service the demand is much lower. The recovery time to our shortages falls behind the US as US suppliers fill domestic demand sooner. Some of the lag time is made up from off shore suppliers frim France, Czech Republic, China, Russia/Ukjraine, Finland and Canadian production. The US producers still provide the largest amount of components I would suggest.

If the new normal for pricing is the US is going to be around $6.00 per hundred you are suggesting a primer supply costing $6,000US. She who knows best might have something to say about that kind of purchase...just saying.

Note: My election cycle explanation is a little weak I admit but there sure seems to be more than a coincidence. Given the number of people who deny Covid exists it may serve as as good as an explanation as any.

Take Care

Bob

[Burnt Fingers]

What you describe is a perfect example of hoarding. I doubt most shooters load and shoot more than 1K to 3K primers per year. Those who participate in action shooting sports yes. The average shooter not likely. Less for hunters for certain. With the distribution systems we have here in NA the only reason to buy in bulk is to gain some advantage on pricing. Even then if you are shooting a box or two of ammo per month having 10K primers on hand would last you about 10 years and 100,000 primers 100 years easy.

There are some pretty dedicated casters on this forum and some, with out a doubt, consume a large volume pf powder and primers per year but I certainly get the impression from the comments folks post here that most do not.

It is no coincidence that every time a US Election comes a along the drum beats of gun legislation rise up like clock work and those who tend to be Republican voters and center right Democrats go on a firearm/component buying spree. Without the 2nd Amendment up here we do have real concerns when a Liberal Giv't takes power but in the US? From watching what goes on down there the chances of meaning full anti gun legislation ever getting past at the Federal Level is about as close as a snow balls chance in hell. This isn't to say, it takes some effort to keep the Democrats fingers off the turn button on the stove. Just not very likely.

Shortages of components up here tend to lag behind the shortages in the US. One reason is the volume demands are significantly lower per population and as a result, the amount of powder and primers required to service the demand is much lower. The recovery time to our shortages falls behind the US as US suppliers fill domestic demand sooner. Some of the lag time is made up from off shore suppliers frim France, Czech Republic, China, Russia/Ukjraine, Finland and Canadian production. The US producers still provide the largest amount of components I would suggest.

If the new normal for pricing is the US is going to be around $6.00 per hundred you are suggesting a primer supply costing $6,000US. She who knows best might have something to say about that kind of purchase...just saying.

Note: My election cycle explanation is a little weak I admit but there sure seems to be more than a coincidence. Given the number of people who deny Covid exists it may serve as as good as an explanation as any.

Take Care

Bob

These shortages last at least a couple of years. If someone only shoots 1000 rounds a year then they should have at least 2K primers on hand. Personally I'd say have a case on hand.

In a normal year I'll shoot somewhere around 25-30k of pistol ammo a year. I try and keep at least a two year supply on hand. When things get back to normal I'm going to work on having a 5 year supply.

I also don't think that primers are going to settle in at $60/1000. Announced price increases have them at $38-$40/1000 right now.

A shortage will always drive up prices. When the shortage is over prices will drop. I wouldn't doubt that about a year after things return to normal we're going to see all kinds of free shipping/free hazmat offers just to move primers out of the warehouse...just like last time.