Price of primers in your parts????

[Murphy]

I have a nephew who lives in Arizona. Today he attended The Crossroads 3-Day Phoenix Gun Show. To my understanding, it's always been 'the big one' for that part of the south west. He's always on the watch for good deals (aren't we all?) and primers are on the list. He got there at the start of the show and spent most of the day. He didn't say how many vendors were there, but one guy had 15-20K of various primers and was asking $200 per K. On his way out he passed by that same vendor, seems no one was buying at that price as the guy didn't appear to have sold any.


Murphy

[LaPoint]

My wife & I each bought a sleeve of CCI #400 SRP for $5.99. Limit of one sleeve (100) per person per day. They also had CCI LRP #4 BR for $9.99/100. Labor day weekend I Checked out Scheel's in Mankato and the had at least 100 bricks of CCI #400 SRP for $59.99. I bought a sleeve and should've gone back the next day for another.

[Idaho45guy]

I have a nephew who lives in Arizona. Today he attended The Crossroads 3-Day Phoenix Gun Show. To my understanding, it's always been 'the big one' for that part of the south west. He's always on the watch for good deals (aren't we all?) and primers are on the list. He got there at the start of the show and spent most of the day. He didn't say how many vendors were there, but one guy had 15-20K of various primers and was asking $200 per K. On his way out he passed by that same vendor, seems no one was buying at that price as the guy didn't appear to have sold any.


Murphy

Seems like the same story everywhere; people are asking ridiculous prices and nobody is buying. My folks are on their yearly trek down to Yuma, AZ from Idaho and are in Lake Havasu tonight. Dad said no primers on the entire trip down, so far.

Speaking with my contact at CCI, things are not getting better with a lack of materials and increasing costs on brass and other components. I stocked up in anticipation for a 2-year shortage. The owner of Buffalo Arms said he is predicting a 6-year shortage on primers at this point.

That is chilling... I am down to 2500 small pistol primers, but have 5000 large pistol primers. I am in the process of switching my EDC from a .40 S&W to a 10mm, which would double my supply of reloads.

[FISH4BUGS]

Haven't had to buy primers for a long time.
But I've heard they are hard to find, and cost an arm and a leg.
So what is the price of primers in your parts????

As I recall $34.95/1000 for the 25,000 primers that I bought a year or more ago before the shortage started.
I learned my lesson last time around.
I saw they were available and so i stocked up,
Not all at once though.
I would buy a brick of 5000 about once a month.
Stock up, kids.
When they are there and relatively inexpensive, buy them

[Baltimoreed]

Been swapping primers to get what I need. Last GS that I was at i swapped a brick of 30.00 srp for a brick of lpp that had a tag of 125.00 on them. The reloading components seller [a nice gal that I met last year] said she had bought them for 150.00 but was selling for 160.00 just to have some primers to sell [had 2 bricks then]. Guess I made 130.00 on the deal but it must have been in bitcoin as it was invisible.

[beemer]

I was at a small gun show in Salisbury, NC last week. Primers were available but were $125-$150 a thousand depending what they were, didn't see any being bought. I guess at that price people bought only if they were completely out. I did buy two boxes of Speer bullets, one for a 303 Brit. and another for my 8mm. They were $31 a box, everything else was crazy high. Who would have ever thought a dirty Mosin-Nagant carbine would ever go for $300-$400.

The only primers I have seen in any local shop were from a guy that was selling off his late father's stash.

[obssd1958]

Gun show this weekend, and primers are selling for $100 to $125 per 1k.
...and they are going out the door.

[Shawlerbrook]

Haven’t seen primers around here in a couple years. If they ever become available $75/1000 will be a bargain..

[curdog]

There has not been any for sale around these parts for a year and a half. I seen some at the Belleville gunshow for 150 dollars and they were old and the box was old and tattered. I had a few saved up and i am good for a little while...................Curdog

[Murphy]

It seems it's anyone's guess when prices will fall and become normal again. I fully expect they will be slightly higher than before the insanity struck. How much higher is the question. I feel one indicator will be when we see small mom and pop shop's ammunition shelves beginning to be back to their normal stock level. It's rare for me to hit the big box store's. If I do, it's for something minor I'm out of and in need of at the moment. I do walk past the ammunition shelves at the big box stores just out of curiosity now and then.

Back to primers now. We're a large group here, some get by just fine loading 100-200 rounds a year. I know some would laugh at that and ask why bother? Just buy factory ammunition and skip reloading, you're wasting your time. And, we have competitive shooters who fire 10-20K (or more) per year. One thing for sure, we all use primers. Some have all they need for a long time to come, and some are on their last leg. The way things stand currently, I guess it all depends on how badly someone wants to continue shooting and enjoy reloading.

I guess if there is any good that will come out of the current shortage, it's people who will learn to stock up what they can. It doesn't matter if it's a few sleeves at a time, a brick or a case. They'll not be caught short again. That, and I'm in the process of hands on teaching 2 different men how to reload. They've started with nothing and are slowly picking up the things they will need. One is a grandfather who has a 13 year old grandson who is learning right beside grandpa. I hope next year when deer season rolls around (last day for regular gun season in Oklahoma is today) the kid will be able to know the feeling of taking a deer with ammunition he himself made.


Murphy

[remy3424]

I wish you were right Murf. It seems very few learn anything from these shortages. People trying to stock-up at these rediculous prices, is what I find bewildering, like they are never going to be available again. In a few years I am thinking you will be able to buy all you want under $50. The days of $29.99 to $32.99 (within 3 years ago) are behind us, costs of production, including labor, and raw materials will see to that.

[MUSTANG]

Well; I have been reading that Federal COLA's are going up by 6% starting January 2022. That means that large store prices of $39.00 per 1000 should only be $41.34. The gubement says so on inflation - So Its got to be right.

[Hick]

I stocked up well when I was buying at $31.99 per thousand-- but I didn't have any pistols that used large pistol-- so I only stocked up on large rifle, small rifle and small pistol. Foolish me. The reason I shelled out $130 for 1k large pistol was because a 1911 variant just landed in my lap along with LP brass. Here I was with a brand new toy, dies, molds, gunpowder and brass-- and no way to reload it! I figured at 13 cents per primer I could have my fun and still save big compared to 45 auto ammo prices in the stores.

[Gone_rabid]

I stocked up well when I was buying at $31.99 per thousand-- but I didn't have any pistols that used large pistol-- so I only stocked up on large rifle, small rifle and small pistol. Foolish me. The reason I shelled out $130 for 1k large pistol was because a 1911 variant just landed in my lap along with LP brass. Here I was with a brand new toy, dies, molds, gunpowder and brass-- and no way to reload it! I figured at 13 cents per primer I could have my fun and still save big compared to 45 auto ammo prices in the stores.

I was in the exact same boat last summer. Got a mini Mac 9mm and didn’t have anything 9mm prior and refused to pay $50+ for a box of ammo. Slowly Acquired reloading components and went to work. I did have to bum 100 rounds off my father in law in the beginning. ��

[rbuck351]

I went through a primer shortage in the 70s IIRC. I told myself that was not going to happen again. If my kids or their kids take up reloading, they will have components for a while. The wife and I also stock food, gas, tp and a lot of other stuff that may not be on the shelf when we want it. The younger folks have had it to good for too long to know that being prepared for tomorrow is a good safety net. Somewhere they got the idea that if they fail the govt will save them. The ant and the grasshopper has been replaced with CRT and other such garbage.

[rockrat]

local pawn/gun store had advertised primers, but didn't stop in to see how much. They had Rem 7.5's earlier this year for $200/K, so wouldn't be surprised if $150/K is what they are asking for standard stuff.

[dverna]

I went through a primer shortage in the 70s IIRC. I told myself that was not going to happen again. If my kids or their kids take up reloading, they will have components for a while. The wife and I also stock food, gas, tp and a lot of other stuff that may not be on the shelf when we want it. The younger folks have had it to good for too long to know that being prepared for tomorrow is a good safety net. Somewhere they got the idea that if they fail the govt will save them. The ant and the grasshopper has been replaced with CRT and other such garbage.

You are spot on.

[MrWolf]

I had to put my reloading on the back burner for a few years as I divorced, moved, injury retirement, etc so my stash has not really decreased. Plan on starting everything back up in the spring. No idea how long it will last, but am hoping for quite awhile. Guess I may have to shoot 22's as those I have quite a few of. Realized kinda vague with amounts. Gee, wonder where we get that from? This of course is all predicated on getting back all of my guns and reloading equipment lost in the boating accident that my injuries caused. Hmm, yea, that's my story and sticking to it.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

How long will it take for retail ammo inventories to get back to normal? Hard to say.... But until that happens there will continue to be a primer shortage. I have not bought factory .38, .357 or .44 ammo for many years. Even 30 years ago I did not like paying the prices for it. Going out shooting today to try some .357 & .44 spl 231 loads. May warm up to 15 today but at least the wind is down.

[wildphilhickup]

My Police friend got me some Wolf primers for $40 per 1,000 last week. Could only get 3,000 total. I have not seen primers anywhere in the Dallas area for about 3 months now.