Is powder and primers ever coming back?

[Dieselhorses]

Once again, while we're waiting for paint to dry....

https://mewe.com/join/primerreloading

[Piłsudski]

FWIW, the fellow at the LGS today told me that the primer problem is due to their being made in Australia, which still has COVID restrictions in place.

Also, with primers and powder, he said that everything was going into the most commonly bought ammunition, so that powders like 5744 were not prioritized.

Apparently, the 6.5 Creedmoor folks and others like them are in the first class and preferential boarding line.

[dverna]

FWIW, the fellow at the LGS today told me that the primer problem is due to their being made in Australia, which still has COVID restrictions in place.

Also, with primers and powder, he said that everything was going into the most commonly bought ammunition, so that powders like 5744 were not prioritized.

Apparently, the 6.5 Creedmoor folks and others like them are in the first class and preferential boarding line.

The guy is mistaken. Primers are made herein the US.

[243winxb]

Primer chemicals are NOT made in USA. Primes will be less available.

[quasi]

I have seen more primers available but at scalper prices!
$9-10/100!

This is the going rate in Canada, B.R.Primers $16.00 to 18.00.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

After talking to someone in the primer business it looks like prices are only going up.

For that reason I bought a "lifetime supply" of 50,000 SPP along with 11,000 SRP and 5,000 LRP. I'm not sure what my total in sock primers are at but this should be enough where I can go back to normal and not have to conserve. It's a big chunk out of my savings but the dollar itself is going in the toilet so might as well have something of value on hand.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Question to others. What would your "Lifetime Supply" look like?

[Electrod47]

Question to others. What would your "Lifetime Supply" look like?

When this whole mess started I had what I felt was a good 2-3 years worth of primers and powder for my shooting pleasure. Have my own range and plenty of time. . Since I am not shooting 1/10th what used to be normal. Well I guess I have my lifetime supply and then some. Pulling a trigger these days is a game of subtraction.
For me, shooting has never been about the cost. But, now its like you know what day and hour you will eat your last hamburger, Bummer.

[imashooter2]

Question to others. What would your "Lifetime Supply" look like?

If you’re 93, it fits in a shoe box. If you’re 23, you need a warehouse.

[William Yanda]

I just got an email promoting RCBS package deals, CCI primers and die sets.

[Firelock66]

With much ammo now available, one would think that primers would at least start making a come back.

[JoeJames]

At a local gun show last Saturday, and it was a small show; two different sellers had an assortment of primers of most types. But, all were being sold by the sleeve and not by the carton. Anyhow there was a brand of primers I'd never heard of Chesswic (sp) for $10 a sleeve and normal CCI for $14 a sleeve. I reckon they did not have them out by the carton less it scare some off. So there are now primers out there, but they are kind of pricey!

[gliebegott]

Part of the issue is panic buying I believe. I am still working off my stock I compiled after the last shortage. I would buy a 1k primers a week or so when the shelves were loaded.

[deces]

There did the components go? Into ammo. The federal government gets first dibs on everything and biden is having the alphabet agencies stock up again. Then it's local governments turn in line. And somewhere in the mix, ukraine is slurping up whole production lines into focusing on what they want from us tax payers. This is what Americans wanted.

[charlie b]

With much ammo now available, one would think that primers would at least start making a come back.

They are. Not as fast as powders and bullets, but, at least primers show up on the shelves every now and then. Keep in mind that there are really only two major distributors of US brand primers, Vista Outdoors (CCI, Federal and Remington) and Olin (Winchester). Note: there has been at least one new primer mfg trying to start up in the US. Don't know what their status is, or if there is more than one.

Haven't seen much from Sierra bullets lately either. Mostly Hornady, Nosler and Barnes.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

The only domestics primers I ever see being produced today are CCI and as I said they have told distributers to expect price increases so $140 per brick will seem good in time. I haven't seen Winchester, Remington or Federal primers since the shortage.

Most of the imports are Murom, Ginex and Fiocchi. Those are the ones I've been buying up.

Tightening sanctions, inflation, war overseas and a possible war at home can only drive prices up up up so I'm going to buy buy buy!

[openbook]

I'd like prices to stay down too but I always wonder what the inflation-adjusted cost of a shot was back in the founding era. Powder, wads, ball etc.

And I have no bone to pick with volume shooters, but—every time I go to the range I see guys rip mags and litter the ground with hundreds of rounds in literally minutes. And I'm thinking: if these guys will burn $300 of ammo (probably more) every weekend, why would prices go down? (They leave those hundreds of cases on the ground too.)

I still won't buy primers at $15 a sleeve but I have to wonder if that's going to be the new price. As SSneaky Steve wisely said: the dollar is going to get worse, buy while it's worth more.

The LGS has had sleeves of LRPs at $45 for the past couple weeks. I'm glad I'm not there. And as long as primers cost as much as factory rounds (which for some calibers they currently do, or nearly), they won't sell—but how long before the rounds go up?

[BLAHUT]

I did shoot a lot of powder burning rounds before the shortages and covid put a hult to everything. now I still shoot any ware from 50 to 500 shots a day too keep my eye, hand, mind, sharp, at less than .01 cents per shot. I have a number of air guns, all super accurate match guns, pistols and rifles at 10 meters. this will carry over to when and if, I can get back on the line and compete again? from 10 meters out to 1000 meters. very cheap practice. even a cheap
$100.00 air gun is still good practice. keep them all in the center ?
The demorats will find a way to keep primers as scares or nonexistent as red hen's teeth.

[beemer]

I don't think it matters what causes the problem or what it cost to make them. Now that the guys that manufacture, distribute and retail primers have seen what people are willing to pay there is no reason to reduce cost. If they can sell all they make for XXX dollars either buy or do without. I hope I am wrong but that's the way it usually works.

[Firelock66]

beemer, I fear you may be correct.