Primers..

[TXTad]

I went to a LGS this weekend and some dealers were still asking $250.00 per thousand for primers, as far as I know they still have them. Other dealers were asking $15.00 or more for 100 primers. Alot of powder was $60.00 per lb.

I feel like the online prices on powder indicate that demand is slowing. I have purchased powder within the last month for $27/lb. I think primers are a bit behind, but I suspect if the prices stay elevated much longer, we'll start seeing some Eastern European primers enter the market. Barring some major political catastrophe, I think we'll see a realignment of prices on all components over the course of this year.

[makeurownfun]

Just saw really old bricks of OLD CCI SRP at a local gun show last Saturday. Asking $130 a brick... Gun shows have been a big let down lately, although I did get lucky and find an old 870 Wingmaster for a good price

[TXTad]

... Gun shows have been a big let down lately...

Not just lately. I've gone a few times in the past decade, but they're just not the same as they were in the 90s and early 2000s. I suspect had I been going longer, I'd say the same things about earlier decades compared to the 90s and 2000s.

[jdgabbard]

Just saw really old bricks of OLD CCI SRP at a local gun show last Saturday. Asking $130 a brick... Gun shows have been a big let down lately, although I did get lucky and find an old 870 Wingmaster for a good price

Yeah, gun shows are trash today. Back in the day you could actually go to one and find good deals on things. Now it's just a bunch of different vendors all in one place. Tulsa has several MASSIVE gun shows every year. I don't even waste my time going to them. I don't want the headache of finding a place to park, and then navigating the thousands of people in the center itself. Even though the boss gets a ton of free tickets every year, I just don't care to mess with it.

The last time I got a good deal at a gunshow was when I bought a case of .45acp, and the vendor seemingly only charged me for a half-case. Didn't notice it until the following day when I went back and took another look at the pricing, thinking I would buy another case at that price. I brought it up to him and offered to pay the difference, but he refused. Stating it was his mistake and to enjoy my ammo. That was probably 15 years ago.

[charlie b]

I used to visit gun shows when I had a gun I wanted to sell or trade or was looking for a 'special' gun. Most of the time I could get as good or better deal at the local gun shop. There were always at least two large vendors with GI parts. Garand, AR, 1911, etc, etc. Also some good surplus vendors.

These days the 'surplus' stuff is mostly cheap reproductions. Guns are usually priced very high. There are exceptions. Haven't been back to one in several years.

One reason is there are more gun shows now then there used to be. They were an annual (or maybe twice a year event in larger towns/cities). Now days there are many more. Companies exist whose sole business is conducting gun shows. They will keep setting up more shows until they can't get enough vendors.

[makeurownfun]

Not just lately. I've gone a few times in the past decade, but they're just not the same as they were in the 90s and early 2000s. I suspect had I been going longer, I'd say the same things about earlier decades compared to the 90s and 2000s.

Oh absolutely! I didn't mean to imply just the last couple of years. I remember going to them back in the late 90s with my grandfather, buying cases of primers for $14 per k, then I started going all the time in the early 2000s. But around 2010ish or so they've just not been the same. IDK why, but most pawn shops are the same too.

I get the ammunition/primer prices, because people are still panic buying I guess Its still dumb

I remember 2 years ago I went to a huge Flea Market in Canton TX, and there was literally 3-5 tables full of brand new ammo from Walmart for 3-4x the price lol

[MUSTANG]

Hopefully the Primer "Panic Buying" is subsiding. When I have been in the Kalispell Sportsman Ski Haus several times since Christmas; they have has Small Pistol, Small Pistol Magnum , and Match Small Rifle primers - on a shelf beside the Firearms Counter (Trust but verify customers?). The boxes of hundred out probably in the neighborhood of 8 to 14 boxes of 100 for each. A couple of the staff back in Nov & early Dec were giving me grief because I was going in each day buying 2 boxes of 100 Small primers each day. Prices were in $8.00 to $16.00 per hundred. They would infer that I should leave some for everyone else; & I would tell them I bought what their max was each day, and that I Had family coming for Christmas; so I wanted 1000 to 1500 rounds of 38 special wadcutter for family shooting at the range. They no longer give me any grief when I go in (although I am not buying many now); so I am suspecting they have sufficient on hands and they are not moving that fast.

Large Pistol is sometimes available; but Large Rifle seems to never show up on their shelves. Fortunately I have sufficient CCI Large Rifle primers that I am not in a NEED for some time. Right price and them being on the shelf - I would probably do a small buy or repetitive small buys.

[tmag97]

Local gun shop has cci for $83 a brick $93 for remington. coming down a little

[oldsman]

here is some pricing from back in time , if the pics load . I had to shrink resolution to get the pics to load.

[charlie b]

That was probably back when my Python was only $300.

[barnetmill]

There are slated to be 6 companies making primers for the public in the USA in the not too distant future and one of these of Fiocchi. So hang in there, things will get better relative to the supply of primers. Money is being invested to make more primers available. There is expansion industry that may be selling primers to public in May.

In the most recent 'american rifleman' is a story of Fiocchi doing more investment here in Little Rock.
Below is a news release I found on line.

https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/...5m-factory-at/
talian ammo maker plans to build $41.5M factory at the Port of Little Rock, add 120 jobs
Ammunition maker to add 120 new jobs in $41.5M primer supply operation by Andrew Moreau | November 16, 2022 at 5:25 a.m.
2
Fiocchi Group, a global manufacturer of defensive, target and hunting ammunition, will build on 281 acres at the port, an expansion that will nearly double the company's employment in Little Rock. The new operation will produce primer supply for the broader ammunition manufacturing segment.

[fragman]

Wonder how many of us have a decent stock because of hazmat fees. You had to buy a lot to make it worthwhile. Used to gripe about that fee, but they've paid for themselves many, many times over due to not having to buy primers in many years. Nothing to do with 'being smart and seeing the future', just wanted to make the order worth the fee.

[Hodagtrapper]

Good point Fragman!

Chris

[LAH]

Wonder how many of us have a decent stock because of hazmat fees. You had to buy a lot to make it worthwhile. Used to gripe about that fee, but they've paid for themselves many, many times over due to not having to buy primers in many years. Nothing to do with 'being smart and seeing the future', just wanted to make the order worth the fee.

I ordered because I wanted to stock up while primers were on sale. Of course as you say the hazmat does figure in the cost. FWIW I could order 50,000 primers at that time & the shipping & hazmat came to just under 5% of the total cost. Same for six each 8 pound jugs of power.

[jdgabbard]

There are slated to be 6 companies making primers for the public in the USA in the not too distant future and one of these of Fiocchi. So hang in there, things will get better relative to the supply of primers. Money is being invested to make more primers available. There is expansion industry that may be selling primers to public in May.

In the most recent 'american rifleman' is a story of Fiocchi doing more investment here in Little Rock.
Below is a news release I found on line.

I did not know about this. I do like the Fiocchi brand, especially their loaded 380acp ammo. But I would welcome their primers if they come at a decent price. And Little Rock isn't too far away, so maybe we'll see an influx of them in the Tulsa area when they get up and going. I'm always about buying from companies that produce locally. I just recently found out about a Brand that produces AR components about a mile away from my home. I plan on buying some of their products soon. Maybe it'll help a neighbor get a raise. You gotta do what you can for your neighbors....

[Pirate69]

Stopped by a local gun shop today. Primers were $20/100 and there was $69/LB powder. Glad I don't need anything at this time.

[gloob]

It's like a Chris Rock skit. Guns should be legal. Bullets should cost $10,000 each. Then you know when someone gets shot, they deserved it!

I see a lot of disappointed investors, trying to cash in on new primer production. There's 50k more primers flooding the market every time an old reloader dies.

[elmacgyver0]

Not too long-ago primers were $11.00 a thousand.
Tell me how they are becoming more reasonable.

[MUSTANG]

Not too long-ago primers were $11.00 a thousand.
Tell me how they are becoming more reasonable.

Reasonable is a debatable term. I am getting advertisements via e-mail from several different reputable sites with primers "Marked Down" to $89 per 1K, even marked down as low as $68 per 1K; and of course there would be a Haz Mat fee on top of that. What I am seeing is Winchester, Remington, CCI, and some Baltic countries as well as DOwn South of USofA manufacturers.

They are still too high for me to buy since I have enough of all sizes for this year. If I could get them for $49 per 1K locally I would probably buy and replenish shelves as that may be as low as they go (Eventually I hope).

[jdgabbard]

Not too long-ago primers were $11.00 a thousand.
Tell me how they are becoming more reasonable.

I'm with you. While I never saw the main brands at $11/k, I have seen, and bought a lot of, the secondary brands such as Wolf, Tula, etc for $12ish. And let me tell you, that wasn't as long ago as others might try to get you to believe. Last time I ordered from Powder Valley was some time back in the 2010 to 2011 time frame, and thats what I bought. I'm still shooting those primers today....