Where Are All The Primers?

[jdgabbard]

With all the new primer producers coming online in the next 12 months ,possibly to coincide with a recession.......its not the time to buy more than what you need.

Agreed. I know the prices won't ever be back where they were. The manufacturers never lower the prices back to the old numbers. But with more competition coming into the market, and the current economical situation, not to mention the war, it's probably best to only buy what you need. I plan on buying a few cases of 9mm plinking ammo. I'll save my SP Primers for use in 38/357 loads that I use less of. And my LP primers will probably sit there, as I don't shoot 45acp a lot these days. I've got more than enough LR Primers to keep me shooting for another few decades. I'm all but out of SR primers, so I will have to either buy or trade for a few thousand of those at some point. I don't even load shot shells anymore. I don't shoot enough of them to bother with it, so I can always go without my 209 primers unless I get into BP hunting....which isn't likely as I barely rifle hunt these days. I'm still sitting pretty good even without having bought any primers in a decade. The only area I'm hurting is in SR primers. And once I load up the rest of this 5.56 I have to load I probably wont need any of those for another few years. It's nice to have a few thousand rounds in stock for any given caliber....

[anothernewb]

where has all of it gone...It's been said more times than I have education to derive a number for.

Everything is unprecedented lately (hate to use that word because it's closer to a 8 years now). level of demand, levels of resources, levels of taxation and regulation. All of it.
The number of new reloaders since just the few years I've participated is crazy. The number of people I train in handgun use and carry permit courses has exploded. We've run capacity classes all year for 10 years+ - and we're not the only one, everyone else in my area that offers a course tells me the same thing. A conservative estimate tells me that together we've permitted more than the entire population of my county (50k) in the last 6 years. All of them are stockpiling unprecedented numbers of ammunition. I've contributed myself - I got caught without 22 in the obama days and since then with all the constant anti gun pressure - I've decided to have a reserve supply of not less than 2x my annual use.

The sheer number of firearms, ammunition, and components that have been stockpiled by the American people in the last decade is simply staggering. I'm willing to bet it's on par with - if not in excess of - the small arms consumed in WW2.

[jdgabbard]

I've contributed myself - I got caught without 22 in the obama days and since then with all the constant anti gun pressure - I've decided to have a reserve supply of not less than 2x my annual use.

I found myself in a similar situation back in the first panic buys back around 2010. Only had a few hundres 22lr, and several guns to feed. Now days I keep no less than 2k of 22LR on hand. Matter of fact, just dedicated a 30cal ammo can to 22LR just this past weekend. Wouldn't mind buying one of the buckets, but I cant put a 2nd mortgage on the home to afford it...

[reddog81]

Powder Valley has Small Rifle Primers on sale for $71.

https://www.powdervalleyinc.com/prod...tent=UnisGenex

[jdgabbard]

Powder Valley has Small Rifle Primers on sale for $71.

https://www.powdervalleyinc.com/prod...tent=UnisGenex

Now go check what they cost with shipping and hazmat added in. Even at $71 that is more than twice what they were priced at a short time ago. Add $50 in shipping and hazmat and now we're looking at $120 for a brick. Sure it gets cheaper as you buy more. But even if you ordered 5 bricks to bring down the average you're still spending close to $90/1000. Thats not a deal.

[charlie b]

I kind of disagree with that. The price of gasoline has not doubled. The price of houses has not doubled. The price of my favorite beverage has not doubled. The cost of my car insurance has not doubled. My property taxes have not doubled. I could replace my truck for only a little more than I paid for it 8 years ago but the price of primers and powder have more than doubled. Lead is unchanged, still a dollar a pound been that way for decades.

Certain things have gone up a lot but not everything. Mostly things that the supply chain thinks it can get away with.
Tim

Most things have. Go through your grocery store. My beverages (soda) have doubled, including bottled water. My property taxes are limited to a small percentage per year by law. House value is almost double ($150k to $280k in 4 years). Insurance has gone up almost that same percentage. Car insurance is up as well.

Cars and trucks have gone up quite a bit, when you can find one. No, not double, but, mine are both $10k more than when I bought them. Oil/gas are controlled commodities. OPEC manages the prices based on what their profit.

Some items have gone up even more.

So, no, none of these prices will come down much at all, if ever.

[reddog81]

Now go check what they cost with shipping and hazmat added in. Even at $71 that is more than twice what they were priced at a short time ago. Add $50 in shipping and hazmat and now we're looking at $120 for a brick. Sure it gets cheaper as you buy more. But even if you ordered 5 bricks to bring down the average you're still spending close to $90/1000. Thats not a deal.

You ever buy powder and primers online? That's kind of how it works... Hazmat and shipping charges aren't new .Buy some powder and other primers to make it feel better.

[jdgabbard]

You ever buy powder and primers online? That's kind of how it works... Hazmat and shipping charges aren't new .Buy some powder and other primers to make it feel better.

Actually, I've almost always purchased online. But buying primers at $35/1000, or $175/5000 + $50 Hazmat/Shipping is quite a bit different than what we're talking about here. $90/1000 is a far cry from $45/1000, and that is buying in bulk. Not everyone has the cash to order those for that price. So when you say so-and-so has primers at $71/1000 that is not a deal. Honestly, I don't think we'll get back to the $35/1000 primers. I understand how this game plays out. But twice the price plus Hazmat isn't a deal....

[inspector_17]

Cheapest primers I've seen is Rem for $80 per k.

[reddog81]

I understand how this game plays out. But twice the price plus Hazmat isn't a deal....

It's fine to reminisce about the good old days, but people have been paying $100, $120 or more for most of 2020 to 2022. $70 is a good deal if you've been paying 50% more than that.

There have been people on this thread talking about how we will never see primers for less than $80/1000. I got an email last week for primers at $63 per thousand. Prices are going down.

Personally I'm holding out for the $50 range before buying in any significant quantity. I had a 5+ year supply when this all started and have bought small quantities over the last year to replenish what have I shot.

[Ed K]

When supply comes around enough that we see them on the shelf I won't predict $75 or $50 however expecting $35 or less is really hard to believe. Regardless of whether inflation is one figure on eggs or another on a pickup, it is present to one degree or another on just about everything. Why would primers be exempt? Brass cases are higher, powder is higher commercial bullets are higher. Reloading presses are higher, paper targets are higher, range fees are higher... somehow primers are going to be $35 or less?

[Texas by God]

Nailed it, EdK.
I’m hoping to see Large Rifle primers again some day before too long. Hopefully they’ll be less than $100.


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[jdgabbard]

When supply comes around enough that we see them on the shelf I won't predict $75 or $50 however expecting $35 or less is really hard to believe. Regardless of whether inflation is one figure on eggs or another on a pickup, it is present to one degree or another on just about everything. Why would primers be exempt? Brass cases are higher, powder is higher commercial bullets are higher. Reloading presses are higher, paper targets are higher, range fees are higher... somehow primers are going to be $35 or less?

Yeah, I don't expect them to be $35/1000. I'd _LIKE_ them to be the $12/1000 for Wolf/Tula that I used to buy. But that isn't happening either. But anything over $50 is highway robbery in my mind. Like I've said, I'm not even worried about loading 9mm right now. You can buy a case cheaper after shipping than the justifiable time I would put into loading them along with the cost of components. Little different story for other calibers. Biggest savings right now is on rifle ammo. At the end of the day I think the new manufactures are going to be the go-to cheaper primer suppliers. I anticipate theirs will land somewhere between $45-50 once things settle down and they get up and rolling.

[dondiego]

I recently bought a 1000 round case of 9 MM for $300 shipped to my door. I have an MP 40 full auto. It eats up ammo. I do reload 9MM too though when I have time.

[waco]

Stocked up on primers when Trump was in office and they were $30-$35 per K
Same with powder. I feel for the guys buying primers at even $70 per K
If and when prices get back down to somewhat normal, stock up while the getting is good.