What's happening with primers??

2834 Views 55 Replies 29 Participants Last post by fdashes, 3 h ago

Andre Da'Canadian

Discussion Starter · 13 d ago

I am still relatively new to reloading ( rifle ) and I am maybe not well informed on the process of making primers, but what's going on? I guess I was lucky when I picked up 1000 LR primers early last year for $90(CDN). Since then, every time I ask at a store, I get a little giggle and a head shake from the clerk and "we don't know when we will get any". Now , I have been reading on MO that it seems everyone is having trouble finding any, and if they do, a few people hoard large quantities leaving the rest of us to face "the head shake". I am following an on-line auction here and I see 1000 LR primers currently at $400 (CDN) !! That means someone has already committed to paying that much, and there are still 4 days to go! Is this "shortage" real or has it been created to boost corporate greed. Is there some component of primers that can no longer be found on earth, and has to be mined in a galaxy far away?? The demand is certainly there, why don't they turn the dial up and make more? What am I missing?

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21 - 40 of 56 Posts

locolobo56

· #21 · 12 d ago

Having no "gun stores" in my area I am stuck with Bass pro shops which is 40 miles north in the south portion of Houston. I hate driving in Houston!. So I'm basically stuck with mail ordering reloading supplies. Recent order I paid about $110/1000 including shipping & hazmat, for primers. ! box of 1000 SPP from Natchez with a "No Hazmat fee for 24 hrs", and $119 /1000 from Midway, including hazmat. Still will come out ahead of retail cartridge prices by rollin my own! I have a stash of LPP & LRP but I don't load those as much.

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art6555

· #22 · 12 d ago

I too, learned a lesson under Obama. Right as COVID started I bought a ton. Back at $35/1000 for federal and $30/1000 for Winchester large rifle and magnum primers. That along with brass and powder and bullets. I went into hock a bit but glad I did.

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TheTinMan

· #23 · 12 d ago

art6555 said:
I too, learned a lesson under Obama. Right as COVID started I bought a ton. Back at $35/1000 for federal and $30/1000 for Winchester large rifle and magnum primers. That along with brass and powder and bullets. I went into hock a bit but glad I did.

My Mom passed away March 2020 so I didn’t even think about primers or smokeless powder until you couldn’t even find toilet paper. You did very well!

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tradarcher

· #24 · 12 d ago

Husker Leverman said:
I am lucky in that a local commercial reloading company at times offers up reclaimed primers and powder to individuals. Picked up several thousand LRP for $35 per 1000. So far they all have worked with no problems and the powder is clean and burns great.

I'd like to find a deal like that, I'd buy everything they had available!

tradarcher

· #25 · 12 d ago

I've found LRP for $95/1000 & SRP for $90/1000.
A closer location has LRP & magnums for 130 & 140/ 1K

art6555

· #26 · 12 d ago

TheTinMan said:
My Mom passed away March 2020 so I didn’t even think about primers or smokeless powder until you couldn’t even find toilet paper. You did very well!

to be honest I don’t know what possessed me to buy primers (of all things), I think it was Divine Intervention. Sorry about your mom, I lost Dad in February of 2020.

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Rum River

· #27 · 10 d ago

Back in March I took a couple weeks and drove a lazy round trip from Minnesota to Florida to visit one of our sons. Stopped at over two dozen gun shops along the way. In all that mileage the only large rifle primers I found were on a dusty shelf near Orlando. There were two 20 year old 100 count trays of Federals for $20 per 100.

As far as I know they are still there.

I have seen some large rifle primers on local shelves in the last couple of weeks. Before that it's been at least two years since I'd seen any locally.

Reactions: 1

Andre Da'Canadian

Discussion Starter · #28 · 10 d ago

Well, tomorrow is the big day. The current bids on the about two dozen lots range from $10 to $475. Already, the hammer dropped in my favor on a 12ga reloading machine ($45 ,yay ). Of course it would be useless if I can't get primers, lol. I think that is called a catch 22.

Reactions: 1

Citizen John

· #29 · 10 d ago

AK_Taxidermist said:
I get that folks like me aren't helping matters - paying whatever the cost might be.

My situation: I live in a remote setting in AK. Going into the LGS isn't really much of an option. I don't get to drop in periodically through the week to see what's in stock. I track down what I can online. I have a friend willing to pay and hold for me. And then I have to pay hazmat and get it shipped when I am in ANC for medical visits. Because it's a lengthy process, and because of where I live, I pretty much don't flinch when I find powder and primers. I am fortunate to be at a spot financially where I can choose to do that. This last trip to ANC? I paid 150ish dollars just to SHIP 13 pounds of powder and 2K primers. It's the life and place I chose, so I just accept it as part and parcel with those life decisions.

Alaska, truly GOD's Country for the Outdoor Family. I was there in the 1960's courtesy of Uncle Sam and I could hardly imagine living on the economy, but people did. A great place if you have figured out how to survive. Worlds of places to shoot but who can afford that..... I would save it for the hunt. Fishing is another story , once caught 70 Grayling on a bare hook 😉 That is cheap bait ! Great memories !

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Scott McBurney

· #30 · 10 d ago

I think you should buy what you need, without worry about the rest of us. We all make judgements on what we want to pay for components. I too live in the country, and so can't run to town everytime Scheels or Cabela's puts out some primers or powder. I've had some great luck with our local auctioneer's, mostly on projectiles, some brass and some loaded ammo. I've also got passed down a lot of components when my father in law passed away several years ago. So I figure it averages out. I don't like the high prices, but if I need it, I get it. The good old US dollar is in the crapper, and I don't see it getting better anytime soon, if ever.

Reactions: 2

Andre Da'Canadian

Discussion Starter · #31 · 10 d ago

Scott McBurney said:
I think you should buy what you need, without worry about the rest of us. We all make judgements on what we want to pay for components. I too live in the country, and so can't run to town everytime Scheels or Cabela's puts out some primers or powder. I've had some great luck with our local auctioneer's, mostly on projectiles, some brass and some loaded ammo. I've also got passed down a lot of components when my father in law passed away several years ago. So I figure it averages out. I don't like the high prices, but if I need it, I get it. The good old US dollar is in the crapper, and I don't see it getting better anytime soon, if ever.

Ha, our dollar is 0.72 of your US dollar, If yours is in the crapper, ours is 3 miles down the sewer pipe! But yes , I agree with you. If you buy what you need and leave some for others it may "flatten the curve" on this shortage. Maybe I'm optimistic but I am hoping things will catch up and though yesterday's prices my be gone at least availability will improve.

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Scott McBurney

· #32 · 10 d ago

I agree, more availability, very likely. Lower prices, slightly maybe, substantially nope.

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Scott McBurney

· #33 · 10 d ago

The other problem we face is the political problem. Some people don't like our passion. Environmental concerns, are in my opinion, a cover for the lefts attempts to disarm us. Biden is a dufus, a puppet. Trudeau is scary, he's a true believer.

Reactions: 4

Andre Da'Canadian

Discussion Starter · #34 · 10 d ago

Scott McBurney said:
The other problem we face is the political problem. Some people don't like our passion. Environmental concerns, are in my opinion, a cover for the lefts attempts to disarm us. Biden is a dufus, a puppet. Trudeau is scary, he's a true believer.

You got that right! He used to be a drama teacher, and guess what, he still is. Ah, but don't get me started, don't want to mess up my week end.

Maggie1895

· #35 · 10 d ago

Just got an email from Hodgdon. Free hazmat this weekend. Natchez has had free hazmat for a while, has primers, but $99 min buy. I saw primers online from other major mail order places going for $89/1000.
Good luck.

Sweetwater

· #36 · 10 d ago

AK_Taxidermist said:
I get that folks like me aren't helping matters - paying whatever the cost might be.

My situation: I live in a remote setting in AK. Going into the LGS isn't really much of an option. I don't get to drop in periodically through the week to see what's in stock. I track down what I can online. I have a friend willing to pay and hold for me. And then I have to pay hazmat and get it shipped when I am in ANC for medical visits. Because it's a lengthy process, and because of where I live, I pretty much don't flinch when I find powder and primers. I am fortunate to be at a spot financially where I can choose to do that. This last trip to ANC? I paid 150ish dollars just to SHIP 13 pounds of powder and 2K primers. It's the life and place I chose, so I just accept it as part and parcel with those life decisions.

Sometimes I chalk it up to part of the cost of my chosen lifestyle. My wife and I are part time RV'ers and part time travelers. We sold our sticks and bricks a couple years ago, and stored most if my gunroom supplies. At nearly 74 years old, I have enough powder, primers and bullets to leave a healthy inheritance to my son and grandson.
At whatever price, it beats not having the privilege of shooting/handloading at will..

Reactions: 4

leverbros

· #37 · 10 d ago

Only place I can think of where you could store your powder and primers, to keep them temperature stable, after selling your house is in one of your son's homes. Doubtful you stored them in a self storage facility as those darn things get hotter 'n hades in the summertime.

cobrajocky

· #38 · 10 d ago

Waffletop said:
Also found this post:

"Palmetto State Armory is currently building a huge primer plant. They expect to start primer production by end of 2023. They plan on making all their own primers as well as have about 30% excess primer capacity to sell into the civilian market by Q3 2024"

Will there primers be as much garbage as many of their AR Kits!!??? I bought a $380 Complete M4 style 16" MOA Upper with BCG and the barrel was installed so the front sight was OVER 6 MOA OFF counter-clockwise! The Aholes took 3 weeks to finally respond to my Warranty Filing!! I will NEVER buy from PSA again! Beware of PSA!!

cobrajocky

· #39 · 10 d ago

I was told by the Remington Rep that the Shortage of Primers is the Feds are buying them up for rearming and at least Remington has quadrupled .22LR production. With .22LR 8 TIMES the prices it was just 10 years ago, what would YOU make instead?

JBrowning

· #40 · 10 d ago

art6555 said:
I too, learned a lesson under Obama. Right as COVID started I bought a ton. Back at $35/1000 for federal and $30/1000 for Winchester large rifle and magnum primers. That along with brass and powder and bullets. I went into hock a bit but glad I did.

As did I. During that time a friend invited me into a gun club buy at reasonable prices for the time. An 8# keg of Unique for $110.00 and 8# keg of W231 for $120.00. I think the primers were $20-25.00 a brick WLR. All this was C.O.D.
No good deed goes unpunished. I asked a couple of friends if they wanted primers and they each ordered 10k, while I ordered 2k. When the order came in, I paid up front for them, then they tell me they only wanted 5k each.🤬
I ended up with 12k Winchester Large Rifle primers, which 10 yrs later I probably have about 11k left. I was pretty pissed about it then, but I bet they wish they had them now.

I also got 5k each CCI #34 & #41 in the same buy, I was pretty paranoid at the time of a Commie takeover. If I could have seen 10 years ahead, I would have doubled my order!

At the time I aquired bullets like a madman for my .30 cal rifles (03 Springfield,FN FAL), 9mm,.45acp,.380, and .44 bullets for my .444 Marlin and Rossi model 92 44mag. All of my handguns and rifles I keep to readily available(common) handguns with few exceptions for times like these. I can take any of the above handgun calibers and shoot them in 4 or 5 guns in each caliber.
Anyway, things are going to get a lot worse for a long time and I will exchange the TP we call money for ammo even at inflated prices, because our money is inflated, not the ammo prices. (Although unscrupulous people take advantage as well)The dollar loses value daily, while the commodities we buy (gold,silver,guns,ammo,etc.) cost more and increase in value at the same time.

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