Small Pistol Primers?

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The way it was explained to me, because of the pandemic and social distancing, the manufacturers are only running about one quarter capacity. My LGS says they are getting partial orders that were placed a while back. As the shelves started getting bare, those people who went in for one box, saw fewer on the shelve so they picked up three or four boxes instead of the one. After a week or two, we have a shortage.
 
What I have heard is that manufacturers are keeping for themselves to make their own ammo.... aside from that they are dust in the wind I check every day 3 times a day, all over to no avail.....
 
I don't know at present if SR primers are any more available than SP, but if you can locate any SR primers, just use them instead of SP. Fortunately, I am one of those who stocked up on primers some time ago.
 
Sorry, I am no help. I have only purchased a brick of small and large magnum pistol primers in the past 18 months. The last time I bought pistol SP was about 5 years back when Cabella's had S&B primers for $22 a brick and then they applied a 10% military discount. I made 3 purchases of $325 a week for 3 weeks before they ended the sale.
 
Most likely was the slow down from the covid scare. Everybody is behind the curve. Things should get back to normal when companies start full production again.
 
I hope so Moe...I have enough for now but one never knows. I'm a single stage press low volume reloader compared to many here.
 
This shortage seems different than 2013/14. In 2013/14 (as I recall) primers AND POWDER were at least pretty much equally scarce - maybe powder was more scarce. I was starting reloading then and I recall having primers but not powder.

Now primers are gone, but powder seems to be very available. My key indicators are availability of H335 and HP-38. Both, for example, are in stock in 8 lb quantities at Powder Valley right now.

If I was a CCI, for example, and assuming selling loaded ammo is more profitable than just primers, I'd absolutely direct my primers to my ammo production lines.

The availability of powder (and bullets - one just has to wait a few weeks) aligns with the likely dynamic the shelves are bare because of all the new gun buyers needing ammo. I wonder what sort of inventories the average new gun person will think they need to have in order to not feel paniced. My guess is, by our standards, not much. Case-in-point: I have a good friend that is about to buy his first pistol. Me and another friend will help him out with some ammo in the immediate term. But I can't IMAGINE him thinking he needs more than a couple hundred rounds in house after he is able to buy his own. He'll practice a little and get comfortable, but he isn't going to shoot much. I just don't see these kinds of folks feeling like they need thousands and thousands of rounds to have on hand. (I'm not arguing that's a smart perspective......I'm just saying I could see this scenario unfolding with other new gun buyers.)
 
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Have you watched a video on making primers? Appears they are in a room by themselves. Ammo plants are very automated these days so the social distancing thing is fairly easy to do.

Its similar to the 22 ammo shortage. They were cranking it out faster than ever only to still have a shortage. The shortage wasn't because of production but was due to people hoarding it. I agree with the statement that if someone sees it they will buy more than they need. That's how most all of these go.
 
I picked up 500 small and 500 large pistol primers today, the store would only sell me that much if I also got some powder. Since my one boy converted his 1911 to shoot 460 rowland I picked up a pound of longshot, that's the only powder that came up on the Hodgen's web load chart for the 460 rowland with 230 grain XTP. Now all the boys need to do is get the dies and some brass for what they want to put together and learn how to make their own, they both want more 9mm luger.
 
Anymore, if one does not stock up on ammo and reloading components at least six months prior to a national election, they haven't been paying attention.

This year, with all of the uncertainty from COVID and civil unrest, was sure to be even worse than usual. As a result, those who weren't prepared 9-12 before the election were left out in the cold.
 
38SPL HV said:
I hope so Moe...I have enough for now but one never knows. I'm a single stage press low volume reloader compared to many here.
Click to expand...

Me too but I still grab some when I see them. Trouble is I rarely see them. At this rate I'm good for a few years but this shortage is making me nervous. Seems different this time.
 
38SPL HV said:
...any inside track where all the primers are? No ammo, no primers...what next?
Click to expand...

...no guns if we ain't very protective of our 2nd Amendment rights!

Got caught off guard during the .22 shortage. :mad:

Now I have 8000 rounds of that stuff and only a single shot Crickett rifle to burn them all up...a lifetime supply. :)

So let's see, got lots of .40 caliber bullets, plenty of powder, and a few hundred small pistol primers.

Well I certainly can't be accused of being perceptive! :o
 
This shortage is a good thing in that I have been trying to get my 2 boys interested in reloading, with cheap readily available ammo their attitude is why bother. With 9mm going near $50 a box now their interested.
 
Probably because...

otisrush said:
This shortage seems different than 2013/14. In 2013/14 (as I recall) primers AND POWDER were at least pretty much equally scarce - maybe powder was more scarce. I was starting reloading then and I recall having primers but not powder.

Now primers are gone, but powder seems to be very available. My key indicators are availability of H335 and HP-38. Both, for example, are in stock in 8 lb quantities at Powder Valley right now.

If I was a CCI, for example, and assuming selling loaded ammo is more profitable than just primers, I'd absolutely direct my primers to my ammo production lines.

The availability of powder (and bullets - one just has to wait a few weeks) aligns with the likely dynamic the shelves are bare because of all the new gun buyers needing ammo. I wonder what sort of inventories the average new gun person will think they need to have in order to not feel paniced. My guess is, by our standards, not much. Case-in-point: I have a good friend that is about to buy his first pistol. Me and another friend will help him out with some ammo in the immediate term. But I can't IMAGINE him thinking he needs more than a couple hundred rounds in house after he is able to buy his own. He'll practice a little and get comfortable, but he isn't going to shoot much. I just don't see these kinds of folks feeling like they need thousands and thousands of rounds to have on hand. (I'm not arguing that's a smart perspective......I'm just saying I could see this scenario unfolding with other new gun buyers.)
Click to expand...

Probably because I have really stocked up on powder because of the last shortage. Fortunately, I'm ok on primers right now, but there aren't any out there.
 
Seems I remember.....

Oldfrt said:
This shortage is a good thing in that I have been trying to get my 2 boys interested in reloading, with cheap readily available ammo their attitude is why bother. With 9mm going near $50 a box now their interested.
Click to expand...

...people saying that 9mm wasn't worth reloading. During good times I saved a little by reloading 9mm. During the shortage I can make all I want.:D
 
So far my LGS has been well stocked with powder and usually has some primers, magnums more often than standards and rifle more often than pistol. Brands may vary. I usually buy a brick of whatever is available that day when I'm there even if I don't need it immediately. I'm not choosy, I take what I can get.

To this point getting powder hasn't been a problem at all and bullets are available online, I just have to wait several weeks for them and pay more than I'd like. Primers are the limiting factor so I want to stock up as much as possible on them.

It's really hard to say when the shortage will end. Some say after the election, while others say once a vaccine is available for the virus. I can think of reasons it will go on regardless of which way the election goes. I think it's going to be a long one.

With the way rimfire prices have skyrocketed I can reload 9mm for what I'd pay for .22LR factory ammo. As long as I can get the components I'll just shoot more 9mm and way less .22LR.
 
Oldfrt said:
This shortage is a good thing in that I have been trying to get my 2 boys interested in reloading, with cheap readily available ammo their attitude is why bother. With 9mm going near $50 a box now their interested.
Click to expand...

Funny, a few years ago my friends called me stupid for reloading 9 MM because it was so cheap and available. Who's stupid now ??
 
smoothshooter said:
It IS different this time.
BAD TIMES ARE COMIN'
Click to expand...

Imo, this doesnt go away soon. We might see some availability of sm primers this time next year, but that is optimistic. All primers are going into ammo & ammo is still in short supply. Expect prices to go up as well. We thought $30 was pricey, I expect $35-$40.
 
For right now I am doing Ok. I have about 8 boxes of small pistol primers and 10 boxes of large pistol, and at least that many small rifle and large rifle. If push come to shove I can press the rifle primes in service for my hand guns I don't have a theory about the cause of the shortage or how it will end. I may have to invest in char coal and start drying urine.
 
I was able to get a brick of SP and SPM primers on Saturday at one gun store Saturday and a brick of SP at Fleet Farm tonight. Maybe things might be loosening up again, a little.
 
carpriver said:
For right now I am doing Ok. I have about 8 boxes of small pistol primers and 10 boxes of large pistol, and at least that many small rifle and large rifle. If push come to shove I can press the rifle primes in service for my hand guns I don't have a theory about the cause of the shortage or how it will end. I may have to invest in char coal and start drying urine.
Click to expand...

Boxes of 100s or 1000s?? I lnow a few avid shooters down to 100s, not a good thing.
 
At my current rate of shooting I have about a 3 year supply of powders and primers. I obtained a 9mm last year and didn't feel it was worth my time to reload it so I picked up a few extra boxes every now and then. 2020 arrived and things changed. I'm now set up to reload 9mm and I'm casting for it as well. Rather than using conventional lube I'm going the Hi-tek coating route. My tests of it so far have been good.
 
I got stocked up on primers just in the nick of time.
What's got me concerned is lead. All the usual sources have dried up.
For my everyday shooting I'm switching from a 148 grain DEWC to a 105 grain SWC in order to conserve lead. I've still got a good pile of lead in the shed but no need to waste it. I'm also switching to 95 grain bullets in 9mm.
 
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Well, from these comments, first I'm glad I'm pretty well stocked up on reloading supplies and factory 9mm ammo, the one thing I shoot a fair amount but don't reload (note I said "don't" not "can't".)

Second, having celebrated over seventy trips around the sun, a "lifetime supply" becomes smaller for me all the time, but it also limits my wait time for "this too" to "pass." Either things will break loose after the outcome of the election is known, or they will break down altogether. At this point, my crystal ball is pretty badly cloudy on this.

Either way, I believe I can keep shooting for a pretty long time. Now let's see how much company I'll have at the range.

Froggie
 
38SPL HV said:
...any inside track where all the primers are? No ammo, no primers...what next?
Click to expand...


They are all someplace else.


iu
 
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