Still shortages

[BigBill]

I can get lead cast bullets, copper coated but no jacketed yet.
No powder, no primers, no brass yet.

I have plenty of new and used brass , primers, leadcast, copper coated, jacketed bullets and some powders but I’m on the fence to load anything. I hate to use up what I can’t replace.

I never seen it this bad, are you feeling the same Way?

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have been rolling my own ammo since 1972 and casting bullets since 1973. Thousands of cases in the calibers I use, thousands of cast bullets, 300 lbs. or so of wheel weights and linotype, and a fair supply of powders. Down to my last 4000 small pistol primers and 3000 large pistol primers.

I have cut down on my range trips from once per week to once per month as a means for reducing the rate of decline in my supply of loaded ammo. Still reasonably comfortable with my stock on hand, but trying my best to avoid running very low, or (perhaps worse) thinking about paying panic-buyer prices for primers or powders.

The two sons, the grandchildren, and the brother who have always relied on me to keep them supplied are being encouraged to conserve.

We have seen these shortages before, and supplies have always come back to normal. I hope we will see some progress soon.

For now I am prepping brass (sizing, decapping, flaring, etc) to have more ready to load, and will probably commit a day or two for bullet casting to renew those supplies.

Back in the 1970s I figured my costs for common handgun ammo (.38 Special, .357 magnum, 9X19, .45ACP, etc) at about 65-70 cents per box with homemade cast bullets. A year or so back I figured about $3 per box. At the current prices, if I could find primers and powders at all, it would probably be $7 or more per box, and every time you shoot there would be no guarantee you could replace your supply.

I can't imagine how people are shooting anything at around a dollar per round! Must be the old Scots DNA affecting my perceptions.

 

[K-MO]

Primers...

I'm mostly frustrated at the unavailability of primers. They just can't be difficult to mass produce, so it sure gives the impression of a contrived supply-side problem when we have waited so long for them to appear on the shelves again.

 

[vonn]

There seems to be an increase in some loaded ammunition and components except for primers. With the high prices I see people paying for primers you would think that at least some would be in the supply chain going to reloading supply companies. Can’t help but think the big supply reloading companies don’t have some pull with the manufacturers.

 

[Roofuss]

Most powders, brass, and cast bullets are in very short supply in my area, but primers...forget about it. They are almost impossible to find. I refuse to pay $200. to $300.+ for a box of 1000 primers . Not that desperate !
Cut down my range trips, and conserving my reloading stock for the time being.

 

[gmiller0737]

I've been able to find Most Bullets & Powder just takes constant searching only found Primers once in the last year glad I was fairly well stocked

 

[The Norseman]

Unforgiving

I haven't changed my Shooting Habits or "buy it when you
find it" Habits.

I been Hording since 1979.

The other day; just under 4 cents/primer.

 

[Green Frog]

I haven't changed my Shooting Habits or "buy it when you
find it" Habits.

I been Hording since 1979.

The other day; just under 4 cents/primer.

My sentiments exactly. Also, as a septuagenarian, I probably don’t have enough shooting years ahead of me to use up the supplies I have since I’ve been “buying cheap and stacking deep” for so long. A nice aspect of this is that the range isn’t as crowded as it used to be.

Froggie

 

[Golphin]

Not seeing anything but a few primers at crazy prices locally. Online there is plenty of powder and bullets and brass if you look for it. Primers, forget about it. No where at a price most of us would pay. I have a good supply of everything right now but have also cut back on my range time to conserve until primers start showing up at a reasonable prices.

 

[hyena]

I use Unique powder, and can't find it anywhere. I have enough coated bullets and primers for a couple thousand loads, but only a half pound of Unique. And I don't want to change powders. I only load .38 and .45, and only use one load each, to keep things simple.

So I've cut back on trips to the range, and shoot mostly .22.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

My shooting hasn't changed be rifle/shotgun or handgun. Anyone with gray hair should be ready for these blackouts. I cast bullets/make #8 shot and have always kept about a ton of WW's on hand. I don't buy ammunition___I make it.

 

[Racer X]

So, over the last year, you would think we would be seeing an influx of imported primers from Europe, Russia and possibly some factories in South America. But we haven't. Why not?

Yes, I'm sure it would take months to set up deals. It HAS been months. Plenty of time.

 

[Huskerguy]

I'm mostly frustrated at the unavailability of primers. They just can't be difficult to mass produce, so it sure gives the impression of a contrived supply-side problem when we have waited so long for them to appear on the shelves again.

From what I have read they are difficult to manufacture and they are a major safety hazard at plants. They are in an explosion proof room which doesn't sound like much fun to me. The other piece is with the ammo manufacturers going all out and many of those do NOT make their own primers, think Hornady, I can see why fewer primers do not make it to market. By the time you are meeting the demand for primers with your ammo plants and others who don't make primers, there can't be many left. I have shared this before but I have a BIL who has a major company that produces packaging and they sell to 260 ammo producers. Some are very small, some are larger, none are the top handful we all know so that tells me there are lots of manufacturers out there wanting primers and powder.

 

[SS336]

I used to think I was stocked up on components and would be fine. So I continued to shoot last year and found powder and bullets as were needed.
Now primers are a different story. I have not seen primers in over a year. Do not understand why, but I am beginning to realize the ones I have are not replaceable.
My just general shooting is going to slow down, will still shoot bowling pin matches and bullseye league in the winter but just shooting for fun….maybe not.

 

[22hipower]

Starting to see more product locally. Bought 9mm coated bullets and CCI magnum small rifle primers at Bass Pro this week ($5.99 per 100 primers) and $26.95 per 250 bullets. They had some Hornady rifle bullets; lots of 30 caliber match A-tip. Fair amount of pistol and rifle ammo (compared to recent months) but I didn't really check prices as I hand load all of that.

Bought Hornady FTX and XTP 44 and 45 bullets from Cabelas (mail order; about $36 per box of 100) last week. They had almost zero loaded ammo the last time I was at the Ft. Worth store though.

Have found powder at close to regular prices (H1000 and Retumbo at $36.95) at a LGS last month but not much of it. A friend found primers for $3.00 at Scheels recently. A friend who owns a pawnshop (not your usual pawn shop; 95% guns) is getting ammo by the pallet load although paying pretty high prices for it and selling around 300 guns a month; getting plenty of handguns, rifles, shotguns although few, if any, new S&Ws.

Academy has a little of everything but only a little and no way to know what will be on the shelf on any given day.

Stuff is showing up, prices (except gun shows) seem to be easing a bit.

Good luck all.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

It's been over year...

... since I've seen any primers, that is until yesterday when this showed up at Sportsman's Warehouse. Only $35 per thousand. Feels like I struck gold. Maybe it's starting to turn????.

 

[rockquarry]

As for primers and powders, what has worked well for me in the past is buying primers in cartons of 5,000 and buying powder in 8 lb. jugs. Even if you don't do a lot of handloading, you'll eventually use everything up and powder and primers will last just short of forever unless you store them poorly.

This is just one of about four or five shortages we've experienced since the mid-1990s. That first one was only primers as I recall and I was caught shorthanded as I was buying no more than a few hundred or a thousand at a time.

When the opportunity presents itself, you can become well-stocked with components yet leave enough so that others can do the same, though the hard-core stockpilers may not agree.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

My sentiments exactly. Also, as a septuagenarian, I probably don’t have enough shooting years ahead of me to use up the supplies I have since I’ve been “buying cheap and stacking deep” for so long. A nice aspect of this is that the range isn’t as crowded as it used to be.

Froggie

Froggie, I have to agree. I doubt I will be around long enough to use up what I have. I was always in the 'buy it when you see it camp' and the last few years it is paying off. It isnt hording, is just being prepared.

 

[Green Frog]

So, over the last year, you would think we would be seeing an influx of imported primers from Europe, Russia and possibly some factories in South America. But we haven't. Why not?

Yes, I'm sure it would take months to set up deals. It HAS been months. Plenty of time.

A couple of points... unless I’m mistaken, importing guns, ammo, or components from Russia is proscribed by our protective government. I know we can’t get them from China any more.

Second, I just got word that a friend of a friend who runs a commercial reloading operation was finally able to score an order of 2 million primers from an Italian supplier. The problem? They were very spotty, performance-wise. His reputation and that of his company rest on the reliability of his ammo, and “Click” instead of “Bang” just doesn’t get it. The response from the Italian primer supplier? MEH!

Looks like there are no quick and easy fixes to any of this.

Froggie

 

[HKSmith]

A couple of points... unless I’m mistaken, importing guns, ammo, or components from Russia is proscribed by our protective government. I know we can’t get them from China any more.

Second, I just got word that a friend of a friend who runs a commercial reloading operation was finally able to score an order of 2 million primers from an Italian supplier. The problem? They were very spotty, performance-wise. His reputation and that of his company rest on the reliability of his ammo, and “Click” instead of “Bang” just doesn’t get it. The response from the Italian primer supplier? MEH!

Looks like there are no quick and easy fixes to any of this.

Froggie

Actually, lots of Russian ammo is available in the US from Wolf, Tula, and Barnaul, albeit at about 4 times the price pre-pandemic. See SGAmmo. I haven't seen foreign primers available for a couple of years, don't know why.