wow
I see you hold your fellow man in high esteem.
Maybe some of us have other obligations and simply can't afford to stock up on primers...then or now.
Help me understand the primer shortage.
- Thread starter Nevada Ed
- Start date
wow
I see you hold your fellow man in high esteem.
Maybe some of us have other obligations and simply can't afford to stock up on primers...then or now.
MyDads38
Member
Wow, that's quite a statement to make on this Forum
There are several of us here over the age of 60, who are retired and are on fixed incomes. I for one, can't afford the extras like I did when I was working. I still buy when available and on sale/at a good price. I've gone from shooting a couple times a week (pre-covid) to 3 times in last 6 months. So my usage has gone to "0".
There will always be folks who don't think past the next day or week. I'm not one of those. I don't feel sorry for them. A lot of folks got blind-sided by the virus and protests/riots. I would never let family or close friends do without, If I could help out some way. But there will always be those who never learn from past mistakes.
Don't think I've ever been anything but average, but my names not "Joe" 
...Don't think I've ever been anything but average, but my names not "Joe"
HA!
Truth of the matter is I am retired, lazy, and stupid.
And no, I didn't see the primer shortage coming, but at the time I wouldn't have been able to afford to stock up anyway.
And I'm way above average dang it!
dazlin
Member
SpikeIDMT
Member
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fredj338
Member
I follow prices pretty closely, newer saw primers for $20/1000 within the last 10y, maybe old stock at a gun show, maybe.
Primers are short because it's all going Into ammo. There are more than 25m new handgun owners. If they only bought 100rds of ammo, thats 2.5B rds. Then all those that dont reload buy ammo, then lea buy ammo, then covid & a pres election.. Its mostly supply & demand. I expect it to continue to about this time next year but expect prices to creep up.
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Huskerguy
Member
Talk to some people in the manufacturing business. Each year they plan to produce X number of widgets and pre order the materials to do that. They can get amazingly close with their guesstimates and lock in their raw materials. Anything that disrupts that system creates stress on their system.
With the 22 shortage, the manufacturers went all out to increase production. The manufacturers were primarily limited by the amount of raw materials they could secure over and above what they had projected. It's a domino affect.
The biggest problem with 22 were price gougers who got on web sites and knew when stores were receiving orders. They were standing there the minute orders arrived with the friends they brought along to beat the rationing. The same is happening with primers. Just read these forums, some bought well ahead but many are not in a good position and scalpers and people thinking they can make a buck are coming out of the woodwork. As with 22, it didn't quit until the speculators lost their large margin and it became less profitable to sit on thousands of dollars or ammo.
To build more ammo these plants need a large amount of raw materials for brass, lead, powder and bullets. Primers are just one piece of that supply line.
Bottom line, I am convinced after speaking with many people that plain old fashion hoarding is the main culprit. Who on this board would walk away from a good deal on some primers right now even if they have what some consider a life time supply?
Additionally, covid has disrupted supply and production all across the world. As per primers and 22 made at the same time, from videos I have seen, that is not true. Primers are a one person job in a small isolated room independent of other manufacturing.
With the 22 shortage, the manufacturers went all out to increase production. The manufacturers were primarily limited by the amount of raw materials they could secure over and above what they had projected. It's a domino affect.
The biggest problem with 22 were price gougers who got on web sites and knew when stores were receiving orders. They were standing there the minute orders arrived with the friends they brought along to beat the rationing. The same is happening with primers. Just read these forums, some bought well ahead but many are not in a good position and scalpers and people thinking they can make a buck are coming out of the woodwork. As with 22, it didn't quit until the speculators lost their large margin and it became less profitable to sit on thousands of dollars or ammo.
To build more ammo these plants need a large amount of raw materials for brass, lead, powder and bullets. Primers are just one piece of that supply line.
Bottom line, I am convinced after speaking with many people that plain old fashion hoarding is the main culprit. Who on this board would walk away from a good deal on some primers right now even if they have what some consider a life time supply?
Additionally, covid has disrupted supply and production all across the world. As per primers and 22 made at the same time, from videos I have seen, that is not true. Primers are a one person job in a small isolated room independent of other manufacturing.
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I may be wrong about this, but I think the ammo makers are doing us reloaders a favor by selling us components. We can't account but for a tiny percentage of the revenues of big outfits like Winchester and Federal. Bullet manufacturers like Sierra, maybe we count for a lot of their sales. But somebody like Winchester / Olin makes billions of rounds for the military, law enforcement, and the civilian market, and we can't amount to more than a blip on their sales.
I recall getting caught out in 2013. There was no pending legislation but Sandy Hook Panic came out of nowhere. I was OK on most things but very low on primers and .22LR. I remember scrounging for a couple of trays of primers, or a box of .22.
The last several years, every time I went to a gun show, I came back with a few bricks of primers. If Powder Valley or somebody had a no-hazmat sale, I'd buy some 8 pound jugs. I'd go to Everglades or Missouri Bullets and give the UPS man some weight-lifting exercises. CCI has a rebate on cases of .22? I'm there. Laid in plenty of factory stuff for self-protection guns.
So now I'm doing OK for the next several years. If things get politically really weird, could be in trouble in the far future.
I recall getting caught out in 2013. There was no pending legislation but Sandy Hook Panic came out of nowhere. I was OK on most things but very low on primers and .22LR. I remember scrounging for a couple of trays of primers, or a box of .22.
The last several years, every time I went to a gun show, I came back with a few bricks of primers. If Powder Valley or somebody had a no-hazmat sale, I'd buy some 8 pound jugs. I'd go to Everglades or Missouri Bullets and give the UPS man some weight-lifting exercises. CCI has a rebate on cases of .22? I'm there. Laid in plenty of factory stuff for self-protection guns.
So now I'm doing OK for the next several years. If things get politically really weird, could be in trouble in the far future.
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Us older guys have seen this several times. 1st time back in early 1990s. Purchased copious amounts in times of plenty. Live and learn. It may be quite a while for those who did not think ahead before supply returns, unfortunately. You need to keep a least a five year supply depending on how you much you shoot.
NJM15
Member
Put the blame on . . . . .
The epidemic caused all normal trans actions to come to almost a halt
The epidemic caused all normal trans actions to come to almost a halt
NJM15
Member
Yes but. . .
Loaded ammo is almost impossible to get I heard the major component to making primers is the explosive compound , and they say it comes mostly from , you guessed it china
Loaded ammo is almost impossible to get I heard the major component to making primers is the explosive compound , and they say it comes mostly from , you guessed it china
Telecaster
Member
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It’s like a Yogi Berra quote - ammo’s so hard to get that no one’s buying any.
Well, someone’s buying it all.
Well, someone’s buying it all.
For the sake of clarification and, I've heard this before, but small rifle primers work in small pistol cartridges?
Well, I'm glad I have a good supply of primers and powder. My LGS has lots of Hornady bullets at good prices, but limit of two boxes. And, I guess $60 a thousand (limit one) for primers is not bad considering some of the prices previously mentioned. I'm just glad I have most of everything I need. Will stop by often and buy bullets to stock up until those prices go up too.
The CV-19 has put crimp in supply chain on lots of consumer goods. The more an item can be connected to the panic over CV-19 and social issues the more it’s visible. People are scared, people are greedy, ect. We have a lot of first time buyers that are only involved because of SD & HD, the hoarders and the scalpers. The ammo companies selling everything they can put out the door. They don’t have any extra to sell.
DWalt
Member
That is correct, in most cases. May be a misfire issue in guns with weaker firing pin strikes. Best to test before loading up several hundred rounds.
