Primer prices-the new normal

[raljr1]

Fiocchi Large Pistol Primers – 1,500 count box | Norma USA

Norma offering 1500 Fiocchi primers for $135. I believe this is as good as it will get these days. Penny primers are gone.

 

[Nick B]

If you have a Sportsman Warehouse in town check there . Our local one has Winchester primers for $79.90 per 1K. Take another 5% off that if you’re a veteran.

 

[Rodan]

I recently bought a bunch of Federal match primers large and small pistol... prices were $95-115/1000. Of course, that's before tax/shipping/hazmat. I try to buy a bunch at a time or catch a 'free shipping'/'no hazmat' sale.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I just bought 3k Winchester LP for $70 per k. That is a good price at the new normal. It was at a LGS rather than on-line.

 

[Valmet]

Things def aren’t what they used to be in the reloading game…

 

[tops]

Things def aren’t what they used to be in the reloading game…

I'm not what I used to be. Larry

 

[Ameshawki]

With 9mm it's almost not worth the effort.

 

[cracker57]

why do people always say 9mm hardly worth reloading.
primer 4 to 5 cents
powder 4 cents
brass range pick up free
11 cents for a good 124 gr. JHP
so for 20 cents or a little less I put together a very accurate JHP round. show me a 124 gr JHP round in brass for even close to that.

 

[Nick B]

why do people always say 9mm hardly worth reloading.
primer 4 to 5 cents
powder 4 cents
brass range pick up free
11 cents for a good 124 gr. JHP
so for 20 cents or a little less I put together a very accurate JHP round. show me a 124 gr JHP round in brass for even close to that.

They’re talking about if you had to buy the components at todays prices .

 

[BC38]

I just bought 5000 Ginex LRPs for $289.99 on a super sale in late November. Free shipping and hazmat included.
$58 per 1000 is the best price I've seen in a LONG time...

 

[BC38]

why do people always say 9mm hardly worth reloading.
primer 4 to 5 cents
powder 4 cents
brass range pick up free
11 cents for a good 124 gr. JHP
so for 20 cents or a little less I put together a very accurate JHP round. show me a 124 gr JHP round in brass for even close to that.

They’re talking about if you had to buy the components at todays prices .

Yeah, even with free brass, these days at current prices its more like
primer 7-8 cents
powder 5-6 cents
bullet 15-16 cents
So 27-30 cents per round
You can find factory ammo for that price ($13.50 - $15.00 per box).
But like you said, if you have older components purchased cheaply a few years ago, you can reload for $10 a box.

 

[glenwolde]

Yeah, even with free brass, these days its
primer 7-8 cents
powder 5-6 cents
bullet 15-16 cents
So 27-30 cents per round
You can find factory ammo for that price ($13.50 - $15.00 per box).
But like you said, if you have older components purchased cheaply a few years ago, you can reload for $10 a box.

Well it varies, and depends on what you're loading, but for me more like....

Current prices for .38 Special
primer .05 (Argentine SP @ NormaUSA)
powder .021 (3.5gr @$44/# W231)
bullet .125 (commercial cast lead)

So .196 or $9.80 / 50.

9mm would be similar but the bullets would be cheaper and the powder maybe a bit more. But for 50, still a little less.

 

[.38SuperMan]

Yeah, even with free brass, these days at current prices its more like
primer 7-8 cents
powder 5-6 cents
bullet 15-16 cents
So 27-30 cents per round
You can find factory ammo for that price ($13.50 - $15.00 per box).
But like you said, if you have older components purchased cheaply a few years ago, you can reload for $10 a box.

Current pricing I buy Accurate #2 for $35/pound and I use ~4 grains which yields 1,750 rounds per pound. Summers cast polymer bullets run 8 cents and Argentine SPP through Norma run $49/1000. With range brass I’m loading 9mm for ~16 cents per round. My 38 specials run the same and 32 Long a fraction less. If you cast your own you can do it even cheaper.

As far as equipment cost I’ve loaded. North of 100,000 rounds on my Square Deal B that I bought about 45 years ago for $140. Time, I’m retired and enjoy tailoring my ammo for my guns.

 

[Sevens]

Norma offering 1500 Fiocchi primers for $135. I believe this is as good as it will get these days. Penny primers are gone.

1) literally EXACTLY these same folks are also offering SyA small pistol primers for $50 per thousand, free shipping.

2) “penny primers” ?! The last time I got primers for a penny at retail was 1989 and even then, that was before sales tax. And even sales tax was 4% where I lived in 1989, that would also be a wonderful savings over the 7+ percent I pay now.

Yet another silly “sky is falling” post. Hey, did ya notice gasoline isn’t $1.05 a gallon anymore?! And those scoundrels took all the lead out of the gas too!

 

[BC38]

Well it varies, and depends on what you're loading, but for me more like....

Current prices for .38 Special
primer .05 (Argentine SP @ NormaUSA)
powder .021 (3.5gr @$44/# W231)
bullet .125 (commercial cast lead)

So .196 or $9.80 / 50.

9mm would be similar but the bullets would be cheaper and the powder maybe a bit more. But for 50, still a little less.

All true, cast 38 special can be loaded for about the same price as cast 9mm.

However, you aren't going to find any commercial 38 special for anywhere near the price of 9mm. And you're not going to find jacketed HP 9mm bullets for 12.5 cents each either.

 

[rwsmith]

I can stomach....

...the fact that 4¢ primers are now 8¢ but I'm not accepting primers over 10¢. That's just giving them what they want. I'm not in a place financially where I can buy more than a few boxes of anything, so I'm going to take this opportunity to wait to see if primers don't 'normalize' and something else becomes scarce and expensive. Hopefully something I've prepared for.

 

[BC38]

Current pricing I buy Accurate #2 for $35/pound and I use ~4 grains which yields 1,750 rounds per pound. Summers cast polymer bullets run 8 cents and Argentine SPP through Norma run $49/1000. With range brass I’m loading 9mm for ~16 cents per round. My 38 specials run the same and 32 Long a fraction less. If you cast your own you can do it even cheaper.

As far as equipment cost I’ve loaded. North of 100,000 rounds on my Square Deal B that I bought about 45 years ago for $140. Time, I’m retired and enjoy tailoring my ammo for my guns.

AA #2 for $35 a pound? If that includes tax, shipping, and Hazmat, I want some of that action.

Where can I get some? I've got a couple of pounds but I'd buy more if I could find it at that price.

The best price I've found on Ammoseek is $38 a pound BEFORE tax, shipping, or hazmat. Factor all that in and you have to buy 5 pounds to get below $45 a pound.

FWIW, a poly coated cast is definitely cheaper than the JHP that the OP was talking about - which is what I was also referencing.

If you can point me to some 9mm JHP for 8 cents apiece, I'll buy a bunch of those too.

Thanks

 

[chief38]

Reloading is no longer a money saver for many popular calibers due to the high cost of components. A box of 50 rounds of 9mm practice ammo can be purchased for under $11.00 now and most could not reload with newly purchased components for that price. YES, if you have components that were purchased years ago at 1/3 the cost, it would still a money saver. If you already have thousands of primers, bullets and tons of powder - reload!

Many reload for the fun of it and yet others reload because they want certain velocities, spec's or specialties that can not be purchased in factory ammo.

In older calibers that are no longer popular anymore the cost of factory ammo can be astronomical! Not only is the cost a factor but many of the old time calibers and chambering's are all but impossible to find! That is mainly where reloading shines these days.

 

[cracker57]

Originally Posted by cracker57 View Post
why do people always say 9mm hardly worth reloading.
primer 4 to 5 cents
powder 4 cents
brass range pick up free
11 cents for a good 124 gr. JHP
so for 20 cents or a little less I put together a very accurate JHP round. show me a 124 gr JHP round in brass for even close to that.

They’re talking about if you had to buy the components at todays prices .

I listed today's prices.

 

[Mike0251]

.16 per round today's pricing. Brass free, .05 primer, .037 powder (VV N340), .08 bullet. And we go through a lot for competition.