Primers: Where They ??

[cmj8591]

Choking back distribution to raise prices is a suckers bet and poor business. The people running primer manufacturing know this and I doubt that's their plan. Think OPEC. Although it is difficult to compare manufacturing to commodities, what happens when a business tries to manipulate higher prices is that it makes it more profitable for others to enter the market. When OPEC drives oil prices up, it makes oil more expensive and more profitable so other producers ramp up and more oil becomes available and the price drops. That's part of the reason that Russia got such a large share of the European energy market. No sane manufacturer of consumable goods is going to engage in that kind of business model to gain short term increases in profits. Inflation, demand, world wide raw material availability, proxy wars, trade wars with China, global politics and a dozen more factors are driving the price of primers and everything else right now. Notwithstanding your shooting buddy that bought primers five years ago at $20 per M and is selling them to you at $125 per M, the thought that Vista or anyone else is manipulating the market is nonsense. Sorry to the tin foil hat people.

 

[llowry61]

Choking back distribution to raise prices is a suckers bet and poor business. The people running primer manufacturing know this and I doubt that's their plan. Think OPEC. Although it is difficult to compare manufacturing to commodities, what happens when a business tries to manipulate higher prices is that it makes it more profitable for others to enter the market. When OPEC drives oil prices up, it makes oil more expensive and more profitable so other producers ramp up and more oil becomes available and the price drops. That's part of the reason that Russia got such a large share of the European energy market. No sane manufacturer of consumable goods is going to engage in that kind of business model to gain short term increases in profits. Inflation, demand, world wide raw material availability, proxy wars, trade wars with China, global politics and a dozen more factors are driving the price of primers and everything else right now. Notwithstanding your shooting buddy that bought primers five years ago at $20 per M and is selling them to you at $125 per M, the thought that Vista or anyone else is manipulating the market is nonsense. Sorry to the tin foil hat people.

I agree, FWIW.

Once the shelves are stocked full of loaded ammo that isn't moving the surplus primers will be moved to the reloading outlets and prices will moderate.

Companies can't let inventory just sit that is why we have the just in time manufacturing model.

Inventory is cash sitting idle not making any money.

 

[kbm6893]

Choking back distribution to raise prices is a suckers bet and poor business. The people running primer manufacturing know this and I doubt that's their plan. Think OPEC. Although it is difficult to compare manufacturing to commodities, what happens when a business tries to manipulate higher prices is that it makes it more profitable for others to enter the market. When OPEC drives oil prices up, it makes oil more expensive and more profitable so other producers ramp up and more oil becomes available and the price drops. That's part of the reason that Russia got such a large share of the European energy market. No sane manufacturer of consumable goods is going to engage in that kind of business model to gain short term increases in profits. Inflation, demand, world wide raw material availability, proxy wars, trade wars with China, global politics and a dozen more factors are driving the price of primers and everything else right now. Notwithstanding your shooting buddy that bought primers five years ago at $20 per M and is selling them to you at $125 per M, the thought that Vista or anyone else is manipulating the market is nonsense. Sorry to the tin foil hat people.

They're making triple what they used to make. Primers don't really expire. They can sit for years in temperature warehouses and be released the moment the market demands them. In the meantime, they're making a killing.

I don't wear tin foil hats. Primers are basically the only thing I can't buy with ease that I used to. Everything else is available again. And reloaders are a pretty small market, so there's no satisfying the whole country.

There are four main producers of primers. Three of them are owned by one parent company. Something is up. No doubt. You think companies don't hold hsxk product to Jack up demand and eventually set a new normal price?

 

[cmj8591]

They're making triple what they used to make.

Educate me. Who is making triple of what they used to?

 

[kbm6893]

Educate me. Who is making triple of what they used to?

Primers are 4 times the price they were three years ago. Yeah, prices are up on manufacturing. Maybe it's not 3 times what they used to, but no way did their costs go up 4 times and they're still making what they used to.

Yeah, somebody bought some somewhere for $80 a brick. I haven't seen one brick on my local store shelves. The ones you see at Brownell's are 3 times the price and then you have to add in haz mat and shipping, and then they're often out of stock before you can put your card info in.

 

[cmj8591]

Primers are 4 times the price they were three years ago. Yeah, prices are up on manufacturing. Maybe it's not 3 times what they used to, but no way did their costs go up 4 times and they're still making what they used to.

Yeah, somebody bought some somewhere for $80 a brick. I haven't seen one brick on my local store shelves. The ones you see at Brownell's are 3 times the price and then you have to add in haz mat and shipping, and then they're often out of stock before you can put your card info in.

There are plenty of primers in the gun shops around me except for large rifle. Large pistol can be a little hard to find also. Prices go from about $90 to about $100 per M. The LGS's are paying top dollar and their profit margin is thin. And, yes, many things are 300% of what they were just two years ago. A few months ago eggs were over $5 a dozen where I live. Just think about how much shipping alone has gone up. Now think about how much the cost of the steel to make the cup has gone up. Every single aspect in primer production has gone up and I'm sure some of them have gone up more than %300. Of course wages have also gone up because of a worker shortage. Start adding these things up it's not hard to see how things can spiral up and up. Now factor in demand and it goes up more. To think that the ammo factories are sitting on pallets of primers waiting for the price to be right or running half shifts to reduce production and increase demand makes absolutely no economic sense. My theory about the large rifle shortage, and I'll be the first to say I'm spitballing here, is that there are billions of rounds of 7.62x39 being shipped to Ukraine and to warehouses in Eastern Europe. What size primer do they use? Mostly large rifle. Selling primers to hobby shooters is at the end of the distribution line. I think right now we have seen the price stabilize. We've seen this with 9mm and 223, where the price hit it's peak and then started down. 9mm, adjusted for inflation, is very close to where it was 2 and 1/2 years ago. The same will happen with primers.

 

[max503]

IMHO the rat is further up the line than component suppliers. I don't want to say more for concerns of being banned.

 

[raljr1]

Midway just emailed me today Federal SPP $104 per 1000 plus shipping.

Robert

 

[Dave686]

I went to pick-up an M&P Magazine today at Sportsman Warehouse. I asked if they had any small rifle primers. He said no, all they had were Fiocchi Small Pistol Primers. $8.25 for a pack of 150, limit 2.

That's $55 per 1000 if you want to make all those trips. I never even knew Fiocchi made primers, but I really like their loaded ammo, never had a problem. Good to hear the primers are good.

Looks like Fiocchi is building the world's first lead free primer plant in Arkansas. I'm leery of anything that's claims to be better for the environment, but we shall see.

 

[GypsmJim]

$100 per thousand works for me.

The day the news said "pandemic" they were selling for $28. Two days later unobtanium.

Our society is undergoing inflation. Even a **** Mickydee lunch is outrageous. Based on the numbers, 50 bucks might be understandable.

At $100 you are getting screwed big time. So there are 2 options:
1. Wait it out until the supply meets the demand.
2. Bend over and take it like a looser.

 

[ken158]

My local SW has dropped prices on CCI to $5.03 per 100 with a 2 box limit but we all know how to play that game. I know for a fact that SW makes at least 15% - so these high prices we are seeing is just greed.

 

[Skeet 028]

At the gun show today the cheapest primers were 70 bucks a 1000. Standing at a table and the guy had LRPs. $120 per. He said wow thats a lot for LRPs I asked what he was willing to pay? He said 100 was his max. I knew the guy who had the table and said to him his price was too high on 'em...and this young fellow needed some LRPs . He sold 'em to him for the 100 he could pay. I was leaving and the fellow followed me out and thanked me. I told him I thought 100 was too much but to remember...when primer prices get down in the 50-60 dollar range...buy what he will need for the next two years minimum. LRPs ARE hard to find though. For the first time ever...I bought nothing at a gun show. I looked hard at a bit rough 29-3 but ha wouldn't come down off his 750 price. I woulda bought at 700. Just had some bluing issues! And it was 6 inch.

 

[Nevada Ed]

You guys talk about bricks of primers at $80.00 plus tax.

I have not seen that price in years and you guys east of the Colorado river are in Hog heaven !!

I can hold out for two more years but I sure am glad that the weather is warming up and I can also,
go fishing, soon, to take up some of the slack.

 

[DWalt]

I just did an internet search for any recent information about the new Expansion Industries primer plant in Texarkana. Very little to be found. One commentator on another forum said that he drove around the plant location back in February 2023 but didn't see anything that looked like activity. Expansion has a Facebook presence, but there is not much information there beyond their selling ammunition. I have felt that Expansion is a very suspicious operation and have seen nothing so far to indicate otherwise. Does anyone know more? I have seen nothing new about Fiocci's new primer plant in Little Rock. There is some rumor about Hornady planning to start making primers.

 

[glenwolde]

A lot depends on when you stocked up and what supplies you need.

Right now, I can load 50, 38 special with factory Hornady lead at $22.00 a box.

The $104 a box for primers, is killing me.

I'm not following you. At $104/1,000 a box of 50 would use $5.20 worth of primers.....should be about $6.50 for 50 Hornady bullets. Less than $12 for 50 + powder and maybe some shipping. I can't get to $22. Did you mean $12?

These days $12 is a good savings for .38 Special over factory. Of course with the "old" prices and commercial cast bullets it was less than $6.00. But that ship has sailed.

 

[glenwolde]

They're making triple what they used to make. Primers don't really expire. They can sit for years in temperature warehouses and be released the moment the market demands them. In the meantime, they're making a killing.

I don't wear tin foil hats. Primers are basically the only thing I can't buy with ease that I used to. Everything else is available again. And reloaders are a pretty small market, so there's no satisfying the whole country.

There are four main producers of primers. Three of them are owned by one parent company. Something is up. No doubt. You think companies don't hold hsxk product to Jack up demand and eventually set a new normal price?

No I don't think they are hoarding them in a warehouse somewhere. I spent my entire working life in manufacturing and there's just no way that works economically. They would make far more selling them all at a lower price. You'd be stranding the cost of production, adding in the cost of storage, with no revenue to pay for it. Trust me, it don't work.

It's as practical as selling below cost and making it up with volume. Not. What's.Happening.

 

[Chubbs103]

You guys talk about bricks of primers at $80.00 plus tax.

I have not seen that price in years and you guys east of the Colorado river are in Hog heaven !!

I can hold out for two more years but I sure am glad that the weather is warming up and I can also,
go fishing, soon, to take up some of the slack.

I drove through Sparks a couple of months ago and Scheels had CCI LP and SP for $80 a brick, no limit. I bought 4 of each.

 

[Racer X]

You guys talk about bricks of primers at $80.00 plus tax.

I have not seen that price in years and you guys east of the Colorado river are in Hog heaven !!

I can hold out for two more years but I sure am glad that the weather is warming up and I can also,
go fishing, soon, to take up some of the slack.

Murom Small Pistol Primers – Heavy Metal Free – Liberal Tears Brand

Servicios Aventuras Small Pistol Primers FLASH SALE – Liberal Tears Brand

oh, and hard primer 9mm for subguns or PCC, or pistol use with a good solid primer hit $199/1k Hughes Precision AR-9 & Subgun Brass 9mm 124gr – Liberal Tears Brand

 

[stansdds]

Local fishing/hunting/gun shop/pawn shop had CCI small pistol primers for $104/1k. Considering the required hazmat fee, that comes to $80/1k. Prices simply may not go much lower, thanks to this thing called inflation.

 

[Dave686]

Local fishing/hunting/gun shop/pawn shop had CCI small pistol primers for $104/1k. Considering the required hazmat fee, that comes to $80/1k. Prices simply may not go much lower, thanks to this thing called inflation.

Sure they will go lower. Stores are getting more, as they do prices will go down. I just paid $8.25 for 150. That's $55 per 1000 plus tax, no hazmat fee.

Why are you knocking off $24 as "hazmat fees" for your local pawn shop? Hazmat fees aren't charged per brick, they are charged per order, with 50 lbs. (I believe) per order.

In my opinion this isn't inflation. This is supply and demand, with our so called "friends" that are retailers soaking us for every dime they can.

A lot of things caused the primer costs to jump, most recently it was ammo shipments to Ukraine. It started to drop back down. But now with folks calling for more shipments to the Ukraine, they may go back up. Who knows.