The not to distant past.

[jdlii]

I stopped at a Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday to look for some new rubber boots. Nothing was on sale so I wondered back to the reloading area.

They had lots of primers of all sizes however, they had no displayed prices on the boxes or the shelves. It made me think that not that long ago, primers were plentiful and affordable, as evidenced by the attached photo.

 

[ameridaddy]

I'm guessing that box is ~ 40-45 years old. $1.59 is about $6.00 today, so I don't think primers were more affordable back then, but they certainly were more available in every type.
I was reloading a lot between 1975 - 1985, and I don't recall ever wanting for a good selection of components.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

It seems like back then, most of those in the habit of shooting and reloading weren't buying ammo or primers by the thousands. Most, not all, as there is always the exceptions. I think it was largely because the amount of disposable income then didn't allow for it.
It's the same reason that thousands of "priceless" military surplus rifles were altered for hunting use. Money was needed for other essentials.

John

 

[mtgianni]

I'm guessing that box is ~ 40-45 years old. $1.59 is about $6.00 today, so I don't think primers were more affordable back then, but they certainly were more available in every type.
I was reloading a lot between 1975 - 1985, and I don't recall ever wanting for a good selection of components.

I started reloading rifle and pistol ammo in 1989. I remember the Hilary scare when primers went from $10.99 per thousand to $15 per thousand. They settled back at $11.99 a few years later. Y2K drove primer prices to $16 a thousand so probably from that era.

 

[Skeet 028]

In early 1960 I being dislexic stated I was 21 and ordered a 1911 from Klein's in Chicago. It got delivered and it had to be signed for by someone 21.. The postmistress let me sign as I picked up the mail every morning. I had a friend who worked at Aberdeen Proving ground who gave me a 30 carbine and a lot of ammo(with the consent of my mother) I showed him the 45 and he said I'll bring you some ammo. I soon learned why 1911s sold for 20 dollars.. Started loading shotshells about then. Got the supplies from mostly the gun club at wholesale cost. Cost was well under a dollar a box. somewhere about 60 cents. I even reloaded primers. CCI sold 209Bs...much cheaper than any other shotshell primers. I remember getting primers for 47 cents 100 or 4 dollars 30 cents per 1000...CCI and Federal were cheaper than Winchester or Remington

 

[AJ]

These Winchester StaynLess Primers are probably 1950's or very early 60's. The is no ZIP code on the address printed on the box. ZIP codes were introduced in 1963.

The Remington Primers are probably 1950's and maybe later 1940's. Again no ZIP code. Also the box states Non-Mercuric and Non-Corrosive.

As an aside as to pricing. I remember paying $6.99 for primers (per brick) when I first started reloading in the early 1970's.

I have a 1969 Herter's Catalog that has their house brand primers for $4.75/thousand and Cascade primers for $4.90/thousand, $4.85/10,000 and $4.81/50,000.

Need the Way-Back Machine!!

 

[jdlii]

I'm guessing that box is ~ 40-45 years old. $1.59 is about $6.00 today, so I don't think primers were more affordable back then, but they certainly were more available in every type.
I was reloading a lot between 1975 - 1985, and I don't recall ever wanting for a good selection of components.

They were acquired in the late 1990's.

 

[22lrfan]

I'm still using primers from many years ago.

 

[AJ]

I'm still using primers from many years ago.

These Winchester StaynLess Primers are probably 1950's or very early 60's. The is no ZIP code on the address printed on the box. ZIP codes were introduced in 1963.

The Remington Primers are probably 1950's and maybe later 1940's. Again no ZIP code. Also the box states Non-Mercuric and Non-Corrosive.

As an aside as to pricing. I remember paying $6.99 for primers (per brick) when I first started reloading in the early 1970's.

I have a 1969 Herter's Catalog that has their house brand primers for $4.75/thousand and Cascade primers for $4.90/thousand, $4.85/10,000 and $4.81/50,000.

Need the Way-Back Machine!!

The primers that I posted (and some other that I did not) were in my collection on display. Got to thinking about it and tried them to see how well they worked. All I tried went bang. So, considering what primers were running at the time I used them for my reloading. Most had cost me nothing as I picked them up in deals or trades. So was using found money, considering there were about six or so bricks.

 

[desi2358]

These Winchester StaynLess Primers are probably 1950's or very early 60's. The is no ZIP code on the address printed on the box. ZIP codes were introduced in 1963.

The Remington Primers are probably 1950's and maybe later 1940's. Again no ZIP code. Also the box states Non-Mercuric and Non-Corrosive.

As an aside as to pricing. I remember paying $6.99 for primers (per brick) when I first started reloading in the early 1970's.

I have a 1969 Herter's Catalog that has their house brand primers for $4.75/thousand and Cascade primers for $4.90/thousand, $4.85/10,000 and $4.81/50,000.

Need the Way-Back Machine!!

I bought and used a bunch of Remington primers in boxes like your picture showed @ 25 years ago. A local general sporting goods store was going out of business and they had found them in the back of one of the storerooms. Can't remember the exact price but I know I got them cheap. Used them all up without any issues.

Your Winchester box is interesting, it has the "Child Warning" on the box which started appearing on ammo in 1962 due to Federal Regulations. I think it appeared on other ammo related products like primers around the same time. Is the warning on a separate label stuck onto the box or actually printed onto the cardboard? I collect old ammo boxes and it isn't uncommon to find where a company added a stick on label with the warning so they could use up already printed boxes they had in stock.

 

[ameridaddy]

They were acquired in the late 1990's.

Fooled me. I guess Winchester kept their graphics unchanged for a long time.

 

[Skeet 028]

A pretty easy question...wooden trays or plastic? Child warning was 1962-1063 The Remington primers are most likely 1950s ..do the individual boxes have red stick on labels?? or do they have slip covers? Rem expected primers to generally be sold commercially by the hundreds not 1000s. I think I remember seeing primers in the Armory at Remington farms in the 60s. They had a bunch of what they called 2nds of ammo on the shelves. I worked the shooting range for National Hunting and Fishing day. They shot trap for the young'uns with the 20 ga. I brought home about 4000 20 ga shells that had their logos printed all over the tube. Marked as seconds do not sell. I think I still have a box somewhere. Darn things reloaded forever...yellow tube/black crimp end. I even have boxes of wads...some had 250(16 ga) some 500 I think and of course 1000

 

[jag22]

I remember when I started loading for an M-1 carbine I went to a gun store to buy some primers. He asked do you want a thousand and I must have had a somewhat shocked look on my face. He said they're only $11.00. Guess he knew I was a first timer.

 

[rwsmith]

And you knew......

It seems like back then, most of those in the habit of shooting and reloading weren't buying ammo or primers by the thousands. Most, not all, as there is always the exceptions. I think it was largely because the amount of disposable income then didn't allow for it.
It's the same reason that thousands of "priceless" military surplus rifles were altered for hunting use. Money was needed for other essentials.

John

And you knew that whenever you needed more primers, you just went to the store and bought some. There was no occasion where there would be short supply for any reason. If a store was out, that was on them. You just went to the next store and they would have it. LIke buying milk, eggs or flour. Nowadays they will manufacture a shortage on milk, eggs and flour just to get the price up. Or the distribution system will be so flimsy and unreliable that store shelves will be empty.

 

[Engineer1911]

I was having fun when I bought 200 to 300 small pistol primers for less than $1.50 per box. It was beginning to be serious when two 1K count bricks came home for $25. Ok, now I am an addict, bought two 5K count cases at a local gun show for $140 because I wanted primers to "last a year".

 

[Warren Sear]

Sour old fart says, "Themsh wush the daysh, tail yoo whut..."

 

[Warren Sear]

Hey, just for old time's sake, how about posting pictures of your paycheck stubs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, etc!!

 

[rockquarry]

Hey, just for old time's sake, how about posting pictures of your paycheck stubs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, etc!!

Yes, many don't consider the inflation factor. Things weren't nearly as cheap years ago as a lot of folks assume.

 

[carelesslove]

carelesslove, here !

I'm 71 and I clearly remember buying many cartons of 1000 CCI 350 primers for reloading .44 Magnum - at $10 - making them 1 cent each.

I worked in a gas station and had access to all the wheel weights I could melt / smelt - for casting. I also bought Hercules 2400, in one pound tins, for about $9.

As broke as I was, I still shot enough to reduce a Model 29-2 to rubble - but, that is another story.

Primers were not even a cost consideration, back in the early 70s, but it has made me glad to have hoarded them, in recent years - along with powder and lead.

I remain well-stocked for the last leg of my reloading journey.

Tom "carelesslove" Love





AND - I griped about the price of reloading !

 

[max503]

I remember buying primers one or two hundred at a time for my 22 Hornet. When your only equipment is a Lee whack-a-mole kit, 100 primers will last you a long time. (I've since upgraded.)