Where have all the small pistol primers gone?

[DennisE]

I'm on the central east coast of Florida. I've been using Titegroup with Federal small pistol primers to reload my handguns. The Federal primers have been important at least in my head to reloading my S&W 686+ 3" as it as a light double action trigger. I had a pretty good supply of 'em but now I'm down to my last 100. I went out to get some today and nobody had them in the LGSs or on the web. In the end I found only one local range that had boxes of CCI primers. That was it!

Q1: Where are all the small pistol {Standard} primers?

Q2: Is my light DA trigger going to be a problem with the CCI primers?

Thanks, Dennis

 

[Ditchdigger]

I am encountering the same here in Kansas. I haven't shopped around much since my supply hasn't reached a critical point. Also I just assumed that they were between shipments.....but maybe there's more to it. I use Winchester primers and none available, only cci. Hmm.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[robertrwalsh]

I bought them all.

(Seriously, the last couple of gun shows I have gone to in the formerly great state of California there have been plenty. The price is slightly elevated beyond what I have paid previously (about $30 per thousand, where I had been paying $26 per thousand) but there were plenty of them available.) And I didn't buy them all. Just a lot of them.

 

[crankyoldlady]

The last time I saw Federal small pistol they were $36 per 1,000. Yikes!

 

[StakeOut]

I bought 10,000 S&B SP primers the last time I found them at Cabelas several months ago.

A local ad now has someone wanting to sell 5,000 S&B SP primers for $100 so I responded this morning.

 

[HCH]

A local ad now has someone wanting to sell 5,000 S&B SP primers for $100 .

Cabela's has a current special, $20/1000, so your seller isn't gouging you.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

In my basement!

 

[DennisE]

What is your address please?

 

[BC38]

Cabela's has a current special, $20/1000, so your seller isn't gouging you.

Yup, I picked up a couple of bricks of their LPPs a couple of weeks ago. I'm pretty well stocked up right now. What I'm lacking is enough projectiles to load the powder & primers I have on hand. I may have to take up casting

 

[Wee Hooker]

I was fortunate enough to be able to have an order for 5K ea, Federal Small and Large pistol primers filled back in December. Even then, my LGS had trouble getting that particular brand. Since then, I have not seen ANY Federal Pistol Primers in any shop or show in my neck of New England.
That said, there are still good supplies of other brands around. CCI and Winchester in particular.
FWIW, Winchester primers are touted to be very similar in softness to Federal so I've been reloading with them and sitting on the Federals for a rainy day. No FTF with the Winchesters so far. Even with light striking tuned revolvers.

 

[Have gun-will travel]

primers

I have been stock piling all primers for the last 4 or 5 years . I have amassed close to 80,000 .....25,000 being SPP ,25,000 LPP and 15,000 SRP and 15,000 LRP. Most of my purchases have been Winchester, some Federal and about 5000 SPP are CCI magnum primers. Now all I need are bullets for the large rifle(30 cal).

 

[Vulcan Bob]

I have been told by two big dealers not to expect any more Federal primers this year. Allegedly Federal is using all their primers in their own ammunition production this year. True or not Federal primers are gone from my LGS's around here.

 

[Eddietruett]

Been looking for some Federal SPP for a long time. Ran across 3k in a LGS last week. $39 per k. Was told take em or leave em. Said he had been told not to expect any more for at least 6 months. At least there seems to be a supply of CCI and Winchester.

 

[Nick B]

SP primers are easy to find . Mid South has Winchester, CCI, and Remington in stock now .
Federal has been gone from bulk on line ordering for about 8 months now .

 

[smithrjd]

None in my area, finally caved in after running low and paid the hazmat fee. Now I have enough for awhile..

 

[reddog81]

Small primers should be easy to find but federal primers are harde to find than others.

No one here can answer if the your gun is going to have problems with the CCI primers. Supposedly Winchester is easier to ignite than CCI if you can find those.

 

[max]

I am happy with Winchester and have many on hand. You should never go below 1K on hand in my opinion. I learned my lesson during the first great primer shortage back in the 80's or whenever it was.

 

[Wise_A]

A few months ago, I noticed that Federal SPP was entirely out of stock in one of the two local shops I buy reloading supples at.

I went to the next one, and said exactly two things:

"How many bricks of Federal Small Pistol Primers do you have?"

and

"I'll take them."

Only one of my revolvers is sensitive enough to need them, I use CCI for everything else.

 

[rwsmith]

I hope the epidemic....

I hope the epidemic doesn't come here because I realized today that 1000 primers don't last long and I want to increase my stock by a few thousand at least. I think I've got 6 thou now.

 

[SLT223]

CCI 500 are are not insensitive. 550's have caused the firing pins of some of my older guns to bounce off the primer cup more than once.