Primer prices

[46and2]

Perhaps a bit more philosophical than gun related but there is an old adage of " A man who knows the cost of everything knows the value of nothing" If you are fortunate enough to have accumulated sufficient cash reserves especially later in life think of what will happen when you are gone--do you think that your heirs will really appreciate what they get? If you have it and want to use it - go ahead. Much like what I see all the time on gun sites- if you want another gun then get it - there is no reason to explain to anyone what you NEED- if it is not going to take food off the table or endanger your long term situation then do what makes you happy. Life is short and you only get one spin so enjoy it.
Yes I am well over 74 - I did without while I worked so I have it now.
Just my not so humble opinion

Gary

A man goes to see his doctor.

Man. What can I do to live to be 100 years old?

Doctor. Do you drink hard liquor?

Man, no.

Doctor. Do you smoke?

Man, no.

Doctor. Do you stay out all night chasing wild women?

Man, no.

Doctor, Why the hell would you want to live to be 100?

 

[BCR1]

Just received 5000 Ginex SRP.
Total was $349.99.
50 flats of 100 in one big box.

I paid $202.77 for my 5K case back in mid December.

Bill

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

So are todays prices the norm? Should one wait if you have stock or buy every last primer you can afford? What's your gamble.

I read that Lapua is or has cut some sporting production or allocation in favor of govt. orders. Probably a lot of buying to put back some supplies of ammunition. I think I read more 556 and 308.

 

[LHSmith]

A man goes to see his doctor.

Man. What can I do to live to be 100 years old?

Doctor. Do you drink hard liquor?

Man, no.

Doctor. Do you smoke?

Man, no.

Doctor. Do you stay out all night chasing wild women?

Man, no.

Doctor, Why the hell would you want to live to be 100?

One of the founding members of our hunting camp liked to drink to excess and when confronted about his unhealthy lifestyle claimed " Why live to be 100 when I can do it all in 50." He made it to his mid-fifties. But camp has never been the same since these older guys are gone but they gave us lots of stories to tell our kids and grandchildren. I just hope they don't try to perform the same stunts.

 

[slobhunter2]

Meh, I'll buy some when I need em.

 

[FNSafari]

I'll buy them when the gouging stops.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Maybe it's time for the shooting community as a whole to begin to ask questions.

Covid is over. Whatever that mess was...

Where are these components going? To who? Why? It's certainly not the retail public. Who is arming themselves to the teeth? With what money? Has the US commercial ammunition manufacturing industry been diverted to now supplying domestic and foreign government agencies?

Maybe it's time to start finding out.

Target shooters and hunters are not drying up the entire market. The numbers simply are not there.

 

[TC260]

Maybe it's time for the shooting community as a whole to begin to ask questions.

Covid is over. Whatever that mess was...

Where are these components going? To who? Why? It's certainly not the retail public. Who is arming themselves to the teeth? With what money? Has the US commercial ammunition manufacturing industry been diverted to now supplying domestic and foreign government agencies?

Maybe it's time to start finding out.

Target shooters and hunters are not drying up the entire market. The numbers simply are not there.

There's still supply problems in a lot of different industries. It's not unique to us. They're obviously not as widespread as they once were so people don't notice them as much but where I work we're still having a hard time getting some things because of supply chain issues.

 

[urbanrifleman]

There's still supply problems in a lot of different industries. It's not unique to us. They're obviously not as widespread as they once were so people don't notice them as much but where I work we're still having a hard time getting some things because of supply chain issues.

I do not believe the primer industry is waiting on materials. I think they are running balls out.

Isn't that what they keep telling everyone?

 

[JimPag]

I'll buy them when the gouging stops.

Greg. I haven't checked prices of 205's and M's in a few Months. The last time I checked PV was selling the 205's for 70 a brick and M's for 95. I just checked now and they upped their price to 95 for the 205's and 120 for the M's. Does that mean your not going to by anymore at that price from places like PV? You know as well as I do they are not going to reverse their prices now or in the near future. All their going to do is raise their prices even more as the years go by, that's a fact. If people think otherwise, I have some beautiful ocean front property in Iowa that I'm willing to sell dirt cheap.

 

[FNSafari]

Greg. I haven't checked prices of 205's and M's in a few Months. The last time I checked PV was selling the 205's for 70 a brick and M's for 95. I just checked now and they upped their price to 95 for the 205's and 120 for the M's. Does that mean your not going to by anymore at that price from places like PV? You know as well as I do they are not going to reverse their prices now or in the near future. All their going to do is raise their prices even more as the years go by, that's a fact. If people think otherwise, I have some beautiful ocean front property in Iowa that I'm willing to sell dirt cheap.

You may be right on Jim. But, I'll sit on mine(fine for now) and wait and see what the next recession does. Maybe nothing, maybe something. Will be interesting to see.

 

[AlNyhus]

Yesterday, one of my local stores had 205M's in stock for $79.95/1000.

Their stock was lower after I left.

 

[krumfola]

I think the days of $33 bricks are long gone but even at $80-$100, I’d still buy them if I could find them. I was surprised at the large variation in prices between different powders at my LGS. Varget was mid $60/lb, H4831sc, was upper $50/lb, and various Accurate/Ramshot/Vihtavuori were upper $40/lb. I still think you better get it while it’s available.

 

[FNSafari]

Yesterday, one of my local stores had 205M's in stock for $79.95/1000.

Their stock was lower after I left.

That would have been $120 a brick a few months ago.

 

[AlNyhus]

That would have been $120 a brick a few months ago.

Morning, Greg.

The highest I've seen from both my local stores has been this $79.95/1000. They hold the line pretty well and both have a long term outlook with their customers. They wisely limit sales to reasonable per day quantities, also. I had to laugh a couple months ago when I overheard a store employees conversation with a primer purchaser that had been in earlier in the day and came back for another round. The customer said "It doesn't say 'per day' on your sign." The employee replied "It shouldn't have to."

This was 60 days ago here...price was $74.95/1000:

Good shootin' -Al

 

[L.Sherm]

What happened to the days of produce more make more money, work harder make more money.
Now dont work and produce less and make more money, if you believe supply chain issues but have record profits

 

[FNSafari]

Morning, Greg.

The highest I've seen from both my local stores has been this $79.95/1000. They hold the line pretty well and both have a long term outlook with their customers. They wisely limit sales to reasonable per day quantities, also. I had to laugh a couple months ago when I overheard a store employees conversation with a primer purchaser that had been in earlier in the day and came back for another round. The customer said "It doesn't say 'per day' on your sign." The employee replied "It shouldn't have to."

This was 60 days ago here...price was $74.95/1000:

Good shootin' -Al

Al,
What a deal! Both on the price and to have a LGS that seems to have moderated its pricing with a long term view to customer relations. Unfortunately, in this neck of the woods, we have no such animal. LL Bean in Freeport, ME had some CCI BR4's...for $140 per K. At the height of the primer shortage during COVID, a more local LGS wanted $13 per sleeve of 100 with a 1 sleeve limit. You are a lucky man my friend!

 

[Rem06]

my buddy said he just got 300 small pistol primers, $20.00/100
$60 for 300 !!!

i would have walked away.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Where on line are you all getting your primers. My Sportsman contact dried up. They aren't getting them anymore.

American Reloading, on line.

 

[Laurie]

Where are these components going? To who? Why? It's certainly not the retail public. Who is arming themselves to the teeth?

I don't think you could be more wrong about this.

There have been multiple stories on US shooting websites about both record retail shop sales and NICS checks continuously over multiple years now.

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog...0000-background-checks-run-black-friday-week/

Quoting from there: "NICS processed 687,788 background checks during the week leading up to and including Black Friday."

Nearly 700,000 checks in one week, and you say ammo and components aren't going to the public. Even if these were all handgun buyers and used factory ammo only, their ammo demands are met by components suppliers switching production from rifle to pistol primers and away from 100-ct trays for handoaders.

This report mirrors a series of earlier TFB ones of record US annual gun sales going as far back as 2015. These firearms all need ammunition and we're competing directly with the ammunition manufacturers for brass, powder and primers. Last year saw US gun sales and background checks numbers records broken again.

Look at recent reports on this site's Daily Bulletin

https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/?s=gun+sales&submit=Search

Ammunition components supply has been on a fine edge for many years now and very few if any new plants have been built and not much expansion of existing ones. Powder factory numbers haven't increased in recent years in the west, instead seen a steady decline - put crudely western governments have largely got out of this business and left it to the private sector which sensibly only invests for guaranteed sales and is heavily regulated in all western countries and hampered by health & safety legislation and regulations. Vihtavuori Oy setting up a new primer manufacturing plant is the only such example I've read about in many years, bar a 'possible' in Texas (news of which has died of late, so it is still happening?). Far from investing, governments have gorged themselves on financial savings from the post USSR 'peace dividend', and many are very reluctant to returning to spending on defence activities and supplies.


Then on top of that, we've had:

Covid disruption

Remington being out of production for many months

the Ukraine war with nearly all European manufacturers diverting at least some production to military ammo to feed the Ukrainian war effort on top of US government transfers. European governments are also belatedly realising they are woefully short of ammunition and ordnance stocks, and some are starting to order large quantities again.