Primers are still way over priced

[Kracken McGraw]

I see that Brownell's has had CCI Benchrest primers available for several days for $139.99. Maybe they're just not moving. Maybe there is a limit to what people will pay?

That’s where I’m at, although it’s tempting to get some more large rifle primers.
Midway sure has dried up on primers for several weeks now, and I don’t know if that means something or not!

 

[dgeesaman]

I see that Brownell's has had CCI Benchrest primers available for several days for $139.99. Maybe they're just not moving. Maybe there is a limit to what people will pay?

Bruno's has had CCI BR4s for $140 and 400s for $100 for weeks now. I guess the people who had nothing have finally bought enough for the upcoming season and the rest of us won't waste our money at that price.

 

[JimSC]

I get that material prices have gone up. My question has been, why is my local shop getting very few and able to sell them for $60-70, but Midway and Brownell's are $100, and some of these other folks are $120? Since when was the little guy getting a price advantage?

case in point

120 gain Lapua Scenar L's for my Grendel

per 100
$44 Blue Collar
$56 Grafs
$66 Midway USA

Just bought 1K from Blue Collar just before noon, and they were on the UPS truck last night. $220 difference on 10 boxes

 

[Gary O'Neal]

I bet we reloaders don't purchase 1/100,000th of the primers manufactured. The retail pricing of primers is a reflection of the increased cost of factory ammo driven by the influx of new shooters, the increase in crime and citizenry's desire to protect themselves, and the pandemic in general.

The only problem I see with this logic is that I hear a TON of folks on here and the other forums claiming they have thousands of primers and I find it impossible to believe that all the new shooters are buying more than a box or two of ammo, much of which will never be shot. We loaders buy in much larger quantities than we need in most cases. Just my 2 cents.

 

[JimSC]

The only problem I see with this logic is that I hear a TON of folks on here and the other forums claiming they have thousands of primers and I find it impossible to believe that all the new shooters are buying more than a box or two of ammo, much of which will never be shot. We loaders buy in much larger quantities than we need in most cases. Just my 2

have not bought a primer since 2019, only thing I came into this mess with a low supply of was 6.5 Grendel brass and bullets because I just started shooting one in 2020

 

[GetReal]

Its a brave, new world.

 

[Migolito]

Yup. I have about a 1000 LG primers, 500 small and a few hundred magnums so, I'm not buying them up.

It's kinda like when you watch a really good action movie...in order to enjoy it you need to suspend your disbelief.

 

[GerryM]

the first thing the big companies do when the buy out other companies
Is raise the prices to cover the purchase price of the company they bought/
seems as though they can't wait to get their money back

 

[Cbashooter]

Check this "DEAL "out.they are out of stock so maybe there were some suckers who paid the price.but for 50 percent down you can get in line.

 

[Surgeonwithagun]

The primer mess is not solely a supply and demand phenomenon. Reloaders buy the smallest portion of the primer supply. Look at the profit/stock price of Vista. It has doubled over the last two years. They are making bank in the factory ammo retail market. If they were to allow more of the primer supply to go for reloaders, they would simply make less money as they make more selling factory ammunition.

Also there is a video on Youtube with the CEO of Federal/Speer/CCI telling you that the reloading market is a secondary market to them and they are making ammo faster than ever before. It was within the last year. He basically tells you the above.

So the primer supply is low, the price is high and from my point of view these companies seem to be doing well, so why would they change anything? We need to get alternate sources.....I will be trying some Turkish SPP when they arrive.

John

 

[Tesoro]

NOW THAT US GOVT IS sending ammo to Ukraine get ready for even tighter small rifle primer supply. Our military ammo reserves will need to be replenished. Probably with with priority!

 

[trgtsnpr]

I just had to pay 129.00 /1000 that was for CCI 450's at local gun shop

 

[GerryM]

and 4 companies loading ammo instead of just producing bullets.
I wonder where they get their primers?

 

[Jory45acp]

Primers seem to be the one component of reloading that is slowest to return to stock. I find it amazing all the no name brands and nmo big US name ammo manufactures are pumping out ammo again but almost no primers are made available for sale. I wonder if it's a marketing ploy to keep prices up but I'm sure its a way more complicated issue. The big question if they ever do return to stock is how long before all the panic buying of them ends so prices can attempt to come down even to a reasonable level.

 

[sbhooper]

I cannot believe how many people keep burning through these components at these asinine prices. I have pretty much quit doing load development and just keep my rifles sighted in. I am not going to be out just burning ammo, like I used to do on occasion. I have enough components to probably last me forever, if I continue on my current path.

 

[1bamashooter]

I cannot believe how many people keep burning through these components at these asinine prices. I have pretty much quit doing load development and just keep my rifles sighted in. I am not going to be out just burning ammo, like I used to do on occasion. I have enough components to probably last me forever, if I continue on my current path.

Some of us shoot competitively and to do that you have to "run through components". I've had to restock all my powder, primers, brass and bullets over the last 4 months and if paying more to do what I enjoy so be it.

 

[butchlambert]

I looked for you guys at the Shilen Swap Meet on Saturday. Lots of Federal SR and LR match primers at $50 per thou. I already have about 15-20,000 SR Federal, but bought 4,000 LR Federal just in case. Our past regional director had 15-20 8lb jugs of V133. It wasn't cheap at $300, but it was there. He also sold a few cases of Fed SR Match primers.

 

[Larry Koch]

Check this "DEAL "out.they are out of stock so maybe there were some suckers who paid the price.but for 50 percent down you can get in line.

View attachment 1325631

go fish

 

[JimPag]

I remember this like it was yesterday, but it was 2013. I just bought my very first short range score rifle from Dean Breeden in October of 2012 when he came up to shoot at the Maine long distance match in Damariscotta, Maine. The black prince would be elected 40 something days later and I had no H4198 but I bought enough N130 because that's all Dean used in the rifle that he sold me. Well I decided in June of 2013 that I wanted to get some H4198. As you can figure out by this time the "Somewhere in Africa a village is missing an idiot" was now in office for 6 months and things were in short supply similar to now but not quite as bad. 8 pound containers of H4198 were going for $134.95 but you couldn't find it anywhere. Lucky me an ex friend of mine told me that Gamaliel Reloading supplies had 1 pound containers and I ended up buying 73 of them on 6-24-2013. With the shipping and Haz-Mat it came to $25.75 a pound. I thought to myself boy your an idiot for paying what would of been $206.00 if I totaled 8 one pounders together vs the $139.95 plus shipping and Haz-Mat which I figured paying $150.00 total for an 8 pounder. I look back at it now and it looks like a bargain now. I never made that mistake again. When it became available again in 8 pound form I just keep buying more and more and more and I vowed never again will I be caught with my pants down EVER!

 

[Cbashooter]

I remember this like it was yesterday, but it was 2013. I just bought my very first short range score rifle from Dean Breeden in October of 2012 when he came up to shoot at the Maine long distance match in Damariscotta, Maine. The black prince would be elected 40 something days later and I had no H4198 but I bought enough N130 because that's all Dean used in the rifle that he sold me. Well I decided in June of 2013 that I wanted to get some H4198. As you can figure out by this time the "Somewhere in Africa a village is missing an idiot" was now in office for 6 months and things were in short supply similar to now but not quite as bad. 8 pound containers of H4198 were going for $134.95 but you couldn't find it anywhere. Lucky me an ex friend of mine told me that Gamaliel Reloading supplies had 1 pound containers and I ended up buying 73 of them on 6-24-2013. With the shipping and Haz-Mat it came to $25.75 a pound. I thought to myself boy your an idiot for paying what would of been $206.00 if I totaled 8 one pounders together vs the $139.95 plus shipping and Haz-Mat which I figured paying $150.00 total for an 8 pounder. I look back at it now and it looks like a bargain now. I never made that mistake again. When it became available again in 8 pound form I just keep buying more and more and more and I vowed never again will I be caught with my pants down EVER!

I did similar during the middle of Trumps term,buying like crazy because I feared the next administration.i was thinking do I really "need" over 50k rounds of .22 match ammo , 200# of powder and over 100k. primers.the anwser now is YES