Primers are still way over priced

[Joe Salt]

Wish you guys would quit saying $100 a thousand for primers is a good deal it's not!
$40 is reasonable. That was the last time I bought them. So when I run out, that's it I'm done.

Joe Salt

 

[urbanrifleman]

Oil supply and price is regulated by a CARTEL. Refining is limited by monopolies.

10 years in the oil business... Gas prices are absolutely not supply and demand.

 

[Triple BB]

I paid $75/1000 large mag pistol primers a month ago. Bought some Hammer bullets last summer, 50 for $100. I thought that was a rip off. My Berger 205’s finally showed up at $75/100. Primers still seem like the cheap part of the equation…

 

[L.Sherm]

I've worked enough in the oilfield to know urbanrifleman is correct and anybody who has knows it to.
Hell I had an Aramco company man admit to me the " so called" early 70's oil shortage was B.S just an excuse to form OPEC and drive up the price.

 

[SecondsCount]

How many times are we going to whine about reloading component prices?

When I got into reloading in 1991, I was paying $10/1K but I haven't seen that price since. Everytime there is a panic, they jump up in price.

The problem is that people are still buying way more than they need because they never know when more will be available. Once confidence returns, the prices will fall.

 

[nicholst55]

One corporation owns essentially every ammo and primer manufacturing company in the US. One. There is a startup operation in East Texas at the old Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant that will be online in 2-3 years making primers. Maybe. The primary demand for primers is from the ammo manufacturers; always has been. Reloaders account for a very small percentage of the market. If you were that single corporate entity, where would you be sending the vast majority of your primers? To the retail market, or the ammo manufacturers (which you also own)? In today's market, the trickle of primers that they release to the retail market get snapped up almost immediately, at whatever price they are listed for. Why would the manufacturer want to change that situation?

 

[JimPag]

Even if they were made of steel there is not enough material in the cup and the anvil to raise the price like it has. And I guess supply and demand has something to do with it, but greed is the greatest factor in the prices primers and being bought and sold for

No it is not greed. This Pandemic and the current administration has a lot to do with it. Just heard on the news that there are over 20 million new gun owners since the Pandemic started. Where do you think the primers are going to go? Not to the reloader. Sure you'll get dribs and drabs but until they can get ammo caught up, your shit out of luck unless you were smart enough to plan ahead which is obvious most people didn't do. To everyone who is bitching about powder and primer prices. Pull up you big boy pants and accept the fact that this is just part of life and there is nothing that can be done about this and just learn to accept this.

 

[L.Sherm]

Once confidence returns, the prices will fall.

Sure about that? Next question when?

 

[JimPag]

Sure about that? Next question when?

He's dreaming Sherm.

 

[L.Sherm]

Theres a big difference i see this time between the other 2 times in the las 20 years ive seen.
To many are willing to just pay the " new Normal " prices. Last 2 times this happened everbody just cutback or waited 6 months and prices dramatically came back down, im betting the farm they dont just because its been going on atleast 2 years and Vista will not let it happen.
I hope I'm wrong but history repeats its self and don't be surprised in about 8-10 years prices will be 200-300 a 1000 for primers, calling whining or whatever we have become our own worst enemy.

 

[JSH]

Go back 30-40 years, 20 years seems fairly recent. Dam I hate to admit I can recall way back then.

As Sherm mentions “our own worst enemy”. The population today is of a different mind set than 20-40 years ago.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Sure about that? Next question when?

The When will be after the attack on the 2A and the current political climate is gone. I pray everyday for this Country.

 

[Frankm]

As Mauser06 said “ people just keep buying them” …… if guys start paying $200 a thousand cause of shear panic buying then that ll become the new “norm”.
Having a few extra on hand and more patience so they sit on the vendors shelves will be the fastest way to get prices to relent.

Some price increase is caused by materials, etc but the majority of it is nothing but panic buying and causing it ourselves!! My 2 cents… BTW, I ve refused to participate/support their gouging; been allocating my components and shooting less.

 

[JimSC]

Theres a big difference i see this time between the other 2 times in the las 20 years ive seen.
To many are willing to just pay the " new Normal " prices.

I have not cut back on my grocery shopping or driving either and costs for both have increased dramatically in the last year. Do I like it , of course not

 

[L.Sherm]

I have not cut back on my grocery shopping or driving either and costs for both have increased dramatically in the last year. Do I like it , of course not

This is my point exactly, I was raised when things get tight or tough you cut back or learn to do without, my parents when I were growing up didn't have alot and did exactly that. My grand parents went through the depression and I heard alot of stories how they did the same thing.
Hell I dont like it either, but I'm not gonna contribute to the problem, I like shooting just as much as anybody but not gonna be part of the problem

 

[JimSC]

This is my point exactly, I was raised when things get tight or tough you cut back or learn to do without, my parents when I were growing up didn't have alot and did exactly that.

heh well I am comfortably retired, and at the end of the day life wise. I am just spending my kid's inheritance. I told my daughter we planned on spending every dime and she has no problem with that.

 

[L.Sherm]

heh well I am comfortably retired, and at the end of the day life wise. I am just spending my kid's inheritance. I told my daughter we planned on spending every dime and she has no problem with that.

Don't get me wrong I can go out and pay 85.00- 150.00 for primers and its not gonna financially hurt me either in basically recent retirement also.
I dont look at it as if I can afford it or not on the flip side I ask myself if I am doing my grandson, kids or next generation by paying these prices a favor whether I can afford it or not. Its just a different look on it and I've taken some heat for it to, which I really don't care.
I get it also its peoples money they can spend it how they want, but I also don't look at it as its all about me.
I also live by the motto if you dont stop the bleeding you will bleed to death.

 

[nakneker]

Seems like the only primers that are coming out are CCI and occasionally Federals. I have plenty of both but I’m on my last brick of Remington 7.5s and I’d like to get my hands on some Remington 6.5s. Lost of small rifle primers, lots of pistol primers, very few large rifle primers and LR mag primers.

This shortage is a little different than the last two imo, the panic buying this time around is part Covid BS and part political threat to the 2A. I think things will eventually calm a bit and at some point primers will gather dust on the shelves but I don’t think we will ever see 30-40 bucks per 1k again, hopefully I’m wrong. When Covid came and civil unrest came with it people who weren’t armed quickly reevaluated their vulnerability and many decided to buy their first firearm. I have people I know that would have never bought one of those evil firearms a couple years ago who changed their minds and saw the value of the second amendment. That resulted in millions of new firearm owners.

The lesson is the same as past shortage, buy plenty when the supply chain is full and prices are low. I got caught with not nearly enough on hand during the last shortage and swore I’d never be in that position again, call me a hoarder but I don’t see it like that at all. Being in the position of not having near enough was not a good feeling.

 

[Dave M.]

raw material cost increase could have something to do with it, just about everything has doubled in price since last year

steel sheeting to make the primer cup for example

Jan 2020 price $209.70
Jan 2022 price $680.41

Producer Price Index by Commodity: Metals and Metal Products: Cold Rolled Steel Sheet and Strip

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Commodity: Metals and Metal Products: Cold Rolled Steel Sheet and Strip (WPU101707) from Jun 1982 to Apr 2025 about steel, metals, commodities, PPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

fred.stlouisfed.org

I couldn’t agree more. Guys, unless you are in an industry that has seen raw material pricing sky rocket in the last two years it will be hard for you to truly fathom what’s going on with primers. Just be thankful that primers aren’t not made of cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, vanadium, platinum or titanium. These products are chief exports from Russia and their prices will really be climbing in the current situation.
dave

 

[drop_point]

I couldn’t agree more. Guys, unless you are in an industry that has seen raw material pricing sky rocket in the last two years it will be hard for you to truly fathom what’s going on with primers. Just be thankful that primers aren’t not made of cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, vanadium, platinum or titanium. These products are chief exports from Russia and their prices will really be climbing in the current situation.
dave

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?