what's the truth behind primer shortage?

[Steve]

So I heard all the supposed stories for reasons why, what's the real truth on primers?
Any light at the end of the tunnel as far as to be able to get some in the next few months?
I asked a primer and ammo manufacturer if I could buy direct if I came up with a big order, like getting several clubs or so interested in placing an order) they said to get on a distributors waiting list, what waiting list, they all say out of stock no back order.

 

[kevinbritvec]

The real truth is,IMO) that everybody and their brother is making sure they're fully stocked. Many new people have all of a sudden discovered the importance of being able to roll their own. As long as the feeling of 'imminent threat' persists the reloading products will continue to fly off the shelfs. Don't look for any let up soon.

 

[FryeGuy]

i have seen them at all the gunshows, and the local shops around here still have them. they just seem to be limited in qty's, and they may be out of small pistol one week, then next week have them and be out of something else. prices have been going up, but not by a huge amount. if everyone would quit stockpiling them for WW3, you could probably get some. it's kind of like the gas shortage here in nashville was last fall. one news story by a bored reporter at one gas station, and the next thing you know, bam. 2 hour wait for freaking gas.

 

[Rust]

No shortage in my neck of the woods, just went down and picked up four boxes of large rifle and there was plenty in stock. Of course the place where I buy primers and powders is the local reloading source so there is always plenty in stock. Well, with the exception of cast lead bullets which are pretty scarce and have been for awhile now. A hangover from the sharp spike in metal prices from speculators on the commodities market.

 

[LHSmith]

On the surface, the shortage appears to be fueled by the change in power in Washington.
Several manufacturers have offered such lame excuses for not ramping -up production, that I fear something far more sinister is going on.
Remember, the libs were delivered a huge blow in the Heller decision....and this might be their retort.......limit the availability of ammo and components and therefore render the firearms relatively useless.

 

[CJ6]

Lead has gone down in my neck of the woods,So-Minn. anyway) it was $45-47 a bag this summer now the Claybird busters are paying $26-28 a bag. As far as primers go Federal seems to be the 1 that seems to be in shorter supply,in 1 week out the next back in the week after).Prices are about $4-5 higher a 1000 than last Fall-Summer.

 

[Mudcat]

WHich is why I hope most of us that shoot regularly had enough stuff on hand to live out this 'panic'. I know I have enough, and I also warned everyone I know well before the election to do the same. Some listened, some didnt. Those that didnt arent getting any of my stuff I set back...sorry grasshoppa, but this is one ant that did his homework and stockpiled accordingly. When you compete weekly, running out of something isnt going to work!!

John


PS - this is the first time I have been able to post in a couple of days...anyone else having problems getting to the screen that will actually allow youto post??

 

[groundhogsniper23]

most of the places i get my reloading items from are pretty much sold out of the usualy popular stuff. so far i have 1000 cci br small rifle primers, 10 lb of varget and 500 berger 105 vld all for my br. 300 168 grn smk for 308 and 1000 cci lr primers. i ok for a little while.

 

[Steve]

those guys on gunbroker and AuctionArms.com aught to be ashamed of themselves. kind of makes you wonder. I mean 185 dollars with 19 bidders for 1000 br small rifle primers??????

 

[Taildrag15X]

Steve

Today

'those guys on gunbroker and AuctionArms.com aught to be ashamed of themselves. kind of makes you wonder. I mean 185 dollars with 19 bidders for 1000 br small rifle primers??????'

I don't blame the sellers for putting the stuff up for auction, it's the BUYERS that are driving the price up.

Like any auction I've ever seen, someone with too much money bidding on something he/she just has to have, or think they do!

 

[SongdogHunter]

if someone wants to give me $185/ 1000 I have lots of primers to sell. Figure I can make a few mortgage payments with what I have. I buy them when I see them, just like powder. It's not hoarding just strategic purchasing so I don't get caught short when i need them, like lots of people now area.

SDH

 

[6BRonwheels]

At this rate the government won't have to raise taxes on components/ammo, because we are pushing prices up. I wonder if Mr. President is having a good chuckle?

 

[Mudcat]

if someone wants to give me $185/ 1000 I have lots of primers to sell. Figure I can make a few mortgage payments with what I have. I buy them when I see them, just like powder. It's not hoarding just strategic purchasing so I don't get caught short when i need them, like lots of people now area.

SDH

I hear ya. I bought 100k a few years back when some morons at the local gun show got into a pissing battle on who could sell them cheaper, so I bought all both of them had left for less than $60 per 5000...yes, under $60 per CASE of 5000! If youre gonna be that stupid, I plan on taking advantage of it!

As for selling, I sorta need my cache as I shoot a LOT so going thru 10K primers of one type per year is a no brainer, though I am cutting back a bit due to the cost of shooting that much! But with matches every weekend and practice during the week, it doesnt take long to burn em up.

now, if some other idiot wants to pay $100 per 1,000 on Gunbroker, I may just have to get certified to ship hazmat! Unreal. What, do folks just keep themselves stocked with 1,000 primers at a time or something? Or am I just some insane idiot that puts more lead in the environment than I should?! :thumb:

 

[6BRonwheels]

Mudcat,
You might not have to get certified to ship hazmat. Most of the primer sellers on gunbroker.com are only charging 12.00 for shipping, and JRS on this site just sold a bunch of primers with no hazmat fee.

 

[Ackman]

those guys on gunbroker and AuctionArms.com aught to be ashamed of themselves. kind of makes you wonder. I mean 185 dollars with 19 bidders for 1000 br small rifle primers??????

There're always opportunists who think they're real slick and will try to take advantage of a situation. How about the guy who advertised on here.....primers $25/100 and powder $495/8lb keg. It wasn't a misprint and he was serious.

 

[spclark]

If primer sellers are quoting $12 shipping they're using the USPS.

Don't underestimate the hassles the PO Police will cause you if you choose to do the same thing but then get caught at it.

FedEx has an on-line $200 hazmat certification course you can take that, once completed, qualifies you to ship FedEx Ground. They offer a five-day, $800 course for certification to ship by air but they only give it once a year in selected cities.

UPS may - or may not - accept hazardous materials shipments from over-the-counter customers, depending on what the clerk had for breakfast or whether they liked their last hair-do.

Some of the folks where I work have received warning letters from UPS for shipping flammable liquid paint & stain touch-up materials in quantities as low as one ounce without proper labeling & certification. From TSA too for trying to carry them in their checked luggage on business flights.

 

[Ackman]

I think a lot of those high prices on Gunbroker, like $180/1000 for primers, are bogus. Look who's getting the ridiculous bids for and who's doing the bidding. You see many of the same names. For instance, different auctions from a guy in Ohio and outrageously high bids from two different bidders with Las Vegas in their handle. Now that guy who briefly advertised primers on here for $25/100 and powder at $495/keg.....his member profile stated he was from Las Vegas. He also PM'd me that 'they' had sold so-and-so number of primers and 4 kegs of powder on Gunbroker and other sites. I don't believe for a second that he,they) really got those prices. But I do believe there're people working together and a lot of phony bidding/selling on there.

 

[DogBuster]

Mudcat,
You might not have to get certified to ship hazmat. Most of the primer sellers on gunbroker.com are only charging 12.00 for shipping, and JRS on this site just sold a bunch of primers with no hazmat fee.

I sure would not want to get caught in today's world shipping haz mat materials and not declaring it...all it takes is that pkg to get mixed up with a damaged carton & then opened for inspection...whether in the Fed Ex...USPS or UPS system...there is always that chance...then the Fed's are knocking on your door...not worth it to me to sell any of my pre Obama primer stash on line...you must be a certified haz mat shipper to ship haz mat with UPS....oh yea..I have worked for UPS since 1985...

 

[JRS]

Since 6BRonwheels stated this, maybe he would like to witness the shipping before speaking. What say you???

 

[Ackman]

I think a lot of those high prices on Gunbroker, like $180/1000 for primers, are bogus.

You're free to believe whatever you want.

I can tell you for an absolute fact that multiple bricks of 1,000 Federal 210M's listed on Gunbroker with a starting price of $40 and a BuyItNow price of $120 were sold at $120 to legitimate buyers in less than an hour. And each buyer asked if they could buy more at the same price. Hard to say how high they would have gone without the BuyItNow limit.

If primer sellers are quoting $12 shipping they're using the USPS.

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. One auction on GunBroker offered free shipping. The Reserve price was higher than $160 for $30 worth of primers. The $22.50 HazMat fee would drop the profit margin down to only 400%. I'd be quite satisfied if I could make that much in the stock market,

You can tell me for absolute fact.....as the buyer or the seller? The buyer ought to be ashamed for being a fool. The seller is an opportunist and too sleazy to be ashamed.

I absolutely believe there's monkey business going on when the bids get ridiculously high. A friend has seen the same rifle sold 3 or 4 times on Gunbroker after being bid very high. He's also spoken with a seller who actually told him about phony bids by people in league with each other. It's an easy enough thing to do and shouldn't come as any surprise when you see what's going on with this primer thing.