Primer Shortage
- Thread starter hrpenley
- Start date
Joshua
Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
I barely missed being caught empty handed. I really started to stock up right before COVID hit.
On top of the uncertainties in this world, people also have a lot more time on their hands right now. Guys needed to either get a hobby or get back to their old hobby. I love playing board games with my kid, but it’s also good to get some alone/bench time.
Josh
On top of the uncertainties in this world, people also have a lot more time on their hands right now. Guys needed to either get a hobby or get back to their old hobby. I love playing board games with my kid, but it’s also good to get some alone/bench time.
Josh
Well I have a few K in stock and a couple pcs of primed brass ready to load but I get a little uneasy when I can't just go to the store and get more, got shotgun primers coming out of my a$$ but thin on sp and lr. Got a couple months worth of loaded brass but my brother is killing me, just got a couple k rounds from me 2 weeks ago and already wants more, hard to say no to family but come on man!!
Reloader762
Active Member
Here in NC where I live most primers and powder types are available, if what you're looking for isn't if you keep hitting the stores it will eventually show up, I don't know about factory ammo availability as I never buy anything other than 22lr and it's been years since I've purchased any of that but I hear lots of locals complaining about not being able to find 9 mm or 380 just to name a few.
I haven't really stocked up on anything, more like just padded my stash as I've always made it a point to keep a good supply of what I need on hand at all times and thats just not reloading components either, I was a prepper before prepping was a word and I never assume that you can just walk into any store and pickup anything I need on a whim.
As far as component prices I havent really noticed anyone gouging around here primers and powder prices on average have only gone up about $2 per item from their previous price six months ago.
I haven't really stocked up on anything, more like just padded my stash as I've always made it a point to keep a good supply of what I need on hand at all times and thats just not reloading components either, I was a prepper before prepping was a word and I never assume that you can just walk into any store and pickup anything I need on a whim.
As far as component prices I havent really noticed anyone gouging around here primers and powder prices on average have only gone up about $2 per item from their previous price six months ago.
Last edited:
I've seen price gouging on ammo online quite a bit, my local gun store isn't gouging but you can only get primers if you buy bullets 1-1, I cast so this doesn't help me much but I now have a lot of berry's bullets I will use for something someday I guess. They work ok for target practice.... I too have been "prepping" for some time but I really don't think I have seen things this messed up in my lifetime. IDK maybe the 60's riots, I was a little too young to know what was going on then but my dad said he has never seen things this bad and he was alive during the Cuban missile crisis, cold war, Vietnam etc..
Ian
Notorious member
DITTO AND AMEN.
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
Shortage and surplus seems to be the way of the arms hobby world. It is a multi-faceted question, but a lot of it has to do with just-in-time inventory practices (it costs money to warehouse stuff) and the fact that it doesn't take long to empty out the production stream on the things we like to play with. The ammo- and component-makers have years of sales records that tell them how much of what gets sold, and they adhere to those guidelines come hell or high water. I understand that doing so is smart business over the long haul, but the down-side is that it doesn't take much of a buying uptick to empty the larders. Don't hold your breath waiting on CCI or ATK to come to your rescue--it's not going to happen.
I wait for the fat times, and stock up on consumables when primers and powder get discounted because they aren't moving. It will come around again--always a bit more expensive than previous pricing--but it does come around. Galling as can be, but this has been the rule since I started reloading in 1970. Stuff dries up--then it comes back. Become accustomed to it.
I wait for the fat times, and stock up on consumables when primers and powder get discounted because they aren't moving. It will come around again--always a bit more expensive than previous pricing--but it does come around. Galling as can be, but this has been the rule since I started reloading in 1970. Stuff dries up--then it comes back. Become accustomed to it.
General rifle season opened last weekend (Mont.) here. Ammo especially the common hunting calibers (30-06, 7mm Mag, 300 Win ect.) has been non existent since Covid began. Things here were just starting to get back to normal price and availability wise when the virus arrived. People who want to rifle hunt have been seeing what ammo is currently around buying it and then looking for a rifle to fit it. There are more than a few new 6.5 Creedmoor and shotgun slug shooters this year than was probably predicted.
fiver
Well-Known Member
man there's buckets of 6.5 creedmore here, I even seen a couple of ammo can's of Grendel stuff today.
the 6mm doesn't look overly popular though, I had my choice of 3 different brands of packaged bullets in at least 3 different weights from 2 of them, and there was some 6mm creedmore factory rounds available.
primers are empty unless you shoot a 50 cal.
I can see where the shot shell primers went since there was a corresponding amount of windjammer wads and the 8lb. jug of 700-X was gone too.
but there was at least a choice of powders available, most all of them were 1 lb. containers though.
the walmart had stripped all their guns and ammo, all they had sitting out was 2lbs. of H-380, but their bullet selection was about 75% full.
they took a couple of phone calls about guns while I was there, and the guy looked them up in his inventory on the computer,,, so there is that.
the 6mm doesn't look overly popular though, I had my choice of 3 different brands of packaged bullets in at least 3 different weights from 2 of them, and there was some 6mm creedmore factory rounds available.
primers are empty unless you shoot a 50 cal.
I can see where the shot shell primers went since there was a corresponding amount of windjammer wads and the 8lb. jug of 700-X was gone too.
but there was at least a choice of powders available, most all of them were 1 lb. containers though.
the walmart had stripped all their guns and ammo, all they had sitting out was 2lbs. of H-380, but their bullet selection was about 75% full.
they took a couple of phone calls about guns while I was there, and the guy looked them up in his inventory on the computer,,, so there is that.
It's weird how some things seem localized and others more across the board. Primers seem to be out everywhere or there offered at cut throat prices but locally rimfire ammo is available, mostly 17 HMR and some 22 Magnum but the Long Rifle can also be found. There was 6.5 Creedmoor ammo everywhere locally, why I haven't a clue. Just before Covid began and the panic buying set in ammo and reloading supplies seemed to be approaching normal. I bought an 8 pounder each of LiL'Gun and 1680 when the price dropped around 25% and picked up a few bricks of primers just out of habit. A co worker was just today complaining that he spent $36 dollars for his kids 243 when normally it's $12-$15 dollars to get people into the store price. He was relieved he found it as last weekend they didn't have any 243 and were down to what he had for his 300 Win. His kid doesn't like the 300. Reloading wise now powder is limited and what's there is 1# containers, brass except common stuff is fairly good choices, bullets are similar the common hunting dia/weights are gone but other stuffs around and primer have been gone for a while. Shotgun ammos pretty readily available. It seems pretty hit or miss locally.
Oh one other thing. I like to go to pawn shops. I off handedly mentioned to a clerk awhile ago how all the pawn shops were looking pretty picked over. He relied how with the bump in unemployment pay because of the virus people were getting more money now than while they were working and they were taking things out of pawn. So nothing coming in and nothing in pawn to replace what's left the shelves.
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
We have a real good actually a couple Real good shops. From the standpoint of stock. Both have deep pockets behind them. So both usually have and keep stock. One gouges a little bit the other not at all. Markup is mark up. I was in that one other day. I wanted 410. They had 3" 7.5 & 8 and 2.5 #9 more then a case of each.
Buku RF in all flavors. In shotgun, Slugs and buck shot in 12/20 I saw a few 28g boxes too.
Many used hunting rifles.To the tune of maybe 25/30 ish pieces. 40/50 Shotguns All new. A dozen cases mostly full of new handguns and three cases of used hand guns. Blk rifles galore. Ammo for most all calibers but not many selections in some calibers.
The other shop is run like a used car dealership. Sales are sales driven so service sucks unless you are known or have friends. Stock isnt as good as first shop but better then most.
We have 4-8 more shops within 50/70 miles. Most all are sparsely stocked.
In speaking with the first shops owner. He says instead of calling a dealer to order something or things. The distributors call the dealers and offer what they have... He buys most all they offer. So he has stock and he is offered more stock. Guys that dont are quickly passed over because others WILL BUY. So we have shops with good stock and shops with out much at all.
Like many of you I learned and have lived theu this many many times. I dont like to be caught flat footed. I like redundancy. One is none.
CW
Buku RF in all flavors. In shotgun, Slugs and buck shot in 12/20 I saw a few 28g boxes too.
Many used hunting rifles.To the tune of maybe 25/30 ish pieces. 40/50 Shotguns All new. A dozen cases mostly full of new handguns and three cases of used hand guns. Blk rifles galore. Ammo for most all calibers but not many selections in some calibers.
The other shop is run like a used car dealership. Sales are sales driven so service sucks unless you are known or have friends. Stock isnt as good as first shop but better then most.
We have 4-8 more shops within 50/70 miles. Most all are sparsely stocked.
In speaking with the first shops owner. He says instead of calling a dealer to order something or things. The distributors call the dealers and offer what they have... He buys most all they offer. So he has stock and he is offered more stock. Guys that dont are quickly passed over because others WILL BUY. So we have shops with good stock and shops with out much at all.
Like many of you I learned and have lived theu this many many times. I dont like to be caught flat footed. I like redundancy. One is none.
CW
fiver
Well-Known Member
the way things get shipped through the system is goofy too.
I'm situated right between ATK and CCI's primer plants [maybe 100 miles in either direction]
what two primers do I see the least of?
Winchester's seem to be everywhere and have to be shipped across the country.
I did notice there was a huge over stock of AR magazines crammed in a couple of crates and hanging on the peg boards.
funny what is and isn't an item during times like this.
I'm situated right between ATK and CCI's primer plants [maybe 100 miles in either direction]
what two primers do I see the least of?
Winchester's seem to be everywhere and have to be shipped across the country.
I did notice there was a huge over stock of AR magazines crammed in a couple of crates and hanging on the peg boards.
funny what is and isn't an item during times like this.
Tom
Well-Known Member
This guy has primers!
CCI 450 Small Rifle Magnum Primers CCI450 | Case of 5000 | SEP2020 Batch - Reloading Supplies at GunBroker.com : 883757489
Buy CCI 450 Small Rifle Magnum Primers CCI450 | Case of 5000 | SEP2020 Batch: GunBroker is the largest seller of Reloading Supplies Ammunition Reloading All: 883757489
www.gunbroker.com
Last edited:
Tom
Well-Known Member
I just gave a friend 1k small pistol primers. I guess he really owes me now.
