If you had to choose- buy primers or powder?

[veprdude]

Would you buy powder or primers first? Which one would you wait for a better deal down the road?

I'm new to reloading .308 so I looking to buy supplies now before stuff gets crazier.

 

[44 AMP]

the way things are now, powder is often where and what you can find. Most loads, a pound of powder will load close to 150rnds or so, depending on specific charge weights.

So, one box of primers (100) one pound of powder (~150 rounds) and bullets (box of 100) plus tools is the minimum start numbers.

Everything keeps a long time at room temp. So which ever you happen to get first, just store it until you've got everything you need.

 

[Marco Califo]

Primers.
I have lots of powders that can do the same thing. But, if I run out of LR primers, I am not loading 308.

 

[redhawk41]

What’s on the shelf where you shop? How much are you looking to spend? Any reason why you can’t buy both simultaneously?

 

[Nathan]

Neither. These things are beginning to pile up. That drives prices down. I’m guessing primer companies still make good money with primers under $50 and powder under $35. Nosler too needs to back off to more realistic ABLR prices.

 

[FrankenMauser]

Primers.
Powder can be substituted, loads adjusted, etc., even if less than optimal.
I can even make black powder, if needed.

But I cannot reasonably make primers or come up with a substitute component.

 

[Marco Califo]

Once you have primers, I recommend that you obtain one versatile medium speed powder. A2460, H335, H BL-C(2), and 308 150 grain bullets. You will be good for years.

 

[reddog81]

You need primers, powder, bullets and cases to reload. Being short or out of any one component means the others are useless.

What do you have now? What's your budget? How much do you shoot? Without knowing your situation any advice is kind of useless.

Buy whatever you can now and adjust going forward once components get easier to find. Whenever that might happen. A few hundred primers and a few pounds of powder is more useful than 8 lbs of powder and no primers.

 

[veprdude]

This was a general question about scarcity and what is becoming available more often. My issue is that I can get powder only at site X and primers only and site Y. I have an account at Site Z with better pricing, but very spotty inventory. I'm trying to avoid doubling hazmat fees etc.

Prices are very high, but it's still cheaper than $1.50 match ammo. I'm looking at about $.74 to load 168gr SMK in 308 (bullet, primer, powder). I already have (or am about to shoot) the brass.

 

[redhawk41]

Are you able to purchase locally to avoid hazmat shipping fees?

 

[Hammerhead]

Primers.
No doubt.

 

[reddog81]

If you can find large rifle primers now, you might as well buy those. They have been the hardest of the common primer types to find for the last 3 years.

I don't know where in Texas you live but if possible call all local shops and see what they have. My local Scheels, Sportsmans Warehouse and Bass Pro have had better selection lately than the online shops I check (Powder Valley, Natchezss, and MidwayUS). Hazmat and shipping get to be crazy for buying limited amounts of supplies.

 

[totaldla]

Right now - primers. Large rifle supply has been spotty.

As far as powders go, prices have been racheting up - mostly because of Hodgdon.

Hornady has raised their prices about 50%. I don't bother with Nosler "fantasy" bullets - but I know the irrational* hunting crowd does. If you can keep yourself happy with 150gr FMJ, you can shoot a lot more buying from places like Everglades.

Watch the deals at places like Sportsman's Warehouse, Cabelas, scheels, etc. - anyplace you can drive to. Buy when you can. E.g. LT-32 is/was on sale at Cabela's.

(*) The folks who buy into the "what's a few extra bucks when the hunt of a lifetime is on the line" trope.

 

[Marco Califo]

If your LGS sells LR primers by the tray of 100 grab some.

 

[veprdude]

I ended up buying Ginex LR primers because they could ship together in the same hazmat order AND they were the only available LR primer. Heard they're hard to seat but nobody mentioned if they were hand priming or using a press.

 

[Shadow9mm]

Primers.

 

[HiBC]

Between powder and primers, I'd buy the one that was available. It will work itself out from there.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

I ended up buying Ginex LR primers because they could ship together in the same hazmat order AND they were the only available LR primer. Heard they're hard to seat but nobody mentioned if they were hand priming or using a press.

I can’t speak for all Ginex primers but I recently picked up 5000 SPP’s and they are tight to seat. I have options for seating tools but the only tool in my inventory that didn’t put a dent in the primer was the Lee hand held Safety Prime. For carry ammo this is what I use, for range ammo I’ll use the regular priming ram on my Dillon550 or the priming arm on my Lee Cast Turret. Even though the Dillon and the Lee Turret do ding the primers a bit it hasn’t affected their performance.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

For someone just starting out (like the OP), this is always the dilemma. Powder or primers -- you need some of each before you can start. I don't advise buying powder in bulk to begin, because you may decide that you're not happy with the performance you're getting with [__fill in name of powder__] and the bullet you know you want to shoot.

You're looking to load for .308.IIRC, that takes large rifle primers. LR primers work with any powder you'll use for that cartridge, but no other primers will work. (Okay, technically large rifle magnum primers may work, but aren't recommended.) I would view it as a one-to-many relationship. The LR primers will work with any powder, so you're safe to buy those in quantity. You may find yourself experimenting with powders, so for one cartridge/caliber, I would not start out buying large quantities of powder.

 

[rc]

Primers are out of sight right now at about $80 to $100 per thousand. When you can buy 1000 loaded 9mm for about $250, why would you spend that on components? Now at $1.50 a pop for 308 your calculation may be different. It might be worth $100 to buy 1000 primers right now. I predict prices on primers will come down below $50/1000 in the future after Biden slips down the white house steps for the last time. Powder is very high right now too. Maybe $40 a pound but it's not as over priced as primers. Maybe pre pandemic it was $25ish to $30ish per pound. In 308 some form of 4895 or equivalent is what the military designed for that round. If you can find a 4 or 8 pound keg less than $35 a pound grab it! You can load 1000 to 1500 rounds of 9mm with only 1 pound of powder but you can only load about 150 to 200 rounds of 308 per pound. 7000 grains per pound divided by a charge of around 45 grains is only 155 rounds worth of powder in a pound. Some people have had great results with Varget too. Other powders may also be suitable for 308 bolt guns, but with gas guns, you want to keep the powder speed close to 4895 so they function correctly. 4198 is a popular powder in 222 and 223 for bolt guns but that powder will short stroke a mini 14 because the powder speed is too fast and port pressure too low to correctly cycle a mini.

Consider these bullets if you are looking for plinking loads
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2149663126?pid=663126
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....diameter-125-grain-hollow-point-tnt-500-count