Primers disappeared!

[chris in va]

I have three local sources of primers here in Louisville, all three haven't seen a single delivery in two months. Is there a sudden run on military manufacturing or something? There is plenty of $$$ ammo but it's not exactly flying off the shelves. I also haven't seen a box of CCI in a long time, it's been either Federal or Remington when I can find one.

 

[Marco Califo]

You will need to use mail order, and watch MidayUSA, Midsouthshooterssupply.com, Grafs, Natchez and Powder Valley, perhaps daily. I gave up on local merchants years ago. Or ask around at your gun club. Strategize your needs and order once a year. I am extremely happy I bought 5000 Tula 556M when they were available. Bigger orders spread HazMat and shipping over more items.

 

[Unclenick]

Those sources and Brownells sells them now, too. If you are willing to buy 5000, Bruno Shooters supply just announced some new supply a few days ago, if they aren't gone already. Keep an eye on the Component Sightings sticky at the top of the page for posted finds.

 

[Recycled bullet]

I have been using Argentinian "servicios adventuras" small pistol primers sold by powder valley to load 9x19,38 special, 357 mag and I have started testing 300 blackout subsonic with complete success. They regularly have small primers in stock.

I have lowered my expectations to match the reality and quit expecting to find primers locally in the gun shops near me. Cabela's had primers once in the past three years. Otherwise a waste of time, coffee, and gasoline. I don't feel interested in purchasing IMR4227 @55$ per pound.

I would like to find large rifle primers of any flavor, I enjoy to load and shoot reduced loadings with cast bullets in 308 Winchester and I am almost out.

I am harboring thoughts of loading 308 with large pistol primers and finding out if my firing pins are long enough to deliver ignition to the cartridges. Also I am considering to make a back order with Star line brass for small primer pocket 308 Winchester brass as a work around solution to this problem.

 

[Mannlicher]

primers have been scarce for years now, and certainly have shot up in price. I load less than I used to, shoot less too. There are online sources for primers and that is what I use these days.
The current spike in unavailability is probably tied to Joe Biden giving billions in supplies to Ukraine.

 

[Nick_C_S]

From my point of view, primers never recovered from the shortage of 2013. It's a ten-year shortage as far as I'm concerned.

 

[reddog81]

Online vendors have more in stock than any point in time since early 2020. Natchez has a variety of regular and magnum small pistol, small rifle and large pistol CCI.

Local markets can be fickle and aren't an indication of supply on a national level.

 

[markr6754]

Add American Reloading and Norma Shooting to your watch list.

The Servicios Aventuras SPP are in stock at $67.15/1000 (less than what I originally paid). Varying reports on performance. I've loaded several hundred...but no range tests as yet. Hopefully soon.

 

[chris in va]

That's the weird thing though, I've had decent luck finding primers the past year or so, then suddenly all the shops reported not getting any for three months solid.

I'll check into the Servicios primers, I still remember when the stellar S&P was an unknown company. From what I could find there have been reports they are actually harder small rifle but labeled as small pistol that requires multiple hits.

 

[Unclenick]

A lot of manufacturers run specific items on a schedule, and if they sell out in the interim, resupply just has to wait. But I don't know if that's the case here or not.

 

[RoyceP]

The Bass Pro Shop near me stocks Small Pistol, Small Pistol Magnum, Large Pistol, Large Pistol Magnum, Small Rifle and Large Rifle Primers. Prices run from $70 - $80 per 1000. I think I have a lifetime supply. They had Winchester and CCI brands last time I was there.

 

[markr6754]

My semi-distant LGS (40 minutes) posted they got in their first CCI primer shipment in 14 months. They had 500 (SPP) and 400 (SRP), but the $89.99/1000 price didn't move me. That's 64% higher price than the last CCIs I bought off them.

 

[chris in va]

Man I didn't even think about Bass Pro, will call tomorrow.

 

[thallub]

"Online vendors have more in stock than any point in time since early 2020. Natchez has a variety of regular and magnum small pistol, small rifle and large pistol CCI."

Yes.

At the beginning of the "Clinton will outlaw reloading" panic i bought about 50,000 primers including several thousand large rifle magnum primers, despite the fact that i seldom use those. Last year i traded off 2,000 LR magnum primers: Thought they were all gone. The other day i found 500 more.

Ammunition manufacture has ramped up big time. There's more rifle and handgun ammunition in Academy and Atwoods stores here than i've ever seen.

 

[MikeSRuth]

I got lucky locally here in Los Angeles, a shop took in small pistol and large pistol on consignment. 100/1000. They don't have anymore now
Went up to Angeles shooting range and gun store this past week, they are in stock but typically 120ish/1000.

 

[PolarFBear]

It was a terrible day today: I fell to the high price of primers. North Georgia Reloading had a good stock. First I've seen in over two years. $109/1000 CCI Small Pistol Primers. Hated to pay the price but looks like primers ARE returning to shelves but at double plus what they were 30 months ago. There was also a good stock of powders most at $50+/lb!

 

[Colorado Redneck]

Midsouth Shooters and Midwayusa have CCI small rifle primers $95/1000

 

[Unclenick]

Prices will stay high until there is enough supply that the hoarders finish buying their fill. After that, the stock should begin to stay on the shelves, and that's when prices will gradually go down, and sales to clear excess stock will start to occur around property tax time. Looking over CCI factory store pricing, which will be MSRP, $60-$70/1000 looks like that number for primers in the plastic APS strips, and they were always a little more than just plain primers, so knock another 10% or so off for that. You can figure most places will charge less than MSRP once the dust settles, and I expect we may wind up in the range of $45-$50/1000 at that point in time. Higher than before, but half what a lot of them are now.

Inflation has been almost 18% since 2019, so primers that were $30/1000 then would be $35/1000 now, and magnum primers that were $35/1000 then would be about $41/1000 now if there had been no shortage of supply. But I am expecting the new MSRPs will hold, and hence my $45-$50/1000 thinking.

 

[RoyceP]

Cabela's
5100 Norton Healthcare Blvd.,
Louisville, KY 40241

They have primers in stock. You cannot purchase them online or by mail. You have to go in person to the store.

 

[Unclenick]

I've left this thread separate because of the supply and demand and economic limits discussion. But when you spot something for sale, please post it in the "Component Sightings" sticky at the top of the forum.