Nonsense. Primers, especially small pistol primers have never been abundant in my area. I have never seen more than four bricks of Federal Small Pistol Primers at any of the particular gun stores/shops I frequented way before the Biden presidency and $35 per thousand. I would often buy all they had, or would let me have.
I started reloading a little more than 10 years ago.
My shooting club had small pistol primers by the pallet.
I was paying $28.00/1,000 when I would buy 5,000 at a time.
This is in Canadian dollars which are worth about 80% of what the US dollar is worth.
In June of 2020 when I started seeing shortages being reported on US forums I went out and bought 5,000 BR-2 and BR-4 for $64.00/1,000 ($51.00USD).
I also found S&B LPP for $36.00/1,000 ($28.80USD)
My club just posted this picture yesterday.
That pallet is worth around $75,000.
I’m down to 4,000 SPP and I’m debating picking some up.
When shooting something like 338LM or 300WM or other specialty cartridges $0.10 for a primer is inconsequential.
When shooting 300 rounds of 9mm per range session the primer cost is up there with jacketed bullets.
I was just gifted a MEC Sizemaster and found some Federal 209A primers in stock for $69.99/1,000. I think I’ll grab some before they disappear.