The great primer shortage

S

stagpanther

New member
It looks like there's no end in sight to the primer drought, I shoot a lot and my primer supply is now getting so low that I'm wondering if I need to switch over to SHTF ammo production and curtail recreational and accuracy load development. interesting, it appears from googling that just over the border in Canada all primer types are available at non price gouging prices.
 
I don't see the ammunition and primer shortage abating given the current political climate. As an example, the Obama years were one long draught, and the President ?elect? was an integral part of that mess. All that said, I believe the Dem's have included another assault on the 2nd Amendment as a part of their plans for the next Presidency.

As a result, I've backed off most high volume shooting, preferring instead to husband my supplies. For the past four years I tried to get my sons interested in stocking up but to no avail. Now we're back into it, big time.

Hate to be a pessimist, but it doesn't look good. Rod
 
There was a news article yesterday that Vista Outdoors has ammo orders for the next year. i read that as sparse primer availability for the next year. So the game begins. Look for primers every time you go by a place that sells them, and buy them if you see them.
I've started shooting .45ACP and .22LR more, and save everything loaded with small pistol primers for the occasional foray until supply returns. Now that cold weather is returning and indoor ranges are COVID-spooky, I will likely be doing a whole lot more airgun shooting in the basement.
 
I've been thinking the same but I'm Stocked with New and Reloads. In the past month, I've added about 4k more of .380, 9mm, .45 and 38sp. I went to the range yesterday and shot a couple hundred 9's and 38's.

Talking to the Operator of the range he said "I Sold $187.00 in ammo this morning, 3 Boxes of .380"! OUCH... Each box (50) was $50+ and TAX. I loaded 500 rounds of .380 last week and have another box of 500 bullets.

I'm blowing through my Primer stock but what else is there to do? I do have a boat load of 20+ year old .22Lr I could start shooting.

I've said this before, the Obama Administration considered making Reloading Illegal and "if" Joe somehow ends up in the POTUS he Could Do the Same but... (Big) BUT, the Plan as Ive heard it is a Tax on Every Gun and Magazine We Own. I guess some of us will turn back in to Criminals?

Airguns, Hell Yea but I really like my TaterGun for Beer-30! (Damn Amazing It Doesn't Blow all to Hell!)
 
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This too, shall pass.

From this thread: https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=609290

According to Midsouth, components, particularly brass and primers, are all being used for loaded ammo to try to meet the demand from all the first-time gun owners the rioting created. According to Forbes Magazine, gun and ammo makers who upped their production capacity during the previous administration got burned when the current administration was elected and people stopped feeling threatened and stopped stockpiling and over-buying, and suddenly they were stuck with extra employees and equipment they could not keep busy. So, this time they are not doing anything to increase capacity, instead contracting out what they can and adding some overtime, but not ramping anything up in their own plants.
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The shortage is due to the first time gun buyers who simply want protection as UncleNick states above. They're buying their gun and a box or two of ammo, just to feel safe. They are not dedicated shooters. They aren't picking up the sport with a passion and won't be adding it to their list of hobbies. They don't even like guns. They just want to feel safe in their own homes and won't be continuing to purchase ammo beyond the pacifier effect.

Once that demand is satisfied, things will get back to normal.

Now, if new anti 2nd laws are passed, well, that'll be a whole different discussion.

.
 
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I've heard for suppliers like midway, midsouth, etc to ship primers they have to have a hazmat license. :mad:
 
right, but if a person goes from minnesota to canada to pick up primers and drives them home? just a brick or 3 not a whole flat or truck load.
 
AFAIK--Americans aren't allowed to cross the border unless it's essential trade. I have my doubts they'll let you in based on "I'm a desperate reloader." However--I'm not sure what the regs are for shipping them, kinda doubt it.
 
the President ?elect? was an integral part of that mess
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Well the panic that resulted from people panicking was the integral part of the mess.

Me? Knowing that they would panic again I stocked up and am good shape for a couple of years. I am a thinking Bubba!

What is funny is, non thinking Bubba reloads 20 bullets a year, panics, buys 500 bullets and he is 55 years old (shelves look like a Hurricane swept them off)

Yep, Bubba croaks with 200 years supply of bullets and the kids throw out the bullets because they don't reload. sigh.
 
I actually found CCI small pistol, large pistol and small rifle primers today at a small mom and pop store off the beaten path. Paid 49.00 per thousand. I was shocked. I think I'll sell them on Gunbroker for $5000.00 a brick......Not really.
 
I shoot a lot--so I go through primers and powder pretty fast--powder I have a very good supply of--primers, especially large rifle--I use around a thousand a month. I haven't been able to find any since early this year except the Genix stuff a few months ago which I found is unpredictable in consistency and reliability to ignite, I'm guessing they made it to meet nato machine gun standards. I'm now buying up a lot of rimfire ammo, but I use that stuff fast too--when I use it. Most zombie end-of-the-world SHTF apocalypse panics ammo and powder is hard to find--but I've never seen a primer cut-off like the current one.
 
Right now I got a real good deal on three different bullets for my 6.5 CM. I picked up 1000 143gr, 1000 140gr, and 500 139gr for $120.00. So I’m only shooting enough to work up loads for these then once I have a load I’ll load up as much as I have brass just for my stash. I’m not really hurting for primers since I have over 30,000 in stock and about 16,000 loaded ready to go. But I’m not just going to burn up components for a while either.
 
LGS always has a brick or two of large pistol on hand at $45/1000. They usually have a brick of large rifle as well. Small pistol/rifle have been AWOL for quite a while. For a while they were breaking gown their 1000 bricks into 100 count cards and price gouging them, then those went away as well.
 
As long as people keep paying $200 for a brick of primers on Gunbroker there isn’t going to be any incentive for employees to let primers make it to the shelves. They will keep what they need and put aside what they don’t for friends and family.
 
Zombie-commie apocalypse is driving the demand for ammo so high that's why primers are unavailable, according to what I've read.
 
Three weeks ago I found small pistol primers at a gun store that was 2 hours round trip. When I got there they would only sell me 300 @ 3.99/100. That was $12.69 with tax and I spent $11 in gas. So I really spent $7.89/100.

I had a reason to be in that area today so we won't count the gas. But they raised the price to $4.99/100 and will only sell 200.

If everyone is willing to pay exorbitant fees for these primers, when the dust settles, the cost will be $100/1000; cases will climb to 75 cents to $1.00 each, no matter what caliber; powder will be at least $50 a pound unless they sell it in 12-oz canisters and bullets will be above Nosler's typical prices for 50 rounds per box.

That will be the new wave of gun control.
 
If everyone is willing to pay exorbitant fees for these primers, when the dust settles, the cost will be $100/1000...
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The dust settled quite a while ago; they've been paying $200 and more for 1000 SPP's on GunBroker.

Don
 
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