[lonewolf5347]

I been to a few reloading stores on the web and I do find more and more items like reloading components are out of stock and been for a long time now or is it just me?

[PT1911]

I will sum it up for you in the following quote I heard in a local shop

"hey, I see you finally got some small rifle primers in... I hear people are having a hard time getting those"

"yeah.. this is the first time we have been able to get any in for like 3 weeks."

"man, I wonder what is going on... how many do you have back there?"

"1,2,3.. 4 cases (thousand primers per case)"

" if what I have heard is true, I guess I wont be guaranteed to see any for a while. I will take them all":banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

that, my friend, is the problem!!!

[Eb1]

More and more it seems like a ploy from dealers to make sure there stock doesn't sit around for long.
Telling someone that these here are the last for awhile will provoke the buyer to take them all.

That is horrible.

[PT1911]

More and more it seems like a ploy from dealers to make sure there stock doesn't sit around for long.
Telling someone that these here are the last for awhile will provoke the buyer to take them all.
you are absolutely right, however ,in this case, the shop owner was actually being honest.. they have had to resort to buying primers off of individuals at retail price on more than one occasion.

though you are right... most places are doing just that.. with all merchandise..

[33rowdy]

I saw primers boxed in cardboard boxes in the back room at my local gun shop. Bullets ar slowley comming around.

[Inspector3711]

Either that or they're selling all the components to the bad guys in Mexico!

[depoloni]

I figure what, two or three more of this thread and we'll see a new Guiness record set for most threads that say exactly the same thing.

It does tend to be annoying to read through other threads though before posting up. That being said, I tend to generally agree with posters in pretty much all of 'this' threads that it's a combination of things, but one of the biggest factors is stockpiling like PT says above.

[Tony Sopranno]

AN INJECTION OF SOME COMMON SENSE:

There was a significant "primer crisis" previously, after Clinton took office, probably 1994. There was rumored to be planned legislation that primer manufacturers would be required to make and sell only primers that had a shelf life of one or two years. It caused panic among the reloading community at large. Primers and loaded ammo went flying off the shelf. The shortage lasted a year or so...

At some shows (now) people are walking out with cases of ammo. Someone comments that there must be bargains inside. The reply is "No, not really. But if you wanna get it you need to pay their prices." ...Prices that were over $400/thousand -- nearly twice what places like Cabella's are asking -- if they have it, which they generally don't. ... Loaded 223 ammo with bullets under 60 gr is hard to find unless you're willing to spend more per round. :mad:

And why don't the manufacturers increase production? Because it takes a major investment in capital/equipment -- and with credit as tight as it is, they won't commit, or can't afford to produce any more. Especially if they believe there is a 'crisis' which will be short lived -- why in hell would they want to invest in added equipment simply to address a demand that will, in time, go away? :banghead:

No one really knows why there's a shortage, but I strongly suspect that people are, in most cases, just stocking up because of their perceptions of political uncertainties. :neener:

It causes a shortage... and others, who only want enough for the year (or less) get panicked and buy it at GunBroker at clearly absurd prices. Others see all of this and decide they need to stockpile too -- a vicious cycle. Once it starts it goes nuts and is out of control in no time at all. :cuss:

[GaryL]

Many factors involved, but the high prices of ammo are causing more people to get involved in reloading, which is putting more demand on component supplies. On some of the other non-firearm related boards I'm seeing more interest in people getting into reloading and shooting in general. Some of the gun buying and new shooting interest is related to the current administration's known antipathy towards guns and shooting sports, and I think there is also a renewed interest in self defense due to liberalized conceal carry laws and the constant stream of bad news (crimes against persons) that we see in the media.

Also, it seems that surplus ammo has all but disappeared from the market. I don't know why that is. I could speculate, but not from a position of hard facts or inside knowledge.

In any case, demand is up, financing is tight, and anyone running a company is going to be fearful of any new regulations curtailing their ability to produce and sell a product with the current administration continuously making threats about nationalizing the automotive industry, and any other they feel they should have control over. Not only that, but there is also talk of reducing military spending. If I were running an ammunition company right now, I'd be very cautious about making any capital expenditures to increase production, given the risk of:
a) Regulations reducing or limiting sales to the civilian market
b) Reductions in military purchases
c) EPA regulations regarding "TOXIC" materials, i.e. lead, powder, and/or primers
d) Global Climate Change - don't ask me how that relates, sometimes it really doesn't matter

[SSN Vet]

I am seeing a flood of people getting into reloading or getting back into it.....

ammo. prices...

ammo. availability

fear about ammo. taxes and restrictions

people stockpiling for the coming "revolution"

whatever.....

stocks are starting to be replenished...

buy what you need, not what you can

After multiple trips to buy 9mm and finding empty shelves, I finally broke down and set up for that caliber, after years of concluding it just didn't pay to load it.

So I guess the "crisis" has affected even me.