[JohnM]

We see a lot on primers here. Lot of stuff gets tossed around when supplies drop. All sorts of ideas about how to keep a supply.
I got to wondering how people here generally buy theirs.

[PO2Hammer]

I buy them by the box (1,000) at my LGS. I have about 10,000 on hand, mostly SPP & LPP. Doesn't seem to be a shortage this election like there was 4 years ago. I guess we're not doing a very good job of hyping election fears this time.

[tglazie]

Powder valley usually with a 1000 once in a while from my little LGS just to make sure the guy keeps what I shoot (fed) in stock.

[bds]

I usually setup group buys from Powder Valley to reduce hazmat/shipping fees.

When I see good prices on primer brands l like at gun shows (~$18-$20 for CCI/Winchester this past 1-2 years), I stock up.

I typically buy 5000-10,000+ at a time.

[Kyle M.]

I buy them by the thousand from my lgs, there doesn't seem to be any shortage of them at shops or from distributors around here.

[SpringfieldM1A]

If im going to order them its usually 5000 at a time due to the hazmat fee. If i can get them at a gun shop for close to the same price ill by a brick or two.

[cfullgraf]

Historically, I'df buy 1000 primers at a time. Recently, I have been buying larger quantities, 2000-5000 at a time but consumption really has not changed. I shoot 4000-5000 rounds per year using all four sizes of primers.

I have done a few mail order primer orders, they are larger quantities to spread out the hazmat charge. Makes the time between orders longer.

[Walkalong]

Usually 2K to 4K if I get them at the gun show. Minimum 5K if I have to order some, and more is better, and I might as well get some powder along with them while I'm at it.

[oneounceload]

5000 at a time through my local shotgun club - since the vendor delivers targets to the club on his truck - no hazmat, no shipping - same for powder

[GLOOB]

Last online order, I purchased 10k. My last purchase was 1k of mag primers at the LGS, just to fill a hole. On average, now that I have a good working supply, I anticipate buying around 4-6k at a time online, along with the type and amount of powders estimated for said primers. That is approx a year's supply.

I figure it takes a combination of approximately 6k primers and/or 6 lbs of powder to make up for hazmat. Less if you buy Tula/Wolf. At least 4k primers and 4+ lbs of powder, and I figure I'm actually saving a little.

[JohnM]

Fair number of relies to the poll.
It shows most people buy what they need on their own as opposed to getting in with a group buy. I kinda figured that.
And most folks get from a carton of 1K to a brick of 5K at a time.
I sort of expected more to say they bought them by the 100, someone does, most gun shops sell many single boxes.
A lot of people buying 10K or more at a time, but far outnumbered by all the rest.

[W.E.G.]

I buy sufficient quantity as-needed at the LGS once a year to keep me "stocked-ahead" for three years reloading/shooting.

I don't have much use for large rifle primers these days, so I still have ample supply from the "Bill Clinton primer shortage."

[ColtPythonElite]

10k+ every time I order from Powder Valley....no way I'm buying from the LGS with them marked up at least ten bucks a thousand.

[beatledog7]

I've used all of the methods except group buy and >10k.

One of my LGSs stocks CCI and Winchester primers at $3 for a sleeve of 100. If I have 300 LR Magnum on hand, I have a 3-yr supply at least. It's double that for LR, but that's still squarely in the "buy locally" world for me.

For small rifle and small pistol, I price check at shows, but lately prices there don't justify bulk buying. Paying hazmat and shipping still makes more sense, so that's what I do, usually combining a primer order with a powder order to water down the fees.

SP Magnum, LP and LP magnum are in a grey area. If I'm ordering on line, I check my supply, and for any of these that are under 500 or so I usually throw in a thousand.

[mavracer]

Powder Valley is a 20 min drive from my house.

[jcwit]

I hate you!

[FROGO207]

Last order from Powder Valley was an entire Haz Mat box full of assorted primers. IIRC about 40K in the box. And two boxes of propellant at 32 LBS each. This will get me through the next year I hope but probably will need order again next June.:o Now it is time to order a bunch from Missouri Bullet and X-Treme bullet.:cool:

[dickttx]

10K of primers and 8# of HP38 will come out pretty close together, so that is how I order.

[MARKMALL]

I buy sleeves of 5,000 in SP , LP & shotgun. LR , SR & magnum pistols are bought by the 1,000. All are bought at the local gun store.

[JLDickmon]

My stock level is 2,000 of each flavor, small pistol, mag pistol, small rifle, mag rifle..

I run through a box, I buy another.

But I have between 8,000 and 12,000 on hand at any given time.

[shooter_from_show-me]

The last gun show I bought 14k of spp for my 9mm's. If bought online WITH powder too between 5k-10k. I have about 40k stocked up now. Just need to get enough powder to match now;).

[ReloaderFred]

I have a friend who owns a firearms business, and he orders his primers in lots of 200,000. When he gets an order in, I'll usually take about 20,000 small pistol and 10,000 large pistol primers. I maintain a stock of 10,000 small rifle and large rifle primers at all times.

My friend has two orders pending right now that were placed back at the first of the year, if that tells you anything......

I try to keep at least one year ahead of my needs.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[MachIVshooter]

Usually a brick or two at a time locally. Sportman's Warehouse is only a couple bucks over internet orders, plus sales tax, which beats the Hazmat fee unless you're buying at least 10k.

[jhop73]

buy them by the 5k case once a year at camp perry, a 1 hour drive and no hazmat!

[mdi]

Well, there hasn't been any Small Pistol primers at my local pusher for 6 months, and no SP Magnums in 3 (well mebbe there were a few, but they don't last an hour on the shelves). In the last year or so, I would buy a brick here and there as I went shopping so I'm not low yet; mebbe 2k SP, 4k LP, 2k SPM, 4k LPM (I like .44 Mag!) 2 or 3k rifle stuff...

[ArchAngelCD]

I usually buy between 1000 and 5000 at a time depending upon my needs and availability. I have never bought 100 from a store and only once bought 10,000 or more at a time and that was just after I got started loading as an initial stock up. I wish i could be pary of a group buy but there is no one near me to do the buy with.

[rayatphonix]

Primers are almost always available at our local gun shows at reasonable prices. 1000 pc/box are usually $28 to $34 for standard pistol and rifle. BR are higher.

[blarby]

Just for myself.

1k at a time.

Thankfully, I have 2 BI-MART locations within 20 miles of my residence.

Sadly, the one thats closest to me doesn't seem to get the whole primer thing- but the other one does.

What the one closest to me does not have, the other one always does.

The last time I was in the more primer-savvy BI-MART ( last week) that had north of 50k primers on the shelf- in all sizes, from CCI to WIN.

I don't see a reason to stock up with this in mind.

At $36 per 1000 for CCI, its also a hard price to beat unless I buy 20k or so at a really good price online, once you figure in haz-mat. I'm just not into devoting $300 at one time on primers to save $10.... I have other things I need to buy.

[Ken70]

I looked into group buying, after I added the cost of gas and possible bridge tolls, I wasn't saving any money over just buying 5K of primers and maybe 5#s of powder from Graf's. And when Graf's has a reduced Hazmat fee, it's even better. LGS would be at least $60 more expensive than Graf's, even with the Hazmat...

[DEP589]

Live 45 minutes from Graf's and Midway

[hentown]

I buy most of my powder (844 from Hi-Tech) and primers from PV. I always buy at least 10k primers, but generally will buy 30-40k. I use tula small rifle primers for all my .223 and 9mm reloading.

[ColtPythonElite]

X2 on Tula...That is all I use for handguns. At 20 bucks a thousand, they are tough to beat.

[orionengnr]

I keep my eyes open and pick up 1000 (or 2) at a gun show when the price is right (most frequently, Winchesters LPP at ~$30/1000).
I have enough that I am not desperate, so if I don't see any priced right for a while, no big deal.

I have been doing that since about a year before I actually started handloading, which was ~4 years ago (actually, it must have been a bit longer, because I had a pretty good stock when the Big O was elected and things got a little crazy). Anyway, I started picking up my brass, buying primers and powder when the price was right, and when a press came my way (with manuals and scale) all I needed was a caliper and a few odds and ends.

Speaking of which, I need to dust off the Dillon and get busy. :)

[Hondo 60]

So far in 2012 I've reloaded just over 10,000 rounds.
So I buy about that many primers once a yr from Powder Valley.

I think I bought an additional 3k locally this past yr.

[VINTAGE-SLOTCARS]

Lsg, personal use.
I usually load 1k of my most common rounds at a time, 9mm 45acp 38/357 44mag and 45 lc, 223. So I try and keep 3k of each size on hand. I keep them stored on a 20mm military ammo can, along with the same can for powder. I have two adult sons that dip into my supply from time to time. I want to make sure I have supplies on hand incase things dry up again. I also load for 32 auto 380acp 10mm 38 super and 7mm Rem mag, 300 win mag and 458 socom soon.

[OrangePwrx9]

I get them online for myself and usually buy in 5K quantities as part of a powder buy.

I've still got a couple bricks of 1000 from 20 or so years ago with a $16 price tag on them. They were gunshow buys.

[Peter M. Eick]

I get together with several other Pro2000 loaders and we order CCI primers "en bulk". Usually about 65lbs at a whack or roughly 70,000 primers per shipment.