Primer shortage...

Yes, the primer market is pretty tight and will likely tighten more until the election, and depending on the outcome, even after the election.

As far as magnum primers, Powder Valley currently only has CCI LR Mag primers:

https://www.powdervalleyinc.com/pro...primers/?filter_brand=cci&query_type_brand=or

Good Luck!

Bayou52

I have plenty of components for my needs. I also have enough loaded to last my "current" foreseeable shooting needs.

I do still shop around to see what's available, and have noticed (for the components I look for) that they are a bit "hit and miss" as far as availability.

As others have said regarding the current situation (covid 19, riots, election looming, etc...), if you need it and find it at a price you can stomach then buy it.

As for CCI magnum primers, I neither have nor use them. But I do have and use some CCI lpp and see them in stock at various places and various prices.

But, I have seen primers (including CCI magnum in pistol and rifle) in stock here and there but they don't last long. This may be a good time to work up a new load with new components.

I know it's not the answer you're looking for, but it's the best I've got.

chris

Texasgrillchef said:

Primer shortage ... What’s the deal, I haven’t been able to find any for several months now. Are they providing primers for all the Ammo manufacturers?

Click to expand...

Simply just another supply and demand thing.

There is currently a run on guns and ammunition which is usually followed by a run on reloading components.

I am sure many component manufacturers are already on 24/7 production schedule but when shooters/reloaders buy several times the normal amount of ammunition/reloading components, supply side simply cannot keep up with the demand side.

And hence why you can't find primers you are looking for.

Follow the "Where are there reloading components for sale" thread as members post available primers in stock - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ponents-on-sale.707473/page-193#post-11542326

Yep, it's been tight for a while now. Availability comes in waves. One of the retailers had a bunch of CCI primers of various sizes in stock last week. Midway had Federal SPP for a while because they were limiting customers to 1K per order.

Buying bullets can be equally exciting right now.

Yep, there's a primer shortage, and a bullet, powder, brass and even gun shortage. It has much to do with panicky (or selfish) reloaders that don't think they are prepared enough and buy everything in sight. I think a lot of the gun purchases (record sales) are largely from fear of the state of affairs and fear of someone getting "it all before I get mine".

None of these shortages have affected me, maybe a minor inconvenience getting components, but I already have enough components to keep on reloading and shooting just like I have been doing for the last 6-8 years...

mdi said:

None of these shortages have affected me, maybe a minor inconvenience getting components, but I already have enough components to keep on reloading and shooting just like I have been doing for the last 6-8 years...

Click to expand...

I picked a fine time to really start gearing up. I won't be caught short handed again if I can help it.

mdi said:

It has much to do with panicky (or selfish) reloaders that don't think they are prepared enough and buy everything in sight.

Click to expand...

Actually, those of us panicky/selfish reloaders bought everything in sight years ago - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/what-to-stock-up-on.855885/#post-11225563

This from September of 2019 ...

mdi said:

I think a lot of the gun purchases (record sales) are largely from fear of the state of affairs and fear of someone getting "it all before I get mine"

Click to expand...

To me, if these gun purchases are by those who never owned guns before, I see it as a positive as some of the new gun owners could become activists for the Second Amendment.

For most of us who already own many guns, this is another short-term inconvenience but opportunity to sell off guns we don't need/want to replace with something better. Sell high, buy low.

I'm sitting on around 35K each of large and small pistol, and around 10k each of large and small rifle.

But if I can find them for sale at a decent price I'll buy more.

I’m easily finding large pistol and rifle primers locally. Standard and magnum. I’m finding pretty much no small primers of any kind. Two days ago I did find a sleeve of small pistol magnums and one sleeve that had been dumped. Maybe had 80 primers left. Somebody that’s really hard up will probably buy it.

It is very spotty. And the same resellers that were afoot the last go around are back buying up .22 ammo and the other high volume stuff and primers to try and profit.

Same as last time, political unrest.... I saw it coming, last summer, glad I bought 11 thousand primers.... I learned a valuable lesson from the last time....

They are not like a loaf of bread, I still have some from before Clinton signed the AWB, there have been runs on stuff ever since. I buy more than I consume when there is an abundance of them, to the point they are putting things on sale. That way, when everyone is in a panic, I coast right on through, shooting the same amount as always.

Kind of funny, no one calls you a hoarder if you buy more than you need when everyone could, if they wanted to.

Hoarders, or preppers - It is a matter of perspective. I tend to think of the people buying things up, just because they are starting to get scarce, as the hoarders. The preppers have already bought what they will need.

I was just getting started when the previous dry period started (late 2012, early 2013). I was lucky to find enough to keep me busy during the shortage, but started stocking up when things became available again. I also picked up a pound here, a pound there (mainly at the local gun shows) so I could test different powders. I now know what I like, what I don't like, and what I can use in a pinch, so that is a good thing. I was looking over my 45acp loading logbook, and I have tested 32 different powders to date.

As I remember, the first reloading item to disappear in 2012/2013 were small pistol primers. Could not find them anywhere for a few months. It seemed that once they started showing up again, then pistol powders were gone, or very hard to find. I don't remember bullets being hard to find, though, but that may be because I didn't notice since I had enough to last a while.

Some people claimed not, but I suspect some of the previous shortage was due to the ammo manufacturers buying as many supplies as they could. I will relate an interesting observation I made during the previous "big scare". One well known ammo re-manufacturer would go for a couple of weeks before they would list any 9mm ammo for sale, and it would evaporate withing an hour or two after being posted online. This cycle went on for several months. Then, when it appeared that the market had reached peak prices, they dumped over 1 million rounds of 9mm in one week. I would be willing to bet that they did not manufacture all of those in that one week, they had made them over the previous weeks and were waiting for the prices to peak. Which is their right to do, but I still found it interesting.

One of my buddy’s favorite sayings is, “better buy them before the hoarders do!”

China not selling chemicals to the US.

The chart below identifies the primer mix chemicals, the suppliers to ATK, and the country of origin. All 13 chemicals for primer mix are formulated by U.S.-based commercial companies, but 10 chemicals have origins outside of the United States. Of these 10 identified chemicals, 4 have origins solely in China, 2 others are only found in Mexico, and 1 is only found in Brazil. Three other chemicals share origins among the United States, European countries, India, China, and Mexico. https://alu.army.mil/alog/issues/sepoct10/spectrum_smallarms_ammo.html

Texasgrillchef said:

Has anyone noticed a primer shortage at many of the retailers, midway, Grafs, Natchez, Cabela’s, bass pro, Scheels, Acadamy, and several others, especially on CCI magnum primers?

What’s the deal, I haven’t been able to find any for several months now. Are they providing primers for all the Ammo manufacturers? And leaving us Reloaders in the cold?

Click to expand...

Man not to be unkind here but really? You just noticed this? Every time there is a panic rush an ammo the reloading stuff is close behind. When ammo comes back the stuff to roll your own normally comes back last. Of course the people making it not only have to try to catch the pipeline back up they have to supply the people making ammo. When the stuff comes back this time remember one important thing. There will be another panic shortage sometime. The stuff if stored properly will outlive you. So when it comes back, set aside enough to last you a year or so and keep that much in stock. This is far from the first time, sure will not be the last but, it will come back. I order on line. You have to pay a fee for powder and primers but, I order as much as they will ship in one load to mitigate that cost. That way you also keep enough so next panic you will not care.

I started reloading in 2014. These shortages are becoming annoyingly routine.

Keep a good supply of primers on hand to get thru the dry spells. 22 lr ammo also.


Primers dont go bad.

Alex Clayton said:

Zendude said:

I started reloading in 2014. These shortages are becoming annoyingly routine.

Click to expand...

Man not to be unkind here but really? You just noticed this? Every time there is a panic rush [on] ammo the reloading stuff is close behind.

When the stuff comes back this time remember one important thing. There will be another panic shortage sometime. The stuff if stored properly will outlive you. So when it comes back, set aside enough to last you a year or so and keep that much in stock. This is far from the first time, sure will not be the last but, it will come back.

Click to expand...

That's the reality and voice of reason.

I have been telling people for some time now to set aside money each month for "reloading budget" and using the tax refund money is a good way to kick start the "reloading budget". And when you come across really good sales, particularly the annual Black Friday sales that most component manufacturers and vendors participate these days with free shipping, to use the "reloading budget" money saved up to make larger purchases.

And when prices are low, inventory high and everyone is asking "Can component prices go any lower?", that's the time to stock up as prices are likely to go back up. During my lifetime, I have seen several component shortages and increased my stock from 1 to 2 years to 3 to 5 years to last through an election cycle and currently stocked up for 10-15 years of retirement years as low prices we saw during 2017-2018 were likely to never return.

Decades ago, I saw primers at $12-$14/1000 from Powder Valley and now wish I had bought more. In recent years, I saw primers at $20-$25/1000 from Cabela's/MidwayUSA and now wish I had bought more but glad that I bought enough to last through my retirement decades.

243winxb said:

Keep a good supply of primers on hand to get thru the dry spells. 22 lr ammo also.

Click to expand...

More words of wisdom.

When 22LR prices dropped to $15-$20/500 shipped, I stocked up like crazy for retirement and started this support thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/22lr-for-less-than-15-20-500-shipped.853059/page-2

Which allowed me to shoot over 16,000 rounds of 20+ brands/weight 22LR in 2 years through various 10/22 and T/CR22, ARs with CMMG 22LR conversion kits and GSG 1911 for accuracy comparison - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...15-20-500-shipped.853059/page-3#post-11534906

I'm still using primers with $9.99 price tags and 30cal bullets with 5.99 price tags, I would like to see those prices return. I usually look at some auctions and sometimes find reloading stuff and IF I have extra money left I'll buy what I can.

rdnktrkr said:

I'm still using primers with $9.99 price tags and 30cal bullets with 5.99 price tags, I would like to see those prices return.

Click to expand...

Me too but not going to happen.

At this point, I don't think $25 price tag for Winchester primers will return anytime soon either.

LiveLife said:

Me too but not going to happen.

At this point, I don't think $25 price tag for Winchester primers will return anytime soon either.

Click to expand...

Believe it or not, a couple days ago the local Sportsman's Warehouse actually had 6 bricks of CCI-500 small pistol primers on the shelf with a price of $23.99. I grabbed 3, then thought better and put one back for someone who might need it more than I do. I did stop by today and they still had a couple on the shelf. I did grab a brick of Federal Gold Medal Match small rifle primers for $27.99, which today is a solid deal, IMO.

Zendude said:

I started reloading in 2014. These shortages are becoming annoyingly routine.

Click to expand...

I started reloading in 1987. The politically driven shortages started in 1992. Primers went first.

Every few years after that, as regular as election season, the shortages have returned. Sometimes more severe, sometimes less so.

Primers have always disappeared first.

I was caught short 30 years ago. I have never been caught short since.

Although, with fewer than 15k small rifle primers, I'm looking.....