Primers, Primers

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jcwit

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I continue to see threads about how everyone (dealers) are out of primers and how everyone (customers) are trying to buy some.
Also how many people are hoarding and buying all that are available, meaning there are none available to the rest of us.

Now here's my question. Just how many primers were shipped from each manufacturer to distributers for cilivan consumption from Mar. 23 thru Mar. 27? And also how many Primers were shipped to distributers for cilivan consumption from Mar 2 thru Mar 31?

Would be interesting to know. But I'll bet no manufacturer will release that info.

Anyone out there willing to take this bull by the horns.
 
You are right about the hoarding. Have you tried to buy Varget powder or 223 or 308 cases lately either? All I can say is that we are doing this to ourselves without help from our new president or the antis! :(
 
jcwit, I don't understand the premise of your question. I just assumed that since ammo sales are off the charts that all new primer manufacturing is being sucked up internally to produce complete cartridges.

-WE

ETA: I don't believe any primers are being shipped to wholesalers or distributors. And I don't expect any will be until ammo sales begin to drop off. I say this based on the fact that ammo is still trickling in to my suppliers but components aren't. Why would a manufacturer shut down an assembly line just to build up some primers to sell? They are all being consumed internally.
 
loadedround, you've hit the nail on the head. We have met the enemy, and he is us.
 
I kinda disagree. I found a large-ish sized shop (for our area) tucked back off the main road and they had a nice stock of all types of primers. This was 3 weeks ago when I decided to start reloading. I bought 2k LR primers and they had lots more. Every week I stop back and buy 2k more and there's always the same amount of boxes on the shelf. I doubt they have a huge inventory which is going to run out - it honestly appears they are being restocked.

Over the same time period, I visited other stores that were empty or only had 1 or 2k worth of ANY primers. Recently they too have product on the shelves, although all of them now have signs of some sort stating that they reserve the right to limit primer sales.

If everyone would just have a little restraint I think we could all get what we are after instead of trying to buy your entire stash in one shot. Don't get me wrong - if I thought this was "it" I'd buy all I found. But we aren't there yet.

Craig
 
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If we had the info I would like to know, we would have actual facts about the problem. As you stated you are assuming, not factual information. And we do not actually KNOW that we are our own worst enemy.

This was not ment in offence to your statement tho.
 
But I'd like to know just how much is being shipped by the mfg. if any?

You could call ATK and ask them, jc. I called them a few weeks ago and asked everything I could think of, except your question, of course. The lady I talked to didn't try to dodge anything I asked about.
It would be interesting to hear what they have to say.
Their number is 1-800-322-2342, option #3.
 
Last Thursday one of the local dealers in small town Wyoming got a shipment of 60,000 small rifle primers. They were gone in two hours with one guy snapping up 50,000. Do you suppose he really shoots that much?
 
No offense taken jc. And I understand you're looking for facts not anecdote. I'm just reporting from my microscopic corner of the universe. Please forgive my impertinence but I'm still wondering what you think the ammo makers or distributors could be up to? :)

-WE
 
Dean I think I'll try that tomorrow, and I was into that thread you mentioned. It just seems so odd to me for this to go on for so long. The U.S. can supply what the military needs for years with the few small wars we have going on and all of a sudden the cilvian market can not be supplied. Strange.
 
jc, let us know what you find out direct from the manufacturer.
I think it's a great idea to call. Thanks.



Now, being a business owner here's one thing I do understand: If you don't shop product, you don't make money.

So if you think they aren't shipping the product, how do you think they're staying in business?
They don't make money if they don't ship.



Maybe they're shipping them to China.
I heard the Chinese are buying up all the primers.
No, that's lead. Or copper. Or maybe AR-15's. :p
 
Believe me I know about shopping for product. I was Purchasing Agent one of the divisions of the No. 1 RV Mfg a number of years ago, long before the current troubles begain.

I remember trying to buy 20 and 30 lb LP Cylinders during the steel strikes of the '70's and '80's. So yep I know about all that. This was way back when PA's wore a suit and tie to work.

I think thats about when the strikes were, had to go into the cobwebs quite aways.
 
Talked with a local supplier last week. He has 200k sitting in his shop, but can't sell them individually. They are specified for manufacturing only by his contract. He can't get enough for over the counter sales. Pwoder is about the same way. He also told me that the wholesalers are all in trouble, because they can't get enough, either. Trickle down from the mfr. Prices of componets also continue to rise, dispite the fact that scrap materials have tanked. He has done more business this year than all of 2008. He did more in last 3 months of 2008 than all of 2007. He doesn't see the point of the panic.
 
I'll be waiting for your report, JC. ;)

BTW, don't know where you're located, but if I recall, the real live people don't answer the phone after 3pm, PST. After that you get voice mail recordings.
 
It's not my fault. I hoarded after the last shortage, and stayed that way. I was stocked up this time.

It will settle down. :)

The sales number would be interesting, for sure.
 
My local shop (whom I've been very loyal to) is limiting primers to 300 per type per customer. I can understand that. What I don't get, is that they're charging $5 per 100 primers. That sent my business online, at least for now.
 
I can't afford to hoard. Can't imagine what it would be like to buy 10,000 primers. Course then you need the powder to back it up and brass and bullets.
 
But I'd like to know just how much is being shipped by the mfg. if any?

I spoke with CCI last Friday. They claim their primer operation is running 24/7 Also my neighbor (FFL) holder spoke to a distributor in KY. last week. He claims Federal will not be shipping to the retail markets for 18 months.
 
I contacted 2 companies today, Winchester and ATK. The answer from both companies are the primer operations are running 24/7 and they both are shipping as many as they can produce. Neither company would give me actual quanties shipped, actually I didn't expect them to. But both stated its in the millions.

So there you go folks, we are our own worst enemy.
Hope nothing like this happens with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
 
Thanks JC. Real life facts like these are what we need.

When I had called ATK, the lady said something similar about production. She said the CCI plant was making around 14 million per week, if I recall correctly. I never asked if they were actually shipping them out.

To put a million primers in perspective, if a place like Midway gets a million on one day, and everyone who sees it orders a case of each size, they will be sold out after only 50 customers. If each customer only bought one case, (5,000 primers) they would be sold out after only 200 customers.

Hope nothing like this happens with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Now that... I wouldn't be able to handle it. Mental stability would be at stake.
 
me too, same for actual ammo and other reloading expendables. i am beginning to wonder if this is not reminisant of the 1975 "gasoline shortage". mfgrs. slowing down production to raise prices. either that, or only very wealthy people are purchasing huge quanities, depriving the rest of us of it.
 
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