Primers, powders, components

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Comrade Mike

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I gather you all probably know about as much as I do, but any idea when we'll start to see primers again? All my LGS's have none. I've only been reloading for a year or so so I don't remember how long it took components to be readily available last time around. Think June will bring favorable winds or is the 2013 shooting year shot already? We're going on nearly half a year now since the tragedy that brought all this on yet the signs of recovery seem very small and very slow. God forbid something else should happen... We may be riding this out until 2016.

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I don't exactly enjoy sacrificing my favorite hobby due to politics.
 
CM,

This time it's different. With the constant threat of further legislation and the feeling that we are but one tragedy removed from that legislation, I wouldn't count on the situation improving anytime soon. You got into reloading in a tough time, my friend. Hang in there.

Don
 
My guess from the outset was it'll be September before we start to see some normalization. I still think it wil be at least that long.
 
I just called 4 different places that I know have reloading equipment and none of them have primers or powders in. I have to check with them everyday to find out if they do. But about 2 weeks ago or so, It was a bit easier for me. Not so much at this point.
 
My LGS has powder, but no primers. I've placed an order for powder and primers at MidSouth online, but that was over a month ago and both the powder and primers I've ordered are backordered with no estimated delivery date in sight. Reloading components are backordered by the millions if some vendors/distributors are to be believed. I have 26,000 primers on backorder, and there's some guys who have posted here quoted as saying they've ordered 100k or 200k or even more!
 
We haven't had primers since last summer, before everything went crazy.
Click to expand...
Not sure who "we" is. But the box stores around here had plenty up through December. As did the big online retailers, stocking Win and CCI. IIRC, there were also Wolf primers to be had for 14.50/k this past winter. At Wideners, I think.
 
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Powder Valley had a bunch yesterday (Tula), most sizes at ~$26/k .

You need to monitor the online sources closely and be prepared to jump when they get what you want. Be prepared to make a substantial buy to amortize hazmat and shipping. Best way is to get a group buy going. You do the buy then farm out to the guys who signed up with you.
 
Try armslist.com. Might be inflated price but you can get it. Just to get started I traded 1000 bullets for 2000 primers. Came down to $45/1000 but I think it's OK to start with and will get me by for couple month. I also have some on backorder with ballisticproducts.com

Monitor threads here - people always post what's available and where. Just act quickly. Yesterday Tula primers were available for pretty long (compare to ammo on gunbot that goes in 1 minute). I passed since I don't need any right now.
 
You know, I have seen an on-going primer shortage for about 4 years. Powders and other materials were available most of the time, but primers have been an on-going problem. When will it reverse? I have no idea.

Geno
 
I would think with the 6 year pressure on components the capital would be spent to meet demand. Easy to say when it isn't my money. Seems like a safe bet though when a million MORE NICS checks have been coming through the last 4 months. Means more ammo will be needed.
 
Hondo 60 said:
Where?
Click to expand...

It's going to take some work. Frequent your local boards/reloading forums. On Calguns we see "Primers/powder/whatever in stock etc etc etc!" threads and if one is quick one might get some. Usually gone in minutes though.

Was in an LGS last week & saw SP primers sitting there. Didn't need 'em so didn't buy 'em.

Stuff is around. Driving by a store? Drop in and look. Put Powder Valley shortcut on your desktop. Got extra ammo? Put up for trade for reloading stuff. Get creative. I parleyd some extra .22LR into components I needed. Tomorrow AM is ammo day at a local store. I'll be there at 6:00AM hoping to get a K of .22LR. Not because I really need it right now but got nothing better to do and might wind up trading for something I do need.

Now is probably not the time to be stockpiling. Buy what you really need and be ready to pounce when a good deal comes up.
 
I went to one of the LGS that told he had nothing in stock....Turns out he had 8 boxes of Large Pistol Magnum CCI and he had about 3 boxes of Large Rifle CCI

About 2-3 Lbs of Herco, Red dot and Green Dot. I guess they thought I knew it was there before or something?
 
I picked up a brick of small rifle mag primers for $47 at the local gun shop ( $33 last nov)
last box they had.
They had some Federal small rifle primers at $35---I left them on the shelf as I would NEVER use Fed in my semi-auto rifles ( I don't trust them)
I have a bunch of mag primers but summer is coming & they will go fast at the range.
 
There was/is a list of the biggest/best online suppliers somewhere on this forum. Start there. Use Google. Start with the bigger names - you may have to wait a little bit, but friends and I were able to score primers and powder from Powder Valley. Gamaliel has/had stuff, as has Graf and 100's of others. Once you find what you want buy in bulk - not these 1lb powder, 1000 primer orders - but bulk.

Primers come from the manufacturer in 5,000 primer "sleeves" so order in that quantity. Most powder will come in 4 or 8# jugs, so order a few
 
We see them here in spurts and they don't last long. However, you can get them if you're patient.

Powder Valley has some Winchester Large Rifle Primers now for $28/1k.

I figure it will be back to some semblence of normalcy by the end of the year.
 
My best advice would be to keep an eye on the following thread:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=707473

A lot of folks here update it whenever they find something in stock.
My other advice would be for you to be patient. Don't join in the panic. There are folks out there that buy in inflated quantities whenever they can find something, whether they have an actual need or not, and that only prolongs the shortages.
Seems some folks are trying to stock up for beyond their lifetime, causing a drought for the newer folks that weren't prepared. Then they turn around and try to gouge the newcomers with highly inflated prices. There was a bunch of that going on with magazines, but now mags are much more readily available, and the hoarding profiteers are stuck with overpriced inventory.
There is a difference between capitalism and gouging, and a lot of folks have long memories.
Things are getting less scarce than they were. Many retailers are getting sporadic shipments, it'll just take time before everyone is fully restocked.
 
My local Cabela's has tons of primers and a lot of powder and most loaded ammo.
Lots of 556/223. Almost no common projectiles. Things are getting better, but won't normal for a while.
 
I went in just two weeks ago into the local Sportsman Warehouse to buy another can of Gun Scrubber and Hornady One Shot. They had primers so I bought 1000 of each, large pistol, large rifle and small pistol as well as a pound of Accurate 5744 powder which I've been wanting to try in my 45-70. Oh and the brands of the primers where CCI or Winchester and I opted for the CCI though the price had gone up about 10% since the last batch I bought about a year ago.

Here is an interesting article on why http://www.gunsandammo.com/2013/04/02/ammo-shortage/
 
You know, I have seen an on-going primer shortage for about 4 years.
Click to expand...

Really? That's confusing.
I've had no problems finding primers til now.
(Stocked up some last August (10k))
but I'm runnin really low on Small pistol now.
 
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