This tells me there is no issue with supply side and now the demand level will dictate the future pricing of primers moving forward.
Retailers/vendors will continue to sell primers at the price they will sell. If they don't, prices will keep falling until they do.
I am encouraged by "in stock" trend of primers reported by members and anticipate a gradual decline of primer prices in the coming months/years.
Many of us who have lived through previous component shortages have learned to stock up for cycles of shortages that have lasted several years. In 2018-2019, many of us were recommending to other members to stock up as component prices were likely as low as they were going to get (Primers were being sold for $20-$27/1000 at the time). I also encouraged others to stock up on 22LR when they were down to $16-$20/500 shipped.
For our current component shortage, we are going on year 4 with prospect of another year or more before I anticipate we hit bottom. Those who plan to reload in future decades, take note and monitor how long current shortage runs and as prices bottom, stock up enough to last more than the number of years shortage cycles run. The previous shortage cycles were in 2009 and 2013.
As member Hartkopf posted, there are things we can do now while we wait for primer prices to fall:
- Use up stocked up primers
- Reduce amount of reloading/shooting
- Use up stocked up 22LR to preserve primers on hand
- Stop shooting and pursue other hobbies
- Save money to buy when primer prices hit bottom (again like in previous cycles)