Primmers

WildRose said:
Another hard fact most may not realize is that we have probably two or three million more people reloading today than we had just 20 years ago.

Reloading was a very small niche market for pretty much the bulk of the last century and done mostly by weird old guys who were retired and had nothing better to do and benchrest shooters who were mostly the same old retired farts.

That began to change in the 90's and has expanded at a phenomenal rate since.

In 2000 you could order a top of the line fully automated Dillon press and have it in a few days, today, you might have to wait three or four months to get a 550b again because of the increase in demand, not because fewer are being made.

Everyone I've talked to in the industry over the last couple of decades has told me the same thing, the demand is the biggest issue with everything from rpimers to presses.
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I wouldn't say a bunch of old farts were only reloading. I started in 1962 @ age 14. Ammo was in limited supply because of being in a small town. I work through the summer at 13 to get a rifle (Rem-721 in 300 H&H Mag) It came a long with a press, dies, reloading manual, bullets, some primers, and some cases. As boys in a small town we hunted. Most didn't reload. So circle of friends have and are hunters, and reloaders. I gained friends because of reloading over the years. Most have pass on now. So I have to two boys that reload, and a grandson that looks like he going to be interested too. Over the great many years I have seen components come and go. I didn't like it then, and now.
The other is equipment seem to be slow or hard to come by too. Every thing seem to be on back order. The problems is fools rust in, where wisemen don't go.
 
ericlau said:
Where's the primmers? I believe ammo manufacturers are somehow buying/blocking our ability to purchase them. Why would they want us reloading when they can sell us ammo at 2-3 times what it usually cost. Are primmers that hard to manufacture?
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Manufacturers are not buying/blocking primers. Again there was/is a backlog of probably billions of primers. There is a limited ability to manufacture with first priority going to the ammo manufacturers, reloaders only getting what might be left over. Lately the magnum primers are becoming more and more available but some die hard loaders refuse to use them in standard loads. I think because they believe that the use of magnum primers will change their pet loads. Maybe - Maybe not. Won't know until you try them. Magnums are perfectly safe and in many cases superior to regular match or benchrest primers. I have been using them for, lets just say a long time and all of my loads are based on magnum primers. I thought that one of the fun things of reloading is trying to make better and more accurate ammo. Maybe I'm wrong. Who Knows?
 
milboltnut said:
Gunbroker ! I... WOULD.... NOT.. be surprised if they are scarfing them up from retailers and selling them there !!
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Just the opposite, I have seen with my own eyes, LGS's are putting their inventory on gunbroker and charging the high price and not selling them out of the brick and mortar. Unless you are one of their buddies Of course.
 
Another Casual said:
Seeing more and more locally. Local store had CCI 250's this week. $5.49 a box, don't need any at that price. For months they were out of projectiles, now there is a fair amount on the shelf. Mostly Hornady. Maybe not exactly what you want, but a few options for each of the common calibers.

Reloaders get the excess production for primers. More ammo sales means less primers for us. They set usually come back after powder, which comes back after projectiles.
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I haven't seen 250s which I need for a new rife in 2 years. I'd pay $55 for 1k which you have available over $55 for 100 on Gunbroker....
 
WYOHTF said:
I actually think that reloading components are on a rise across the board, primers included.

On Thursday I was at a LGS and they had (3) H4350 8 lbs. jugs, I bought a one pounder.

I then called back and asked if they would hold one of the big jugs till first of the week. "No problem, any other powders you would like ?",
ended up with H1000 and Varget. Along with a brick of LR and LR Match primers.

Brass is starting to show up here and there as well. I just hope the 7mm bullet offerings fallow.
This may not the true for all areas, but it is in my neck of the woods 🥳
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I've seen plenty on 7mm bullets in Cody, Powell and Billings, Mt.. Berger Hornady , Nosler. Everybody I'd packed will all Hornady bullets. I saw 208 and 212 30 cal. ELDX at Scheels. I think it was 220 ? Also. A lot of 6.5 147 ELDM everywhere.
 
I concur with most of the foregoing responses. This is the 6th or 7th such shortage I experienced in my adult life. A couple were only regional. However this one has been broader, deeper and longer than the proceeding "events." This won't help now, but the lessons I learn were simple. When things normalize review your needs, look for commonality to share components across cartridges and stock accordingly. Two 8 pounders from the same lot if stored correctly will last you a long time and avoid wasted test loadings to see if burn rate varies between different lots. And yes, I suppose I am one of those "retired weird old farts with nothing better to do." I hope one day each of you has planned well enough to reach this point of shooters nirvana!
 
ericlau said:
Where's the primmers? I believe ammo manufacturers are somehow buying/blocking our ability to purchase them. Why would they want us reloading when they can sell us ammo at 2-3 times what it usually cost. Are primmers that hard to manufacture?
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There may be more to the shortages of everything we hold dear, for an evil agenda.
 
just_jon said:
The more than 5 million first time gun buyers during the pandemic didn't help an already shrinking supply of component/ammo. On top of that, many of these folks are willing to pay inflated prices because they have no prior market experience.
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In addition to this, riots creating fear and uncertainty and wise folks stocked up on ammo as some police depts told people they are on their own. I called CCI a few months ago and asked them about primers. I was told their plant is working 24/7 making primers with a large portion going to ammo makers. There is also a large and growing F class group and then the hoarders. The list goes on. It is what it is and until it settles down it wont improve very fast. I have enough for now and dont have to shoot a lot these days so I dont buy them and become part of the problem. The primer makers also believe this will blow over and wont invest in increasing the production facilities. YMMV
 
winsx3 said:
Interesting article on why ammo prices are rising.

Zerohedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero
www.zerohedge.com www.zerohedge.com
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Interesting read. Now researching the terms and getting it packaged for my brain. I can clearly see and have experienced what he describes in the industry my family is 4th generation in farming/ranching.
 
DHardy said:
Just the opposite, I have seen with my own eyes, LGS's are putting their inventory on gunbroker and charging the high price and not selling them out of the brick and mortar. Unless you are one of their buddies Of course.
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who is LGS ?
 

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