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Primer shortage?


Tell Sackett SASS 18436

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Or is it that no one really wants to pay the price?

I just purchased a LARGE stock of primers because I could, with the intention of selling them to local shooters at cost. The price seemed reasonable to me, considering the scarcity. I even posted it on here to get a feel for how many shooters would be interested. Also messages to a few area clubs .

I must say the result is dissapointing.

I've only had about 6 responses, mostly questions. 3 commitments to buy.

Hence my puzzlement.

Is everbody waiting for prices to go back to what they were? Personally I don't see it happening any time soon- if EVER!

One reason I'm asking is that the vendor I got them from asked if I would be interested in a MILLION primers! To which I obviously said no. I don't have $100k to spend!

But it occured to me if the community is so desparate for primers maybe 100 of us could come up with $1000 to buy primers.  Voila: the CAS community has 1,000,000 primers!

Seems like problem solved to ME! 

Or is it becasuse these ar Argentine primers and everyone is afraid of the "unknown"? I haven't actually shot them yet, but I'm about to at my next few matches just to see for myself. I haven't heard a bad word about them, and I HAVE heard that manufacturers use a LOT of them. After rigorous testing.

So what's the deal?  Too expensive, or is everyone afraid of a foreign made primer?

I sure as hell hope  I didn't just buy myself a lifetime supply of primers! I can't really afford that.

 

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I think that folks are apprehensive due to not knowing what brand of primer they are or who manufactures them. With "known" brands, one knows what he is spending his money on. When I spend my money, I do a little research on what I'm buying. Just because I might get a better deal on whatever product I'm buying, the money saved doesn't make up for even a small failure rate or the product...especially primers. Don't take me wrong, I have no knowledge of the primers in question. You asked a question, this is my answer/reasoning behind the apparent lack of responses to your previous post.  Rarely do I buy anything sight unseen, primers aren't any different.

I applaud you for trying to help with the primer situation, even if it doesn't help me as I'm in Florida...it helps others in your locality.

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19 minutes ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said:

 

But it occured to me if the community is so desparate for primers maybe 100 of us could come up with $1000 to buy primers.  Voila: the CAS community has 1,000,000 primers!

 


$1,000 / 1,000,000 = 1/10 of cent per primer.  Your statement was rhetorical?  If no I’m interested!

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23 minutes ago, Frybread Fred said:

Care to share a link to them?  I'm not scared!

Me neither, considering the way US manufactuerers have treated reloaders: last to get them!

I'm going to be using these exclusively, i think, just to prove a point!

They are being sold at our gun store in Columbus TX. She said this company has been in business for 50 years. I've seen them on gun dealers websites.

Check them for yourself: Servicios Aventuras.

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11 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

I think that folks are apprehensive due to not knowing what brand of primer they are or who manufactures them. With "known" brands, one knows what he is spending his money on. When I spend my money, I do a little research on what I'm buying. Just because I might get a better deal on whatever product I'm buying, the money saved doesn't make up for even a small failure rate or the product...especially primers. Don't take me wrong, I have no knowledge of the primers in question. You asked a question, this is my answer/reasoning behind the apparent lack of responses to your previous post.  Rarely do I buy anything sight unseen, primers aren't any different.

I applaud you for trying to help with the primer situation, even if it doesn't help me as I'm in Florida...it helps others in your locality.

Ah, but if one person from each state pooled money for gas and sent one person to pick them up.....

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10 minutes ago, Matthew Duncan said:


$1,000 / 1,000,000 = 1/10 of cent per primer.  Your statement was rhetorical?  If no I’m interested!

Not quite

If 100 people put up $1000 to buy 1,000,000 primers = 10 cents each.

Which is what I just paid. Seemed reasonable to me. Less than 3 times what I used to pay. Not bad, THESE days!

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1 minute ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said:

Not quite

If 100 people put up $1000 to buy 1,000,000 primers = 10 cents each.

Which is what I just paid. Seemed reasonable to me. Less than 3 times what I used to pay. Not bad, THESE days!

Ah…I understand now.

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10 minutes ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said:

Me neither, considering the way US manufactuerers have treated reloaders: last to get them!

I'm going to be using these exclusively, i think, just to prove a point!

They are being sold at our gun store in Columbus TX. She said this company has been in business for 50 years. I've seen them on gun dealers websites.

Check them for yourself: Servicios Aventuras.

 

Does your LGS ship or are they in store shopping only?

 

I'm in Columbus, OH, same city name has to count for something no?  :D

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3 minutes ago, Frybread Fred said:

 

Does your LGS ship or are they in store shopping only?

 

I'm in Columbus, OH, same city name has to count for something no?  :D

I got them from a vendor at the gun show. Seriously doubt he has a store. As for shipping....who knows?

Ask him :  mygunbuyer@gmail.com . His name is Bruce and he calls his business  Brass Lives Matter

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Frankly, I'm not willing to spend $100 per 1000 primers right now.  It's not in the budget.  I'd go half that.  I don't have a lot of primers on hand, but that's just too much.  I'll just wait and see if they come down. 

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I’ve been seeing cci,s at a local gs for $80 a thousand. Maybe there’s more out there than people are talking about. I can also see it being regional. Didn’t a bunch of members here just get federal from Natchez for $100 a thousand?
I do think people are right In their thinking that prices may never go back to what they were. Even if demand wasn’t high inflation is and continues to get worse 

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2 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

Well, don't know how many remember the trick from the former Soviet Union of folks scraping the tips off strike anywhere matches to re manufacture rimfire ammo and used primers. Sure don't want to go there.   EVERYTHING costs more since "Brandon" - Sunday I paid nearly $12 for a smallish roasting chicken, I saw a 5 serving Prime Rib for $100.  What percent has your grocery bill gone up? Gasoline, electricity, etc.  I'd wince at $100, but if it came to that I'd buy a couple of boxes. Won't be long till I need more primers if I do the necessary practice and shoot a few Sass matches.

Considering all the money we spend to play this game what is $12.00 worth of primers?? Miniscule, IMO

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1 minute ago, Buckshot Bob said:

I’ve been seeing cci,s at a local gs for $80 a thousand. Maybe there’s more out there than people are talking about. I can also see it being regional. Didn’t a bunch of members here just get federal from Natchez for $100 a thousand?
I do think people are right In their thinking that prices may never go back to what they were. Even if demand wasn’t high inflation is and continues to get worse 

Exactly! 

When I saw the prices they could be had for on Gunbroker I figured at $100 per k it was time to but fron the guy at the gun show!

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We entered a new reality much too rapidly for folks to accept it. I've found primers, powder, brass, bullets, and guns for people, but the prices are double, triple, or quadruple what they were, and clients are reluctant to pay it, blaming it on "hoarders" and "price gouging", if nothing else. If you post something like, "Anybody know where I can get [whatever]? Nobody has any in stock." Sure, I know where you can get that, for $XXX.xx per [unit]. If you want a specific brand of something, and have a specific price point you're willing to pay, you're probably going to be waiting a few years until prices either come down to your price point, or you finally accept the new reality.

 

Depending on this fall's elections, the next general election, other political factors, COVID & supply chain problems, and economic health, I don't expect things to be commonly available again until well into 2026 at least, and prices are definitely not coming down to what they were before.

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2 minutes ago, Tell Sackett SASS 18436 said:

Exactly! 

When I saw the prices they could be had for on Gunbroker I figured at $100 per k it was time to but fron the guy at the gun show!

I consider myself lucky I learned my lesson from the Obama years . When they were $35 a thousand a few years ago I’d get a brick every time I was at the lgs . And when this madness started and everything was selling out I bought a few sleeves of match primers at the old prices because that’s all that was left , and was crying to myself about paying match primer prices at about $45 if I remember correctly. Turns out I probably should have tripled my order . Live and learn 

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Did I buy primers at $35/1000? Yup. Did I recently buy them at $85/1000? Same answer!! It’s either that or stay home, not shot matches and let $4k worth of guns collect dust. Only my opinion and your mileage may vary…

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I mentioned something like this a few months ago and was laughed out of the room.  If there is a way we can get the buying power at the big box store level then maybe we could get a better price.  I’m afraid the logistics would eat heavily into that margin.

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Tell, count me in for a grand if you put this thing together.

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I would be concerned with how these primers would work with tuned revolvers. My main match guns will not set off CCI primers but do fine with Federals. I wouldn't want to buy several thousand primers that I couldn't use.

 

Hogleg

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4 minutes ago, Hogleg Hunter said:

I would be concerned with how these primers would work with tuned revolvers. My main match guns will not set off CCI primers but do fine with Federals. I wouldn't want to buy several thousand primers that I couldn't use.

 

Hogleg

It takes maybe 5 minutes per gun to swap heavier hammer springs back in.

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There are some people who for some reason think that prices will return to 30-35 dollar per thousand. But I think a lot more are a little more reasonable and hope for maybe 50 to 70 dollars or so.  They aren't ready to pay $100 yet.

 

Even at $100 a thousand a shooter is looking at less then $10 more per match. But many don't look at it that way.  If that stops them from shooting what other hobbies that cost money and haven't gone up in price are they doing?

 

I have to wonder what percentage of regular shooters who reload have left themselves so short on components?  New shooters I understand.

 

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Like Yul Lose, I’m in if you put this together. 

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4 hours ago, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said:

There are some people who for some reason think that prices will return to 30-35 dollar per thousand. But I think a lot more are a little more reasonable and hope for maybe 50 to 70 dollars or so.  They aren't ready to pay $100 yet.

 

Even at $100 a thousand a shooter is looking at less then $10 more per match. But many don't look at it that way.  If that stops them from shooting what other hobbies that cost money and haven't gone up in price are they doing?

 

I have to wonder what percentage of regular shooters who reload have left themselves so short on components?  New shooters I understand.

 

As a family we go through about 14,000 primers a year, so the price jump for us cost about $1,000 a year more than precovid. 

7 hours ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

We entered a new reality much too rapidly for folks to accept it. I've found primers, powder, brass, bullets, and guns for people, but the prices are double, triple, or quadruple what they were, and clients are reluctant to pay it, blaming it on "hoarders" and "price gouging", if nothing else. If you post something like, "Anybody know where I can get [whatever]? Nobody has any in stock." Sure, I know where you can get that, for $XXX.xx per [unit]. If you want a specific brand of something, and have a specific price point you're willing to pay, you're probably going to be waiting a few years until prices either come down to your price point, or you finally accept the new reality.

 

Depending on this fall's elections, the next general election, other political factors, COVID & supply chain problems, and economic health, I don't expect things to be commonly available again until well into 2026 at least, and prices are definitely not coming down to what they were before.

I agree. Some folks are still experiencing sticker shock. Someone posted a thread not ling ago that said “My kingdom for primers” When I pointed out that Federal primers could be purchased on GB for about .10 each there was no interest.

 

No way I’m purchasing Argentine primers at .10 each when I can get Federals for the same price.

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Good luck selling these.  For some people, this may be the best deal they can get right now, unless willing to pay the shipping fees from on line sales.  But I'm not interested in joining a group buy now.

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The problem you are having is that the reliability of the primers is an unknown.  I did a post a couple of weeks ago where I tested some ginex primers in my tuned guns.  I think to have better luck getting people to buy in you probably need to do a test with tuned guns and 1k primers and report how they perform.  Load up 1k and have ten guys shoot them at a monthly and do a post with the results.  Report how well they loaded through your machine and how they performed in a match.  You sacrifice $100 to do the test and a little time to do the report.  

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My guess is that if they were Federals, you would have seen more interest.  I know for me, if I have the choice of Federals or any other brand at the same price, I am buying Federals.  Heck, I would even pay a bit more for Federals.

 

I also believe sub $100/1K will come back and I am lucky enough to have enough on hand to wait and see.

 

Totes

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For me it's the unknown.

Are they hard like CCI?

Are they in the middle like Winchester??.

Are they just right like Federal???

 

 

 

I bought ahead so not in real bad shape YET.

Federal is showing up little by little. 

 

Not knowing for sure. And just for me not in real bad shape at this point. 

That causes me to hold off.

 

If they are as good as Federal or even Winchester?? I would probably jump on some. 

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11 hours ago, Doc Shapiro said:

Frankly, I'm not willing to spend $100 per 1000 primers right now.  It's not in the budget.  I'd go half that.  I don't have a lot of primers on hand, but that's just too much.  I'll just wait and see if they come down. 

Last December Brownell’s in store price was $75 per thousand.  

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27 minutes ago, Totes Magoats said:.

 

I also believe sub $100/1K will come back and I am lucky enough to have enough on hand to wait and see.

 

 


I’m a believing that too.  So I’ll wait for my belief to become fact as long as I can.

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Big local gun show this week end, I'll be looking for some primers among other things.  I won't buy powder except from someone I know, but don't see a problem with primers.  I'll even try some CCI if the price is right, though I found them troublesome in past days.

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