Primers in stock, prices going back up

[rperyam]

I have been buying pistol primers, both large and small at our local Sportsman’s Warehouse for the past year or so with very little interruptions. For a while I was limited to 200 at a time, but with my wife with me we got enough to keep me busy. Then they opened it up to 1000 at a time and I started buying more. The price was OK, not great at $5.99 per hundred and then the Fiocchi 150 pack started to show up at $8.99 per tray, still at 6 cents each. This has been going on at least since summer and they usually had what I needed in stock. When looking on line these looked pretty good price wise plus no shipping or haz mat fees.

I went in to buy some N320 powder the other day and they had about 50 bricks of the Fiocchi small primers in the case so I grabbed one. The price kept coming up $10.99 instead of $8.99. When we got the manager to come over he said the price was $10.99. I showed him the price tag and he finally sold them to me at $8.99 but immediately went over and ripped the price tag off the shelf. He asked the clerk “who failed to do their job correctly, that was their Black Friday price and it should have been taken down then”. I tried to tell him that had been their price for months, he told me I was wrong.

I went back yesterday to get some fishing stuff for Christmas presents and walked by the locked cases of ammo, powder and primers. The Fiocchi were now $10.99 and the CCI, Winchester, Federal and Remington primers were now marked $6.99. That’s a $20.00 jump for Fiocchi and a $10.00 jump for the other brands if you buy a brick. Is everyone else seeing a price jump or is it just our local manager bumping up prices?

 

[Palladan44]

I saw the same, but here's why I'm not really that worried...... there's a bunch stocked up, and it's all just sitting there not really being bought. This was at a Cabelas....of course.

 

[Bearded Phil]

I have been buying pistol primers, both large and small at our local Sportsman’s Warehouse for the past year or so with very little interruptions. For a while I was limited to 200 at a time, but with my wife with me we got enough to keep me busy. Then they opened it up to 1000 at a time and I started buying more. The price was OK, not great at $5.99 per hundred and then the Fiocchi 150 pack started to show up at $8.99 per tray, still at 6 cents each. This has been going on at least since summer and they usually had what I needed in stock. When looking on line these looked pretty good price wise plus no shipping or haz mat fees.

I went in to buy some N320 powder the other day and they had about 50 bricks of the Fiocchi small primers in the case so I grabbed one. The price kept coming up $10.99 instead of $8.99. When we got the manager to come over he said the price was $10.99. I showed him the price tag and he finally sold them to me at $8.99 but immediately went over and ripped the price tag off the shelf. He asked the clerk “who failed to do their job correctly, that was their Black Friday price and it should have been taken down then”. I tried to tell him that had been their price for months, he told me I was wrong.

I went back yesterday to get some fishing stuff for Christmas presents and walked by the locked cases of ammo, powder and primers. The Fiocchi were now $10.99 and the CCI, Winchester, Federal and Remington primers were now marked $6.99. That’s a $20.00 jump for Fiocchi and a $10.00 jump for the other brands if you buy a brick. Is everyone else seeing a price jump or is it just our local manager bumping up prices?

I made a thread about this a few weeks back. Sportsmans all over the country increased their primer prices by 25%.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I have been buying pistol primers, both large and small at our local Sportsman’s Warehouse for the past year or so with very little interruptions. For a while I was limited to 200 at a time, but with my wife with me we got enough to keep me busy. Then they opened it up to 1000 at a time and I started buying more. The price was OK, not great at $5.99 per hundred and then the Fiocchi 150 pack started to show up at $8.99 per tray, still at 6 cents each. This has been going on at least since summer and they usually had what I needed in stock. When looking on line these looked pretty good price wise plus no shipping or haz mat fees.

I went in to buy some N320 powder the other day and they had about 50 bricks of the Fiocchi small primers in the case so I grabbed one. The price kept coming up $10.99 instead of $8.99. When we got the manager to come over he said the price was $10.99. I showed him the price tag and he finally sold them to me at $8.99 but immediately went over and ripped the price tag off the shelf. He asked the clerk “who failed to do their job correctly, that was their Black Friday price and it should have been taken down then”. I tried to tell him that had been their price for months, he told me I was wrong.

I went back yesterday to get some fishing stuff for Christmas presents and walked by the locked cases of ammo, powder and primers. The Fiocchi were now $10.99 and the CCI, Winchester, Federal and Remington primers were now marked $6.99. That’s a $20.00 jump for Fiocchi and a $10.00 jump for the other brands if you buy a brick. Is everyone else seeing a price jump or is it just our local manager bumping up prices?

I haven’t seen prices that low since the plandemic.

 

[Palladan44]

Another thought is just the overall retail outdoor business is maybe hurting in general..... Gander Mountain gouged horrifically before going under.

 

[Zendude]

Online prices on primers seem to be all over the place and always bouncing up and down.

 

[Alex Clayton]

I have been buying pistol primers, both large and small at our local Sportsman’s Warehouse for the past year or so with very little interruptions. For a while I was limited to 200 at a time, but with my wife with me we got enough to keep me busy. Then they opened it up to 1000 at a time and I started buying more. The price was OK, not great at $5.99 per hundred and then the Fiocchi 150 pack started to show up at $8.99 per tray, still at 6 cents each. This has been going on at least since summer and they usually had what I needed in stock. When looking on line these looked pretty good price wise plus no shipping or haz mat fees.

I went in to buy some N320 powder the other day and they had about 50 bricks of the Fiocchi small primers in the case so I grabbed one. The price kept coming up $10.99 instead of $8.99. When we got the manager to come over he said the price was $10.99. I showed him the price tag and he finally sold them to me at $8.99 but immediately went over and ripped the price tag off the shelf. He asked the clerk “who failed to do their job correctly, that was their Black Friday price and it should have been taken down then”. I tried to tell him that had been their price for months, he told me I was wrong.

I went back yesterday to get some fishing stuff for Christmas presents and walked by the locked cases of ammo, powder and primers. The Fiocchi were now $10.99 and the CCI, Winchester, Federal and Remington primers were now marked $6.99. That’s a $20.00 jump for Fiocchi and a $10.00 jump for the other brands if you buy a brick. Is everyone else seeing a price jump or is it just our local manager bumping up prices?

Sadly yes they are coming back but, most shooters seem to not see the price of everything is no longer what it was a short time ago. Inflation is real, many do not want to hear the reason we have it but, nothing is going to stay the same price while we have this kind of inflation.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Sadly yes they are coming back but, most shooters seem to not see the price of everything is no longer what it was a short time ago. Inflation is real, many do not want to hear the reason we have it but, nothing is going to stay the same price while we have this kind of inflation.

And yet, whenever I mention the post bicentennial malaise I get blank stares and raucous denial in response. How quickly people forget…

 

[9mmepiphany]

That’s a $20.00 jump for Fiocchi and a $10.00 jump for the other brands if you buy a brick. Is everyone else seeing a price jump or is it just our local manager bumping up prices?

It's not your local manager, it is just the company making a market correction.
Seems like they went a little overboard on the Fiocchi, but that was likely based on demand (too popular). The price on the "name" brands is pretty much in line with the market...imported SPP seem to be going for about $10 less per thousand

 

[Show Me]

I have been buying pistol primers, both large and small at our local Sportsman’s Warehouse for the past year or so with very little interruptions. For a while I was limited to 200 at a time, but with my wife with me we got enough to keep me busy. Then they opened it up to 1000 at a time and I started buying more. The price was OK, not great at $5.99 per hundred and then the Fiocchi 150 pack started to show up at $8.99 per tray, still at 6 cents each. This has been going on at least since summer and they usually had what I needed in stock. When looking on line these looked pretty good price wise plus no shipping or haz mat fees.

I went in to buy some N320 powder the other day and they had about 50 bricks of the Fiocchi small primers in the case so I grabbed one. The price kept coming up $10.99 instead of $8.99. When we got the manager to come over he said the price was $10.99. I showed him the price tag and he finally sold them to me at $8.99 but immediately went over and ripped the price tag off the shelf. He asked the clerk “who failed to do their job correctly, that was their Black Friday price and it should have been taken down then”. I tried to tell him that had been their price for months, he told me I was wrong.

I went back yesterday to get some fishing stuff for Christmas presents and walked by the locked cases of ammo, powder and primers. The Fiocchi were now $10.99 and the CCI, Winchester, Federal and Remington primers were now marked $6.99. That’s a $20.00 jump for Fiocchi and a $10.00 jump for the other brands if you buy a brick. Is everyone else seeing a price jump or is it just our local manager bumping up prices?

That guy was working at the shoe store three months ago

 

[lightman]

I've actually seen cheaper prices in the last several weeks than before the start of the pandemic.

 

[Alex Clayton]

I've actually seen cheaper prices in the last several weeks than before the start of the pandemic.

Supply chain is finally catching up but, many still expect to see them come back to what they were several years ago and just not going to happen. Inflation effects everything. This last panic shows people that they should lay in a good supply while they can. Something always comes along to set off another panic and primers always seem to be the last thing to finally come back.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Prices were stating to come down until the announcement of our primer companies being sold to the guy in czecholslavakia started another panic buy.

 

[9mmepiphany]

...many still expect to see them come back to what they were several years ago and just not going to happen. Inflation effects everything.

Everyone has to set their own threshold of price tolerance...if you set it too low, you can easily be caught out by the bounce back

My personal limit is $60/k, including shipping and HazMat...for the primers that I'll use...anything lower than that is just gravy . I tend to buy 10k at a time, but if I saw they for $50/k, I'd likely pick up 50k

 

[Theinkman]

Still not able to find LR primers at any price.

 

[nick22]

Still not able to find LR primers at any price.

Bruno's has had them recently

 

[JEBruns]

Bruno's has had them recently

Yep. I bought 5k of them from Bruno's 3-4 weeks ago. CCI's. $89 per K, delivered. I'm not buying "normal" primers for that kind of money, but LR's are hard to come by.

 

[Savage30L]

I haven't seen Large Rifle primers here locally since spring of 2019. Periodically the web sites of Cabela's and Sportsman's Warehouse will show them in stock locally....but I've learned to call first, to confirm, and invariably I get the response that the web site is mistaken, and that LR primers are not in stock.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I haven't seen Large Rifle primers here locally since spring of 2019. Periodically the web sites of Cabela's and Sportsman's Warehouse will show them in stock locally....but I've learned to call first, to confirm, and invariably I get the response that the web site is mistaken, and that LR primers are not in stock.

Several years ago pretty sure I posted here my story of being in a Cabela’s and testing their website’s online inventory feature. As I was standing next to the department manager and looking at an empty shelf where primers should be, I showed him my phone. Website indicated primers were in stock. I said I drove 30 miles to get here and he could only shrug when I asked ”does that mean they’re being pushed around in someone‘s cart right now?”

 

[Charlie98]

A few factors...

Everything is getting more expensive... costs have gone up through the entire supply and manufacturing chain... all the way to the product setting on the store shelf.

Demand is growing, again, as we head into another election cycle. You can set your watch to it. Further exasperated by recent shootings, and the idiotic, knee-jerk call for more Gun Control.

Hornady lost it's primer plant, and the global demand for small arms ammos has very likely drawn down production for consumer products.


I've seen this in my industry (swimming pool equipment and service.) There is one big manufacturer that has raised their wholesale prices nearly 100%, incrementally, in the past 3 years. I now pay wholesale for what I used to charge for that item, installed, with sales tax. I think some of it boils down to supply and demand... they can raise prices to accommodate any future shortage or small price variations without having to micromanage wholesale or retail costs... it all averages out in the end, for them. As far as primers and other reloading components, the market has been absolute chaos for the past 4+ years, I think they are trying to mitigate the potential profit loss now, and it's not like they don't sell everything on the shelf, anyway.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Everyone has to set their own threshold of price tolerance...if you set it too low, you can easily be caught out by the bounce back

My personal limit is $60/k, including shipping and HazMat...for the primers that I'll use...anything lower than that is just gravy . I tend to buy 10k at a time, but if I saw they for $50/k, I'd likely pick up 50k

You mean you won’t buy if the price is over that? Regardless?

Sounds like me after I sold an old corvette several years ago. My plan was to buy a new ZR-1 to replace it.

But, I refused to pay the astronomical markup for that model—even higher than for a Z06. And I would never lower my standard and get a less expensive model.

To this day I have held fast to my principles!

Wanna see a picture of my empty driveway?

But as for primer costs, even expensive ones produce ammunition less expensive than factory. And, if I’m going to shoot, I need ammo.

 

[Charlie98]

And, if I’m going to shoot, I need ammo.

That.

These threads keep popping up about the costs of reloading components, and to a lesser extent... ammos. I suppose we could go back and search for 'OMG! The cost of powder is over $20/lb!!!' from back in the 2000's. In our current economic environment, EVERYTHING is costing more... some things are 'more' more, some are 'less' more... it is what it is.

 

[Bristol Mt.Man]

I was reloading the other day, some .270s with SSTs, my favorite deer load. I noticed the primers I were using were WLRs and came from a box of 1000. Not sure how old these were, but the price on the box, for 1000 mind you, was $14.81. I know I bought them new, but can't remember when. Thought you guys mite get a chuckle out of this.

 

[Howa 9700]

Was in Graf's retail store yesterday. Was looking at the shelves behind the counter where the small stash of primers have been for past few years. Clerk asked what I needed and I said a brick of SPP. He said they were behind me. So walk down an aisle and there was about a 5 foot section of aisle that had 3 or 4 shelves of primers stacked from floor to chest high. Every type you can imagine (EXCEPT LR). No limit. Prices were what they were.

All in all, a much better condition than a year or so back when there were only a box of two behind the counter and a one sleeve (100 primers) limit. I grabbed my brick and left. No chucking rocks for me.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

A few factors...

Everything is getting more expensive... costs have gone up through the entire supply and manufacturing chain... all the way to the product setting on the store shelf.

Demand is growing, again, as we head into another election cycle. You can set your watch to it. Further exasperated by recent shootings, and the idiotic, knee-jerk call for more Gun Control.

Hornady lost it's primer plant, and the global demand for small arms ammos has very likely drawn down production for consumer products.


I've seen this in my industry (swimming pool equipment and service.) There is one big manufacturer that has raised their wholesale prices nearly 100%, incrementally, in the past 3 years. I now pay wholesale for what I used to charge for that item, installed, with sales tax. I think some of it boils down to supply and demand... they can raise prices to accommodate any future shortage or small price variations without having to micromanage wholesale or retail costs... it all averages out in the end, for them. As far as primers and other reloading components, the market has been absolute chaos for the past 4+ years, I think they are trying to mitigate the potential profit loss now, and it's not like they don't sell everything on the shelf, anyway.

I’m a programmer. You would faint if you knew how much an Enterprise-class server costs now. And my employer buys new servers for upgrades every year by the semi load.