Primers in stock, prices going back up

[ballman6711]

I find it interesting, funny even (but not comical) how prices vary from location to location, and store to store.

For example, here in my part of WV primers are around $100/1K, and powder is anywhere from $35 to $55 or so per pound. I was in Ohio over the Thanksgiving weekend, and primers were about the same, but powder was cheaper by a good bit.

Availability is kind of interesting too.

chris

 

[9mmepiphany]

It’s just a difference in our shooting habits and lifestyles.

That is likely true. Loading for handguns and using an average of 4.0 grs per cartridge, 8lbs won't even get me through a year of shooting. I don't want to even think about how much powder I'd have to keep on hand loading 25grs per cartridge

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Guess I'm a tweener, I buy 4 or 8 lb jugs and go home and fill up my 1lb empty bottles. They are like potato chip bags, If I fill the bottles up I only get 6 1/2 bottles. But they're a lot easier to handle then a jug.

Our SW just got some powder in and it did go up in price. I haven't checked on primers since they went up. They are higher than what I will pay right now.
I did pick up a 4lb bottle of Win 244 for $120.00 and 4) 1lb bottles for $30,00 a bottle, not bad.
Power Pistol was $179,99 for a 4 lb jug. $45 bucks a pound. Yikes. Guess I better get used to it.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

That is likely true. Loading for handguns and using an average of 4.0 grs per cartridge, 8lbs won't even get me through a year of shooting. I don't want to even think about how much powder I'd have to keep on hand loading 25grs per cartridge

Yeah, I’m shooting a tenth of that or less - around 1,000/yr vs 14-15,000/yr - and I’m shooting a wide variety of cartridges - from .32Long squirrel loads (1.7gr Bullseye) up through .44Mag deer loads (24gr 2400). But that’s also why some of us hunters like having a wide variety of powders for a variety of use applications. And that’s how shortages of one brand of powder can be a problem for one group and ignored by others. I really don’t care that Trail Boss is gone - not my thing - but I feel bad for the folks who relied on it and are now scrambling for a replacement.

 

[anothernewb]

saw an announcement that the big makers are increasing prices 10-20% this next year. everything is going up. Except my available cash.

 

[9mmepiphany]

saw an announcement that the big makers are increasing prices 10-20% this next year. everything is going up. Except my available cash.

Unless you can produce a citation, repeating things you've read is often how shortages/runs get started

The notice, which I've independently seen, was 1 -7%. This was posted in Post #59.

Except Alliant which is going up 10%...can you guess my second favorite manufacturer?

 

[9mmepiphany]

Guess I'm a tweener, I buy 4 or 8 lb jugs and go home and fill up my 1lb empty bottles. They are like potato chip bags, If I fill the bottles up I only get 6 1/2 bottles. But they're a lot easier to handle then a jug.

1lb bottles are easier to handle and I do use ones that I've acquired in trades

I did pick up a 4lb bottle of Win 244 for $120.00 and 4) 1lb bottles for $30,00 a bottle, not bad.

That's pretty good. I've often found that vendors will charge more for 1lb bottles than, per pound, for 4lb or 8lb jugs...maybe it's just Midway

I got into some Win 244 when Graf was running a Clearance, in June, with free Shipping and HazMat (which I hadn't seen in forever) and bought six 1lb bottles at $25/lb. After adding in local tax, it was still under $27/lb

 

[Jim Watson]

the new black Winchesters spp which won't run through my priming systems on my progressive presses,

The Black Winchester Small Pistol I got from Academy handle normally in my Dillon 550, at least the ones that came in mail-order. Now I will have to try some of the different lot number from the store. Then I will have to see if they all go off.

ETA The mail-order Black WSP fired in two guns.

 

[Steve Milbocker]

Stopped at a shop known for good prices in SW Michigan this morning. All primers for metallic cartridges were 89.95/1000.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I will try to find time this weekend to stop by Micanopy and see what they are asking for LPP and SRP. This seem to be the bell-weathers. The last time I was there Remington 1-1/2’s were $70/brick. I didn’t get any. Maybe I should have.

 

[westernrover]

About two weeks ago, I went to Sportsmans Warehouse. Online, it showed they had Federal 200M (Small Pistol Magnum Match) for ~$10/box and they were in stock at the particular store I was going to. I was going to buy a couple boxes. I have crates of SP, but I wanted a few SPM for certain powders I have. I asked at the gun counter for primers, and the man handed me a brick. I was going to say I only wanted a couple boxes, but then I saw a price tag $79.95. I just said, "not bad" and took it to the cashier. The cashier who was new had trouble ringing it up. The barcode on the brick wasn't in the inventory to ring up. A manager came over and struggled with it for a few minutes. Then she recalled something she had evidently been told. She had to scan the boxes, not the brick. The boxes scanned and 10 totaled up to something like $108 (as advertised). I pointed to the price tag on the brick and the manager adjusted my total. It's still twice what I paid for the ones I usually shoot, but it's the best I've seen for many years now. I don't expect to get more of those at that price now. I am still hoping to pick up a couple bricks of US-made #41 for no more than 8 cents per primer. I see them available for now (plus shipping/hazmat), but I'm hoping to get them locally. I don't think there is a chance they will go lower sooner than after the election next year and that depends on how it goes.

 

[rperyam]

The cashier who was new had trouble ringing it up. The barcode on the brick wasn't in the inventory to ring up. A manager came over and struggled with it for a few minutes. Then she recalled something she had evidently been told. She had to scan the boxes, not the brick.

A couple of weeks ago we were visiting our daughter and her family in Reno. We stopped by their Sportsman’s Warehouse to check on primer prices. The Fiocchi 150 packs of SPP primers were $8.99 so in asked for two bricks. The guy behind the gun counter said to take them up front. Same as you, the lady needed to scan the trays. Unlike you, she pulled out two trays and dropped them. Most of one tray and part of the other one went flying out all over the counter and floor. My grandsons helped us pick up most of them, actually only 4 short. She said the gun counter guys were supposed to tape each one shut so that wouldn’t happen. I know they do at my local SW when I buy them. Life happens.

 

[film495]

I bought a brick of CCI 500 SPP at my LGS yesterday. Usually try to get online, but not paying the hazmat fee made it a good enough deal for me in real time. Still about 10 cents each.

 

[Yamifrk]

Lgs by me had 3 different brands of large rifle primers. Federal, cci and Winchester. Plus small and large pistol both standard and magnum. Best selection I’ve seen in awhile. Not cheap though 11 cents apiece. Also had varget but at $60 a pound I passed.

 

[Pottimus]

$80/1000 seems to be my lowest locally, and I will pay it. 15 years ago I got used to paying $50. Why? Because I got used to not ever seeing any...good news, I could find as many as I wanted 6 years ago for $35. I would like to see things change again.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

The gun club I belong to has Remington primers now and I can get them for $80.00 a brick. I bought another brick of small pistol primers two days ago.
I guess that the best deal I can get right now. SW in my area are $10.00 brick more right now.

 

[Savage30L]

Yet again, yesterday, I saw on the web that our local Cabela's lists Federal Large Rifle Primers as "in stock" at the Lexington store. So I called the firearms desk, and once again, they are in fact not in stock.

The last time I was actually able to buy any brand of LRP locally, was April of 2020.

 

[JmacD]

I could find as many as I wanted 6 years ago for $35.

I’ll have 20k of all the ones I use as fast as I can when if/when we hit that again.
Price’s sound about like I’m seeing.