The Real Reason Behind the Primer Shortage

.223Savage

.223Savage

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I was at the local gun emporium today when I got some insight into the 'Great Primer Famine" we reloaders are living through.

The guy down the counter asks the clerk if they have small rifle primers in stock. The clerk replies yes, they have one case of 10,000 left. The guy then calls his wife to get permission to buy the whole case ( apparently she controls the purse strings in that house!!! ). She seems to have given her approval as he took the entire case proudly declaring to the clerk that that would last him at least 10 years.

I suspect that it is panic buying like this that is fueling the current ammo related component shortages. He could have bought 1000 which would have lasted him a year and also left enough to keep 9 other shooters happy for a year each.

I won't even get the whole "wife's permission" thing.
 
.223Savage said:
He could have bought 1000 which would have lasted him a year and also left enough to keep 9 other shooters happy for a year each.
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I totally disagree with you.

I don't understand this "it’s not fair" argument. It's a free market. People can buy whatever they want.

To put it delicately, if you think buying 10,000 primers is hording, you will be REALLY pissed at many of the members of this forum.
 
Like the guy that took the pic of the 800 mags he bought sitting on his living room floor. Everyone talks how we have to stick together and fight the laws etc but when it comes to hording it is ok. But as they say if you can beat them join them I guess.
 
smak_daddy said:
I totally disagree with you.

I don't understand this "it’s not fair" argument. It's a free market. People can buy whatever they want.

To put it delicately, if you think buying 10,000 primers is hording, you will be REALLY pissed at many of the members of this forum.
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Yep. I've got more than 10k in my stash. That's spread out over large rifle, magnum rifle and large pistol.

Look at it this way. When the bubble finally bursts, all of us hoarders will have our stuff and won't be buying anything. That should drive the price down for the "have not" guys.
 
its well known that the hording is causing the shortages. and when im out shopping i try to buy as much as my wallet will allow me. Why? prices don't go down on this sort of thing, and im not about to stop shooting.
 
wild1 said:
Like the guy that took the pic of the 800 mags he bought sitting on his living room floor. Everyone talks how we have to stick together and fight the laws etc but when it comes to hording it is ok. But as they say if you can beat them join them I guess.
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800 mags isnt a hoarding issue, its a mental illness - (unless of course he intends to sell them to make profit) then he's an entrepreneur!
 
A case is 5,000 not 10,000.

Not that I would ever DREAM of buying a WHOLE case(s) back when primers were a normal price! No siree, bub! That would make me a stasher.....er, horder....or something.........;):confused:


This is not the first "primer shortage" for some of us. I suggest you learn from it.
 
haha 10k... I was standing in line at one of my distributors waiting to talk to a rep a guy called up from the states took 150k primers without blinking an eye.

1000 primers last a year... they normally last me about 4 range trips thats normally 2 weeks lol...

this shortage happened in the early 90's and seems to happen about every 10 years...

I have been shooting my ar alot less now because I cant get my hands on any FMJ yet... so I have adopted the count to 5 rule before pulling the trigger again lol...
 
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Is there really a primer shortage? Large Rifle seems plentiful as long as one is willing to pay $32 per 1000.

Its the 308 brass that is the real problem. No?
 
I have one last box of 308 supplier said I got the last box coming in this year weather this is true or he just wanted to sell a box of overpriced brass to me well I will never know.
 
msg.drew said:
I have one last box of 308 supplier said I got the last box coming in this year weather this is true or he just wanted to sell a box of overpriced brass to me well I will never know.
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I'm not buying it....what he said that is. You posted that in late February or early March didn't you??? With only 2 months gone, I doubt he's able to say that with any kind of certainty.
 
I'm a primer whore. I don't intend to stand in line for my alottment like the soviets did for a$$wipe. I see a brick, I buy a brick. I don't sit on them, they quickly get dispersed to my reloading buddies who don't get to town as often as I do.
 
Last primer shortage I had about 4.5K primers [various persuasions] in stock. Once the shortage eased, I determined I would weather a future shortage in slightly better shape. So, right now, I have at least 30K in stock. Figure I would get by if I never was able to buy a primer again. Regards, Eagleye.
 
msg.drew said:
haha 10k... I was standing in line at one of my distributors waiting to talk to a rep a guy called up from the states took 150k primers without blinking an eye.

1000 primers last a year... they normally last me about 4 range trips thats normally 2 weeks lol...

this shortage happened in the early 90's and seems to happen about every 10 years...

I have been shooting my ar alot less now because I cant get my hands on any FMJ yet... so I have adopted the count to 5 rule before pulling the trigger again lol...
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X2 on this early 90's primer shortage. At the time it was blamed on the first gulf war. I believe this new and latest shortage all started again with our neighbors to the south. When Obama was elected all the fear mongers down there started to stockpile components to avoid proposed new taxes and restrictions.

I always have several years worth of components stockpiled myself... regardless of the "reloading environment".
 
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