[fprefect]

Originally Posted by BILLYBOB44

Prefect, you may be seeing a change now=check the date the thread was started=3/6/09==we hope things are getting better??

By golly you're right. But what the heck, we could all use a little optimism after all that time and I do have some small pistol primers that I need to pick up for only!! 27.95 or 3.19/tray. I really needed small magnum primers for use with H110, but it seems as long as keep the cases stuffed full (well mostly full), I seem to be able to get uniform ignition using the regulars.

But with with my luck, the next time the hammer falls I'll be buying a new revolver.

F. Prefect

[45Fan]

I can agree that the Gov is buying massive quantities of primers in the form of loaded ammo to support the GWOT. Law enforcement and retail ammo sales are taking its tool too. But back to hoarding... The hoarding started before the election last year. Now many people are selling to make a vast profit on the scarcity of primers. I object to those carpetbaggers. I cannot fault anyone who buys up primers to get them through the year. Although I feel sorry for those so afraid of Obama that they bought up a LIFETIME supply. I would say to them, have some faith that this will blow over. I stood in line two hours at the last gunshow for primers. I bought a full years supply for myself and others, at a fair price I might add, because they simply have not been available around here for months. Anyway, the hoarders do exist and they ARE now selling at a great profit on internet sites. Its just wrong to use supply and demand as an excuse to take advantage of people who supposedly shared a common sport/hobby. We should be taking care of each other.

[fprefect]

Originally Posted by 45Fan

I can agree that the Gov is buying massive quantities of primers in the form of loaded ammo to support the GWOT. Law enforcement and retail ammo sales are taking its tool too. But back to hoarding... The hoarding started before the election last year. Now many people are selling to make a vast profit on the scarcity of primers. I object to those carpetbaggers. I cannot fault anyone who buys up primers to get them through the year. Although I feel sorry for those so afraid of Obama that they bought up a LIFETIME supply. I would say to them, have some faith that this will blow over. I stood in line two hours at the last gunshow for primers. I bought a full years supply for myself and others, at a fair price I might add, because they simply have not been available around here for months. Anyway, the hoarders do exist and they ARE now selling at a great profit on internet sites. Its just wrong to use supply and demand as an excuse to take advantage of people who supposedly shared a common sport/hobby. We should be taking care of each other.

Yes, it is sad that 1 or 2% of all shooters have decided they could not sleep well at night without owning at least 25,000 primers of every size. And after all if someone in the gov wanted to shut down reloading, all they would need to remove from the market would be the primers.

But of course such a scenario is ludicrous as even IF such an action were taken, a black market would soon develop similar to what occurred with alcohol following the passage of the 18th amendment which of course was a complete disaster, costing the government millions of dollars in the days when a million dollars was actually worth something.

But for all their efforts, all these few hoarders have accomplished has been the depriving of the regular weekend shooter from participating in their sport who now cannot reload or even in some cases buy loaded ammo, with the result being a dramatic fall in the sales of other reloading components as well, hurting local retailers and ranges operators.

But I suspect one of these days a time will come when some of these hoarders will find they need a new pickup truck far worse than they need several thousand dollars worth of primers and some of these will begin to show up along with primers being imported from other countries wanting to get their fair share of the windfall profits. So thank you hoarders, and hope you are receiving just gratification from your daily fondling of the hoard.

F. Prefect

[tiberius10721]

whats really sad is we as a nation do not have the manufacturing capacity to keep up with the demand. How did we keep up with manufacturing of ammunition during WW 2 ,Korea, and Vietnam? During those wars we must have been using more ammo than we are now. Why do we only have a few factories that make primers and gunpowder? This shortage of ammunition is a major security risk for the United States and its citizens.

[fprefect]

Originally Posted by tiberius10721

whats really sad is we as a nation do not have the manufacturing capacity to keep up with the demand. How did we keep up with manufacturing of ammunition during WW 2 ,Korea, and Vietnam? During those wars we must have been using more ammo than we are now. Why do we only have a few factories that make primers and gunpowder? This shortage of ammunition is a major security risk for the United States and its citizens.

Personally I believe we have plenty of capacity, but when this hoarding started a year or two ago it could not keep up with some shooters buying enough primers for 3 lifetimes of normal shooting. I'm now able to get primers for 27.95 but that price is only for regular local shooters and customers.

I expect we will soon see primers arriving from overseas as the profit motive is very powerful. IMO, I expect to see the "shortage" end soon.

As for the military, I am sure they have contracts with all the major ammo manufacturers and probably have a stockpile that would make these amateur hoarders turn green with envy.

F. Prefect

[1hole]

"I think military and lawenforcement is buying it all up! "

Each of the three retail outlets I patronize locally tell me they get a shipment and in two days or less it's all gone.

Sooo.....you would have us suspect the local cops and military reservests are buying all the IMR/Hogdon powders and Sierra/Hornady/Barnes/Speer hunting, target and varmiting bullets and unfired Winchester/Remington cases that come in and leave the shelves bare? Can't help but wonder what you are basing that "I think..." on.


The locals say there is a rush for each shipment they get, with some folks coming long distances to grab hundreds of dollars of product, sometimes thousands of dollars worth. Maybe it is the cops and GIs but it sure don't seem logical.

[Gatekeeper]

um... I thought I saw a video posted on here recently showing Lake City making their own primers...Could be wrong

[1hole]

" How did we keep up with manufacturing of ammunition during WW 2 ,Korea, and Vietnam? During those wars we must have been using more ammo than we are now. Why do we only have a few factories that make primers and gunpowder?"

Well, part of why I don't think mil needs are much of a part of our problem is exactly the events you name.

In WWII part of the result was there was no ammo available for civilian use for a few years.

During Korea there were some shortages but the GI ammo needs were far smaller than it had been five years earlier. Military arsenals and plants were able to keep suppies up and civilian supplies were quite stable. Ditto 'Nam. And, yes, those actions required more GI ammo than now, by far so I can't believe the gov. drain has much to do with our current self-induced shortages. Meaning that now it's hoarder and frantic buyer driven and it will end.

If I were CEO of a component maker I would work extra shifts - maybe - but I would NOT buy or build more plant machinery to respond to this temp rush. As soon as things get even, the market needs will fall back to lower than "normal" levels because the hoarders will be using their own - hopefully vastly over-priced - stocks for a long time to come.