Large Rifle primer shortage?

[Sapper740]

So most of you, as have I, have probably been struggling to restock our reserves of large rifle primers. I've seen my stockpile dwindle down the last 3-4 years to the point where I have been considering reducing my trips to the range. Pretty drastic action on my part! The only large rifle primers I've seen for sale have been on Gunbroker auctions where desperate reloaders have paid ridiculous prices for them. I was perusing a national auction house when I stumbled upon an auction for the contents of a small gun store in Oklahoma that is apparently going out of business. They are auctioning off approximately 100,000 mostly large rifle primers in lots of 5,000. It begs the question, where's the shortage? If a small lgs can have 100,000 primers on hand, who knows how many the big outlets can get but don't. Is there actually a shortgage or something else working in the background? Anyway, it really chaps my hide!

[ssgross]

I personally think there is a continued shortage of LRPs, and it must be due to high demand of sending ammunition to Ukraine. Ukraine forces are likely not shooting as much 5.56 nato as they are 7.62x39.

I have seen every other type of primer, in quantity, no restrictions - My local Cabela's has been fully stocked with them all, including large rifle magnums (side note my 45-70 smokeless trapdoor loads benefit greatly from magnum primers. c/r the late Spencer Wolfe's book).

I have seen LRPs at gun shows - even in quantity - with the exorbitant prices. Sometimes I've seen them sold at a small gun store with just a few flats on the shelf at over $100 each. In either instance the packaging clearly shows they must be quite old and have been hoarded for the occasion of obtaining the high price. If I were a small store with a good supply and set the price at, say, $200 per 1k brick, it would be very difficult to move any large quantity. That gun store in OK could be at auction for many reasons - such as an owner passing etc. before he had the chance to move all his reserve product at the stupid price he was likely asking. Just my 2cents.

[RossMkIIEnjoyer]

If you guys were local, I'd sell you some. Anymore the components prices are exorbitant and even though I really enjoy reloading, it just doesn't make sense for me except for cartridges that I can't buy loaded. Factory cartridges are cheaper than the cost of good components. Looking at $500ish for 8 lbs of IMR4064. I'm afraid I'm done reloading now. Got a couple bricks of Remingtons not too far back from I think Powder Valley. They more recently had some White River Energetics? large rifle primers, too. Also seen tons of Ginex primers from Bosnia various places but I won't buy anything from Bosnia. ammoseek also has a search function where you can find components.

[GeeRam]

So most of you, as have I, have probably been struggling to restock our reserves of large rifle primers. I've seen my stockpile dwindle down the last 3-4 years to the point where I have been considering reducing my trips to the range. Pretty drastic action on my part! The only large rifle primers I've seen for sale have been on Gunbroker auctions where desperate reloaders have paid ridiculous prices for them. I was perusing a national auction house when I stumbled upon an auction for the contents of a small gun store in Oklahoma that is apparently going out of business. They are auctioning off approximately 100,000 mostly large rifle primers in lots of 5,000. It begs the question, where's the shortage? If a small lgs can have 100,000 primers on hand, who knows how many the big outlets can get but don't.

Might it be that this small shop has had a large stock from before the shortage started, and perhaps didn't have an online selling presence, and thus relied on a smaller amount of local trade, which is likely why its now gone out of business...?

[ssgross]

FYI, large rifle primers are back in stock at targetsportsusa.com, both regular and magnum.
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/larg...rs-c-2810.aspx
Free shipping, $30 hazmat fee on the case. While it's not the $34.99 a brick we were used to up till 2019, the price is very competitive - if a competitor has stock that is.

[CINDERS]

I just priced some CCI BR-4's (which are RARHS) that my wife uses in her rifles $337.14/Aud per 1000 I looked at my Federal LR Match primers I have and see I paid $95.60/Aud per 1000 some time ago.
We are all suffering especially down here and out in Western Au Berger projectiles are unobtanium with Sierra about the same, Hornady seem plentiful.

I've seen 1.5Kg containers of Trail Boss going for at one point $1200/Aud yeah we have been smashed it is fast becoming an alternate shooting regime week about and with the new FAL Act coming in West Au in March things are looking very grim for anyone remotely owning a licensed firearm as thats who they are gunning for.
I handed in my 22/250 Parker Hale 1200 it was never as good as my other PH 22/250 1200 I had but what hurt was it had a brand new barrel @400 rnd count at a cost of $1200 fitted and I got $500 for the rifle bl**dy sucks.

So spare a thought for the antopedians down under as we are copping a supply drought on most consumables regarding reloading etc in Western Aus it's even more critical for us.

"I say primers, what the hell are are they again' !!!!!

[Sapper740]

Cinders, we're just getting back up to speed on availibility of large rifle primers as evidenced by ssgross and RossMkIIEnjoyer's comments but the price hasn't come down. We're still looking at $110-$120/k with a $30.00 HazMat fee and taxes thrown in for good measure. SMK's were unavailable for awhile but it looks as if Sierra has recognized there is a huge pent up demand for their .311 174gr bullets and they are back on the shelves for $48/c. Varget too is widely available for 58.00/lb so things are good (for now) up here.

Regards, Derek

[ssgross]

Cinders, I wonder when it be more cost effective for you all to take regular vacations to come see us and shoot.

[CINDERS]

Be good to be able to go out and burn a couple of hundred rounds ssgross

[ssgross]

You're welcome in our hemisphere anytime! I might suggest the CMP talladega range as a vacation spot. https://thecmp.org/ranges/talladega-marksmanship-park/