TruStreet Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 (edited) I'm having trouble getting Zero 9mm bullets in 125/147 & primers from my local supplier. A worker there said that their supplier was hording the stuff so that they can jack the prices up. Another guy there said that it was because the price of lead, copper, & zinc has gone sky high! Anyone else have trouble finding primers & zero bullets? Edited March 30, 2007 by TruStreet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R/T Performance Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I'm having trouble getting Zero 9mm bullets in 125/147 & primers from my localsupplier. A worker there said that their supplier was hording the stuff so that they can jack the prices up. Another guy there said that it was because the price of lead, copper, & zinc has gone sky high! Anyone else have trouble finding primers & zero bullets? Don't buy Zeros but plenty of primers eventhoughtthey have increased about 3/1000 since last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 I'm having trouble getting Zero 9mm bullets in 125/147 & primers from my localsupplier. A worker there said that their supplier was hording the stuff so that they can jack the prices up. Another guy there said that it was because the price of lead, copper, & zinc has gone sky high! Anyone else have trouble finding primers & zero bullets? In another thread someone mentioned that Zero had just filled a huge order for a major ammo manufacturer and that likely caused some drop in shippments to suppliers. Primers have been hard to come by locally....they were out of almost everything for a while so I picked up an extra 5,000 when they finally got some in even though I wasn't close to being out. After a couple of weeks I noticed they were out again. I asked the manager about it and he said he'd been screaming for hazmat deliveries, but his supplier was backlogged as well. Some people have said that the war has placed such a demand for ammo that the manufacturers don't have a lot of excess production capability for delivering components. I remember something similar when the first Gulf War started...primers were really hard to come by then. I've also been told that overseas companies have been buying much of the scrap lead, copper and brass that's available. That's increased the cost of everything because they aren't recycling much into new production. I don't know, but it sure has gotten more expensive in the last year or so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 I remember the great primer shortage around the time of Gulf war I. At the time, there was not really anything resembling the internet we have now. Usenet was the way people chatted about things, and even that was very limited. I remember buying anything I could get my hands on and at the time, $15/k for pistol primers was unheard of. I was not shooting then in the same volume I am now, and now I try to keep about a 6 month stock of stuff if possible. Since I shoot 5 of the 6 divisions, I can usually shoot something if my supplies of other stuff is getting low. I've had some components for years that have gone into temporary storage as I change priorities. I tend not to get rid of things due to the fact that one day I may pick it up again. Probably the same reason I have an unfired compound bow in my garage Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vluc Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Zero recently finished a production run of 147's...just got 1K. Give Alison a call.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobocracy Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 I came looking to possibly start this thread, but since I found it I'll just add to it. Federal 150 primers became hard to come by last fall from my local dealer who said there was a nationwide shortage -- nobody had any. I found some at Powder Valley and bought 5000 and ate the hazmat fee. I had been buying 1000 at a time (I shoot maybe 200-300 rounds a week and usually loaded 1k of a given caliber at a time, so I usually have a stock of ammo around). Was at the reloading place picking up some media and looking at an AR and asked about primers -- I was told 1000 max, "because he liked me, other guys aren't getting any at all" (have bought 2 complete Dillons there in the last 3 years, plus a lot of primers, powder and bullets...). The shop is in the Twin Cities area where we have a big ATK (Federal's parent company) presence and the reloading guy says some plant workers are customers, and they say it's 24/7 + manditory overtime for them to fill DOD contracts and its using up almost all of their production capacity. I believe it -- Federal primers seem to be available nowhere, are expensive when you find them and .223 stuff seems to be REALLY hard to come by. I haven't started loading for it yet, but I suspect that finding bulk 55gr FMJs and primers will be tricky. I have about 3k 150s, 1k Win LPs and I hope that the supply loosens soon. I'll eat up those primers by the end of May pretty easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Ellis Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Stopped by my local reloading supply shop yesterday to exercise my jaw. The proprietor gave me a rundown of whats up. Federal production is maxed out for the war effort and he can't get any small pistol primers at any price. CCI small rifle primers are also hard to come by. Same reason. However on the bright side Remington and Winchester primers are available. Also Hodgdon/Winchester has released two new powders aimed at the shotshell market. One is called WAA Lite and is very fast. Comparing shotshell loading tables with Clays it appears to be a bunch faster. The other is Super Handicap and is a slow powder for those 1200 to 1300fps loads while keeping pressures down. No handgun loading data for either yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 However on the bright side Remington and Winchester primers are available. Also Hodgdon/Winchester has released two new powders aimed at the shotshell market. One is called WAA Lite and is very fast. Comparing shotshell loading tables with Clays it appears to be a bunch faster. The other is Super Handicap and is a slow powder for those 1200 to 1300fps loads while keeping pressures down. No handgun loading data for either yet. Sounds promising. Maybe there will be a domestic replacemnt for the scarce and expensive V V N-310 that produces such great .45 and 9minor loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Lewis Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Seems to be truth around Houston. I can't find match primers (Federal or CCI) anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazos SC Shooter Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I can't find Federal Small Pistol Primers in Columbus at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Hello: I guess I better buy all the Federal small pistol primers he has ;-) Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I can buy all the Winchester primers I want...for a price. My price has gone up 50% since 2000. But I pay The Man, and I gets my primers. If I shot a revo competitively, I'd be talking to BE about a new 1050 gracing my loading bench. Then you can get those turkeys in there guttentite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildman Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Zero was behind for a while, but we just got 31,000 9mm bullets last week. None of the suppliers in the Midwest have regular Federal primers, although some of the smaller shops may have some squirreled away. Federal Match primers are available at Jerry’s and Grafs. At least we are not shooting box ammo much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Part of the shortage has to do with military & training demoands. See this article: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americ...ticle314944.ece They are having to import ammo from Israel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sargenv Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Every time I see 223 ammo go up or is unavailable makes me want to spend the $600 for the corbin dies that allow me to make my own .223 bullets from .22 lr spent brass and lead wire.. I think 95-5 solder might be heavy enough Vince Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 I just moments ago dragged 1,500rds of .45ACP bullet stock into the house. We're still able to get them from Carson City... though the orders take a little longer than they used to... what with those military demands and all. And thank God I use Winchester primers... they're hard to find here in town (in boxes of 1K) but my 'smith is on the road once a week to the place where they ARE available north of here, so I have primers on the way. Whatta hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1911user Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 (edited) Federal primers are still scarce, but 223 FMJ is coming back into stock lately. Hornady has been shipping lots of them to the internet dealers. Winchester and CCI primers seem to be mostly available. Local stores here are still low or out of many reloading components. Hit the usual internet suspects if you need something now. Edited May 4, 2007 by 1911user Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisStock Posted May 4, 2007 Share Posted May 4, 2007 Interesting... I have all of the Federal and Winchester small pistol primers I can stand. Sitting on 5K that I picked up this week, and there were tons more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Ellis Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Did a driveby of my local reloading shop yesterday to see what the latest poop was. As his supplier stated, Federal small pistol will be in short supply for the rest of the year. CCI and to a lessor extent Remington small rifle primers will sometimes be out of stock. Winchesters are available anytime I want. Lead shot has skyrocketed. Last October the trap club did a bulk buy with a minimum 2 ton order. Price then was $18.50 a bag. Now it's $28.00 a bag and I've seen increases to $30.00 a bag. Also our LEOs are concerned that their ammunition needs may not be fullfilled. http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7481052.html Hang in there. We'll get through this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoterbeast Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 Was able to get 8m Federal 150's other day - but was everything my supplier had which was everything his supplier had! Tells me Federal and CCI owned by same company that has big military quota to fill - He not having much trouble with WW but Federal's are impossible to get and may be like that for awhile. If you find them and need the Fed's (especially you revolver guys) better scarf them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 (edited) This isn't an accusation, but merely a question. Are we as shooters contributing to the "real or perceived" shortage by buying all we can get our hands on when we find them? I'm not talking about the guy that buys 5000 and shoots two or three times that a year, but perhaps someone who buys up 50,000 (exaggerated number) so he won't run out. I'm sure the military is scarfing up most of the supply, but it would be a shame if we compounded the shortage by our actions. And BTW, I have 2k fed sm pistol, 3k fed large pistol, and 3k of winchester small rifle primers right now. I'd like to have more, these won't last long. But as Mr. Ellis said, "....we'll get through this." FWIW dj Edited May 17, 2007 by dajarrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 The last gun show WLP were $92.50, my checkbook program listed my last purchase as $77.50 last year. These were from Miwall who started the weekend with about 100,000 but were down to 20,000 on Sunday. This is not an IPSC area so they are probably going into 44's & up, with the 45 Colt a big carry tool for ranchers. Last weekend's trip to Missoula found a few Federal small pistol primers but no large pistol primers including Magnum. The next time I find some I will buy all they have regardless of the amount. I am using some 20 year old CCI's for practice rounds and none have failed to ignite yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gose Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 This isn't an accusation, but merely a question. Are we as shooters contributing to the "real or perceived" shortage by buying all we can get our hands on when we find them? I'm not talking about the guy that buys 5000 and shoots two or three times that a year, but perhaps someone who buys up 50,000 (exaggerated number) so he won't run out. I'm sure the military is scarfing up most of the supply, but it would be a shame if we compounded the shortage by our actions. And BTW, I have 2k fed sm pistol, 3k fed large pistol, and 3k of winchester small rifle primers right now. I'd like to have more, these won't last long. But as Mr. Ellis said, "....we'll get through this." FWIW dj Guilty... I shoot maybe 20k rounds/year, but I've hoarded enough to last me at least a year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 "I'm sure the military is scarfing up most of the supply, but it would be a shame if we compounded the shortage by our actions." I seriously doubt that my extensive search for (and subsequent purchase of) a mere 2,000rds of hard-to-find WLPs are going to make a crisis-level dent in the global supply. I would've bought that many any day at any time. I'm convinced it's the so-called 'war effort' that's shorting us. The price of lead (on the metals market) continues to creep up... at $1,972/ton on 4/25/07 up to $2,082/ton on 5/8/07 (difference of $110/ton), with closing prices after that consistently in the $2060's and $2070's... Yesterday's close was $2,062--off a little (as were other metals slightly as well). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 (edited) Well, My intentions were to spark thought, not to step on toes. My apologies if I have done so. dj Edited May 18, 2007 by dajarrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now