So who's still taking primer orders?

[jasmap]

I've got backorders with Grafs and Cabelas both. I found a buddy who sold me a sleeve locally and I have a few at home also so I may cancel one of the orders.....probably the more expensive order.

[jmaass]

This is all true, but the fact remains that someone should be stepping up to fill the orders. Why aren't they?

It takes time to build production lines and/or new factories, and to hire/train peopel to operate them.

I forget who it was off the top, but one of the major producers announced that they were building a new production facility to catch up on new military orders. They were already running at full capacity, and subcontrcting all the capacity they could get from other producers.

New factories don't arrive pre-constructed from the UPS truck!

[h2osport]

This is all true, but the fact remains that someone should be stepping up to fill the orders. Why aren't they?

It takes time to build production lines and/or new factories, and to hire/train peopel to operate them.

I forget who it was off the top, but one of the major producers announced that they were building a new production facility to catch up on new military orders. They were already running at full capacity, and subcontrcting all the capacity they could get from other producers.

New factories don't arrive pre-constructed from the UPS truck!

I do know that manufacturers devote a certain amount of time building primers for Military. I just heard a couple of days ago that CCI was adding another day to the Civilian market, and dropping a day from the Military market. Apparently they were running 4 days a week military, and 1 day a week civilian. Now they should be 3 days a week mil and 2 days civ. Doubling the amount of time devoted to civilian production should help them catch up a bit.

Randy

[jmorris]

This is all true, but the fact remains that someone should be stepping up to fill the orders. Why aren't they?

I didn’t get my degree in economics but if I can make twice as much money and change nothing that’s a win/win. If I can spend millions changing production to fill orders and keep prices low all the while lowering demand (no need to hoard if they are everywhere) then watch the millions I invested in equipment gather dust, I’d call that a loose/loose.

[njl]

This is all true, but the fact remains that someone should be stepping up to fill the orders. Why aren't they?

I didn’t get my degree in economics but if I can make twice as much money and change nothing that’s a win/win. If I can spend millions changing production to fill orders and keep prices low all the while lowering demand (no need to hoard if they are everywhere) then watch the millions I invested in equipment gather dust, I’d call that a loose/loose.

OTOH, there are millions of primers on back-order right now. If some company were to step up and fill that demand (or just part of it) faster than the competition, they could instantly pick up a huge amount of business. How long the increased demand would last and if it would pay for the investments necessary to setup production facilities, I don't know.

Anyway, this thread has drifted well off the original topic. I take it nobody knows of a place like Grafs or Powder Valley that has reasonable prices, larger sized (4-8lb) powder, and is accepting primer back-orders?

[h2osport]

Try Midsouth Shooter Supply. I believe they take backorders. They show CCI small pistol primers expected in 6/1/09. They sell powders in the larger quantities as well.

Randy

[moverfive]

All this talk about a company ramping up production, building new capacity, and etc.......I don't think is reality. I would bet money that usage of primers in the civilian market hasn't increased. All that has changed is that everyone is trying to buy a "lifetime" supply in a relatively short time frame. What we are going through now is not much different than what we experienced around '93. And if I remember correctly, many of the primer manufacturers had ramped up production only to get a little burned because they soon were carrying too much inventory....again, if memory serves me correctly.

So I suspect that these same manufacturers realize that usage hasn't changed, only demand. Therefore they are going to keep manufacturing at forecasted usage levels.....even if that means they are not meeting current demand as they will have met the long-term demand.

Just take this experience and remember......always keep yourselves stocked up going forward. You don't have to buy tens of thousands at a time, just slowly build up over time. Many of you will be talking about 2008/2009 similar to how some will also be talking about 1993.

[LPatterson]

Local Scheel's has CCI shotshell primers back in stock (25,000) and Winchester (5,000) Big R had about 50,000 Hornady .223 so it looks like some supply has caught up to demand.

[jmaass]

All this talk about a company ramping up production, building new capacity, and etc.......I don't think is reality. I would bet money that usage of primers in the civilian market hasn't increased. All that has changed is that everyone is trying to buy a "lifetime" supply in a relatively short time frame. What we are going through now is not much different than what we experienced around '93. And if I remember correctly, many of the primer manufacturers had ramped up production only to get a little burned because they soon were carrying too much inventory....again, if memory serves me correctly.

The civilian demand is not the issue. Government contracts are the issue. See: Summary Posting Elswhere

Aliant Techsystems (ATK) is ATK is Speer, CCI, Federal, Alliant powder, CCI & Federal primers, Speer bullets. General Dynamics is partnered with Olin (Winchester).

Together, they are currently making 1.2 billion rounds a year for this government contract, ramping up 300 million additional each year until they top out at 2 billion rounds a year.

Yes, the consumer shooter has reacted to shortages by emptying the shelves of reloading components and ammunition. Re-filling them is a function of existing production capability and demands from "preferred customers" with contracts.

[Boats]

Cabellas delivered Lg Pistol Remington 2 1/2 to me in about 3 weeks. Last I bought localy before the shortage was about 23 bucks/1000. From Cabelas they were 30.99 x 2 boxes plys 10 bucks shipping and 20 bucks haz fee. Over 90 bucks for 2000 primers, Nickel a round just for the primer. add a Dime for .45 cast bullets and a few cents for powder it's a 17 cent round. Still half of factory price.

I could get mad but on my way to a match, what with entry fees two nights hotel meals and 500 miles round trip with 2 dollar gas. 350 rounds at 17 cents is not a lot in the overall.

Boats

[The_Vigilante]

On April 30 I placed a backorder for 5000 Win SP primers. While checking the various forums I subscribe to I noticed that a lot of Federal primers have been shipping as opposed to Winchester, etc. On May 8 I sent an email to Graf's requesting that they substitute Federal SP primers for the Winchester. This morning I gave them a call to see if they had completed the substitution. I was advised that they had a case of Federal waiting for me if I still wanted them-of course I replied yes. So it seems that Federal is getting out the primers to the retailers as opposed to the other manufacturers. I still have backorders pending with Cabela's and Powder Valley.

[Kingman]

Saturday I stopped by a local store and they had some in stock. They had about 2k federal small pistol, 6k federal large pistol and about 5k federal large rifle.

I of course bought up the 2k federal small pistols then and there.

[dleat]

A store in the Kalamazoo area has Federal SP primers in stock and will sell 1k per day to any single customer. I have had a 5k Win. sp backorder from Cabela`s since March. I had to call to prevent a cancellation but now will ride the backorder out untill delivered. I bought 30,000 Fed sp primers about a year ago for my revolvers so I can get by on those for my nines if I have to. This will settle out in a few months but is very rough on those who want to start reloading.

[The Antichrome]

Tales from the primer hunt:

I have primers on backorder from 3 different places at the moment.

I also have email alerts set for some places that wont backorder (midway)

I've been getting occasional notices that they're back in stock at midway for a few days now...by the time I click to midways site...they're gone.

I went to my local indoor match tonight and lo-and-behold, the shop has a rack full of fed sp.

Of course they were pricey, and they have a limit of 1k per customer.

Of course I bought some anyway. I also just got some from 3rd generation supply.

[jodus]

gonna use the last of my primers this weekend then the summer is probably not gonna be as fun as it should be, my own fault for not thinking ahead

[feenz]

I've got backorders with Grafs and Cabelas both. I found a buddy who sold me a sleeve locally and I have a few at home also so I may cancel one of the orders.....probably the more expensive order.

BASTAGE! Those were for me!

[D. Manley]

With things such as they are, I'm not a comfortable with my 6-month or so supply as I used to be. I have some B/O with Cabelas and AFAIK, they are still taking orders.

[Lee King]

For what it's worth, Grafs just started taking back orders again yesterday. Put mine in. We'll see how it pans out.

[EricBudd]

T&T Reloading has primers but they are only selling 1000 at a time so everyone can keep reloading. Probably isn't worth the hazmat fee if you aren't local but if you need powder as well it might be an option.

Eric Budd

[raz-0]

The civilian demand is not the issue. Government contracts are the issue. See: Summary Posting Elswhere

Aliant Techsystems (ATK) is ATK is Speer, CCI, Federal, Alliant powder, CCI & Federal primers, Speer bullets. General Dynamics is partnered with Olin (Winchester).

Together, they are currently making 1.2 billion rounds a year for this government contract, ramping up 300 million additional each year until they top out at 2 billion rounds a year.

Yes, the consumer shooter has reacted to shortages by emptying the shelves of reloading components and ammunition. Re-filling them is a function of existing production capability and demands from "preferred customers" with contracts.

Civilian demand is not the issues?

In December alone, over 1.5 billion rounds of ammunition were sold to civilians. Civilian consumption is putting a serious hurt on the supply chain, and nobody wants to build out for demand because they rightly attribute it to temporary hoarding.

On the good news side, as stated in the thread, CCI and federal seem to be getting more inventory out the door, I believe fiocci is supposed to start importing primers, and wolf is supposed to be getting caught up a bit on their backlog over the summer.

[njl]

Some of you have probably noticed, Grafs had some primers listed as in stock recently and has started accepting backorders again. I put in an order for primers and powders.

[jasmap]

Well hopefully I helped someone in need out today. I had a sleeve on backorder with Cabelas and I cancelled the order today. I found some and didn't need the Cabelas order.

[SavageMOA]

There's a relatively large gun shop here in Mississippi called Van's. I went there last week and they had (no kidding) around 50,000 each of Federal SP, LP, SR, LR.

[bigstick0000]

At the last gun show here in colorado springs, last weekend, primers were being sold, per thousand, anywhere from $45.00 all the way up to $125.00 per thousand. Say what you will, but when hurricane hugo came through mrytle beach, the Governor gave us orders to arrest anyone that was price gouging. That pretty much is what I would call 1k of primers for $125.00.

[fayetteflash]

I spoke with a friend at Winchester and he said that they were running 24x7 and getting them out as fast as possible. They are making more than they ever have and are shipping constantly. Obviously, the demand is high, but he said that another issue is that the distributors have their favorite dealers that come first and that the dealers have favorite customers that come first. So, I'd suggest ordering from a high-volume shop like Powder Valley.

+1 bump for having an order of 15k at Powder Valley since early april...