Primers: Please educate me

[HughW2]

So, I have been wondering why after a year the ammo industry cannot keep up with sales or at least improve out of stocks of ammunition.
the ammo shortage only seems to be getting worse and I realize that there is panic buying going into the election because people are sure that there is going to be commotion following the election. But if there is chaos it would seem like inventory situation should primarily effect military / defense rounds like .308, .223, 9mm, .45, .40.

Why is it you cannot find .270, 7mm RM, .7mm-08 ammo???....

I started researching components and powder is in stock, brass, bullets, the only component out of stock is primers. Why is that? Where are the made? China?
Why are primers in short supply? Did George Soros buy them all?

It seems like a great time to invest in a primer plant.

Obviously I know just enough to be dangerous. Help me.

 

[bullgator]

I’ll take a stab at a possible answer. Because of the run on ammo, most of the primers are being directed to the ammo production which leaves less for reloading components. Brass is reusable, so there’s less of a market on that. Most popular powders are also in short supply, as are popular bullets.
The companies see this as possibly self correcting in a very short timeframe and aren’t going to add to their operating cost for added production that might go away soon. They did that once a few years ago and got caught making a bad business decision in doing so.

 

[king killer delete]

This is why. I buy ammo every time I get a chance. I know reloading ha got to be bad

 

[Stevie Ray]

Remember also that the military has priority over the civilian market so in addition to primers being used by civilian ammo manufactures that market still comes behind the military and we know the military is not going to do without....

 

[JeffinPTC]

I got comfortable with S&B primers for all my reloading except WBY magnums, esp for $20 a K. I haven't been able to find them for several years. This may be part of the
world wide problem:

https://www.outdoorhub.com/news/201...plosion-sellier-bellot-factory-leaves-3-dead/

DK if they rebuilt, but loss of 2M rounds a day gotta hurt.

Primers are still listed on their web site, but I haven't seen them for sale since I bought from Cabelas in 2017.

https://www.sellier-bellot.cz/en/products/components/primers/

 

[Thunder Head]

I saw a article on this awhile back. I dont remember which exec. they interviewed. Some have been bitten before.

Its not smart buisness to invest in expansion because of panic buying. When Trump whens reelection. The nation wide demand will drop to a trickle. Unrest in the big citys might keep it going for a little while. Not long though.

 

[chuckdog]

Manufacturers aren't going to stop production of high demand rounds just to make a run o 7-08, .270 Win, etc.

They have huge orders waiting for those high demand rounds.

Just follow the $$$.

 

[Dub]

Now....in the middle of a dem-panic china virus, rioting, looting.....with a looming election the likes of which our country has never seen......each month the sales breaking new all-time records....gun & ammo manufacturers can't keep up...everything they make is sold.....Remington, a major gun & and ammo manufacturer goes limp. Can't make it during the best time in history to sell their products. Limp. Flatlined. Assumed room temperature.

Run into the ground by clueless beancounters and vicious legal vultures.


This should tell you just how bad things were going for Remington that they couldn't turn a profit in this market.



That being said.....the liability lawsuits that were the nail in Remington's coffin will be coming for the next gun manufacturer. The liberal gun grabbers won't stop. In a booming economy...and an unprecedented booming gun economy.....the gun manufactures will be targeted and run out of business. Targeted by liberal politicians and legal carrion.


Most important election in history ? It sure is to me.


It's not about Trump vs Biden. It's about which party best supports us. We need every vote from every hunter, shooter, gun owner, gun enthusiast, outdoorsman, etc. Every single vote.

If we don't win this election then the ammo & component shortage you are seeing now will seem like a surplus. Not only will you not find what you need in stores....it's likely that you'll be persecuted for owning such.

There is no such candidate as Mr. Perfect. All we have on this ticket is Trump, Biden and the parties behind them. The choice couldn't be easier. Forget about his tweets or whatever gets under your craw. Vote for what is clearly the best choice for gun ownership.....even with the mistake made on bump stocks. Trump is clearly it. Biden clearly intends to come after our guns. Even after he goes on medical leave for senility in three months....his party will step in and go after our guns. The ink won't even have time to dry on whatever Biden/Hairy sign before it's pushed through as far as they can get it.

Assist your elderly friends, family members and neighbors. Help them get to the polls and cast their vote.

Our country will slide further down the steep slope into socialist oblivion if we lose this election.

 

[rosewood]

If you notice, the hunting rounds were the last to sell out. Folks feel like they have to do something to mitigate the panic. Buying anything makes them feel better i.e. the toilet paper run. Also, since hunting season is here, the hunting rounds sales increase. I imagine typically the manufacturers ramp up the hunting ammo before guns season, but because of the panic, they probably never did that since they are wide open with the "defense" ammo.

As for primers they are going to the ammo manufacturers mostly. Those trickling to the reloader market sell out fast since reloaders are buying extra just in case and probably a lot of new reloaders getting into it.

Rosewood