WTF is up with powders and primers???

[Layin_It_Down]

Just placed an order with Cabelas for powder and primers. I may have to wait a few months to receive them, but time I have. I'm good for this year, but what's in store for the future. .22 LR and .22 WMR are also getting scarce.

I've heard a number of things going on.... Can anyone tell me WTF is up with all the craziness?

Is it China's high demand for metals or do we have a civil war brewing???

 

[sreekers]

I recently heard a fairly viable explanation, and its not as screwy as all the others.

One of the major military producers of firearms recently purchased several of the primary primer manufacturing facilities in the states. They now own the contracts to the Gov for primers and ammunition which in turn has made it hard for us to get ahold of them.

The fear of new legislation has driven demand through the roof however, and lower production plus impulse buying leads to the scarcity of the product we have now.

 

[shoots-straight]

This is a bright spot in our economy. We have a company here that's built two factories and is building a third, they figure that even at full bore they'll be backed up 100,000 rounds a week.

 

[TheTone]

I believe the main issue is fear on consumers parts. Sales on guns, ammo, etc have been through the roof since last fall. The one ammo manufactuer I have good contacts with is cranking out product as fast as possible.

 

[noharleyyet]

Shortages begats fear begats hoarding begats shortages. Prolly a shortage on silhouette targets too. Took a quick stroll thru the local gun show a couple weeks ago & used AR's were over list price.

 

[tjones]

Buy the rumor, sell the fact.

 

[Layin_It_Down]

I've also heard Obama is planning a $1 per round tax on ammo. Who knows what else is in the works. Maybe this will all go away within 10 years but I doubt it. Prices usually don't go down.

 

[BuzzH]

Its all BS...theres no tax threat.

The problem is rednecks who think their guns and ammo are going to go away because of who's in the whitehouse. NHY summed it up perfectly.

Same thing happened during Clintons first term...short memories I guess.

It will go away in 10 months...

 

[Calif. Hunter]

It will go away in 10 months...

Probably less. I am far more concerned with the idiots here than in Washington. They are trying to reinstate the fingerprint requirement to buy handgun ammo, require the dealer to maintain records of who bought what handgun ammo, keep all ammo under lock and key in the store, etc. No more mail order of ammo or reloading supplies, impose the same restrictions on reloading components that could be used for handgun ammo, etc. DFG is trying to eliminate lead ammo statewide for hunting. Legislation submitted to make a misdemeanor firearms offense cost you 10 years of firearms ownership (mandatory sentencing) - no differentiation between a grandfather who takes his grandchild shooting and the kid leaves a bullet in the unattached clip, failure to lock your handgun case, etc. and a gangbanger with a loaded AK-47....

Yeah - I know - the solution is to move. I'm going to take all my guns and leave them in New Mexico.

 

[schmalts]

The problem is rednecks who think their guns and ammo are going to go away because of who's in the whitehouse. NHY summed it up perfectly.

...

wrong again..
It is a Military contract issue. I just got a hold of 1000 large rifle primers from Midwest shooter supply near my home. The Owner said he has been in contact with CCI on a weekly basis trying to get more primers and the factory is adding another primer line but will not be operational for a while yet. CCI said the government has purged a large supply of ammo in the last few years, and Military training is done with more live rounds than ever before. The military is now building back up it's stockpile and has a huge amount of ammo on order and every primer is going to building rounds and not making it to the retail reloaders.
Ammo supply is getting caught up on the shelves but reloading primers is not as much profit margin for the ammo manufactures so they are putting them in ammo instead.
Good news is black rifles are on the shelves again as well as ammo, so I hope primers will follow. I was told that if you are looking for small rifle primers (AR-15 guys) you are SOL for a while yet until the military orders are caught up. Just so happens I need them It is gong shooting season and I don't have many to spare.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Makes sense if you think about thow many rounds they would go through overseas. Plus the redneck factor also doesn't help matters any. I am guilty as charged

 

[Layin_It_Down]

The military thing makes sense and I'm fine with that. They need the rounds more than I do. But how do you explain the growing depand for rimfires?