Opinions on primers from Argentina, Russia?

[SecondsCount]

Wonder if the sanctions were based on when things embarked or landed. Knowing more than I want to about ocean freight shipping they might have been in the pipeline for a while, the ban didn't kick in until September. We have something that left the docks on Feb28 that we are still waiting on, if something from Russia takes as long or longer and a whole lotta primers would fit in a container.

You could be right but the sanctions have been in place for many years- started during Obama's term. I haven't seen Wolf or Tula primers available for at least 5 years.

[mmc45414]

You could be right but the sanctions have been in place for many years- started during Obama's term. I haven't seen Wolf or Tula primers available for at least 5 years.

I just thought the Wolf was replaced by the Tula. And I guess I do not know how long ago it was when I last bought them, because I got CRS.

[sickeness]

Primers went up to about $50/1k (from the high teens, low 20s) during the Obama panic and eventually dropped to the low $30s with some deals in the upper to mid $20s to be found while Trump was president. Then Covid and Biden happened putting us where we are now. If not for Covid/Biden/Inflation, we might be seeing primers in the low $20s by now.

Chris

I bought primers during the obama panic and although they were slightly higher online, but most major chain retailers like cabelas or midways kept the prices at standard rates but went out of stock. Once major retailers raise their prices, they don't typically trend down much since the smaller companies will adjust in accordance. Anyone who is holding out on buying primers for fear that they will drop back down to $30 per k is living a pipe dream. Best case scenario if things ever go back to normal is probably $80ish per k.

[mmc45414]

Best case scenario if things ever go back to normal is probably $80ish per k.

Back to normal purchase limits would be step one.

[sickeness]

Another good bellweather I didn't mention is powdervalley which has always historically had the lowest prices in the market. IIRC they have never raised prices on components during all previous shortages, they are now selling primers at 80-100 per k. If you are someone who needs primers, best get them now as I highly doubt prices will get any lower.

[mtnbkr]

I don’t know about that. Before the pandemic, in Jan and Feb 2020, I bought 5k spp from the Dulles gun show and 5k srp from a seller on VAGunTrader. The 5k spp from the gun show cost me $160 (1 of 2 reloading specific booths at the show) and the 5k srp (this guy had the lowest prices on 5k within a 1 hour drive at the time) was $150.

I think prices had more or less leveled off and $30 per k would be about average, if not for the pandemic.

That's in line with what I said. Your purchases at Dulles were in the low $30s per 1k. I was buying them at Green Top for about that price before Covid.
I bought a few thou at $30/1k here and there, saw it at sub-$30, and heard anecdotes of people finding it in the mid 20s (never around here though).

That said, I was well stocked before prices went during Obama, so I was never chasing the best deals, I just bought a box here and there to back-fill what I used.

I bought primers during the obama panic and although they were slightly higher online, but most major chain retailers like cabelas or midways kept the prices at standard rates but went out of stock. Once major retailers raise their prices, they don't typically trend down much since the smaller companies will adjust in accordance. Anyone who is holding out on buying primers for fear that they will drop back down to $30 per k is living a pipe dream. Best case scenario if things ever go back to normal is probably $80ish per k.

I witnessed primer prices drop at regional stores (Green Top in Richmond, Cabelas in Gainesville...when they had them) in the quiet period between the Obama Panic and the Covid Panic. I don't think we're coming out of the current market forces, so to say they're not dropping based on current prices is a bit premature. That said, inflation being what it is, I don't think we'll see the absolute numbers we saw years ago, but I expect we'll reach parity with those prices in terms of the new purchasing power of the dollar.

Chris