What is the most you would pay for primers?

[JimThornTX]

I want to eventually get into reloading. My wife's cousin (currently living in Colorado) is going to teach me the in's and out's of reloading when he moves back to Texas later this year. He told me to go ahead and start stocking up on small pistol primers and small rifle primers. Of course the big question is - how much is too much to pay for primers? I know some people will pay more than other people, but I would like everyone's opinion on what is the most you would pay for primers.

[TN.Frank]

The last primers I bought was the first week of January, 2013 and I paid $29.95+tax for a total of just shy of $33/1000.  Currently they're going for $46/1000+tax(almost 10% here) which would be over $50/1000 and I simply won't pay that for them. IF/When they get down to $30-$35/1000 I'll buy more but until then I'll simply not shoot much.  Of course on a positive note I can get HP38 for just over $20/lb which I think is pretty decent given the situation.

[jameslovesjammie]

I wouldn't pay more than $40/1000.  I can get CCI 500's or Federal 100's (both small pistol primers) right now for $35/1000 at a small time sporting goods store in Montana (no tax).  A year ago, I paid $26/1000 from Powder Valley for Federal 100's.  This price also needs to have S&H and hazmat added, but it was a $500+ order and that was dispersed quite well over the order.

[painter]

The last one's I bought were $39.95/K and that's my limit.

[Old Rocket]

 Right now I pay $ 26.99 for CCI 500 & 400, $28.99 for Win SP & SR, Federal LR & LP (have to add 5.5% at my little target shop)
 I placed an order on the internet (Lohman) for Tulas SP 15k 3 months ago and have yet to receive, 27 cents a primer and Lohman has been raising their price ever since. Thinking about canceling the order and keep visiting the little target shop to get my 1k of each daily.
I don't think I would go above $35/k but you never know?

[armed hiker]

I would imagine the limit becomes a moving target. When the reloaders in the old days (2012) bought primers ammo itself was almost half price. If the price of ammo were to stay do9uble of what it was in 2012 then it would make sense that primers also would double and this is the new normal.

I do believe that ammo prices will come down some after everyone has stashed a few thousand rounds of every known to man cartridge. And at the point where sales drop back to pre insanity levels, the component prices will come down some, probably never to 2012 levels though.

Call it inflation call it fair market value, it is simply the rising cost of our hobbies. I do not have a hobby that has stayed the same price over the last 5 years be it hiking,bicycling,watching movies or shooting. And lets not forget one of my favorite hobbies..eating.

[JimThornTX]

I would imagine the limit becomes a moving target. When the reloaders in the old days (2012) bought primers ammo itself was almost half price. If the price of ammo were to stay double of what it was in 2012 then it would make sense that primers also would double and this is the new normal.

Exactly why I wanted opinions on what people are willing to pay right now, during this panic buying season. I know primers are more expensive now than before the panic, but there has to be a cut off limit most people will pay. Knowing this info will keep newbies like me from being gouged.

Example: I am used to paying $10 to $15 for a box of 9mm. Today I am willing to pay up to $25 for a box of 9mm, but I have seen it much higher than that. If I wasn't used to buying 9mm I might make the mistake of paying $40 or $50 a box not knowing that price is way too high.

[bang bang]

the quesion should be how much can you AFFORD to pay for primers. 

you really need to make up your own mind on what you can afford to buy.  I have been buying components for a long time so i stopped buying when the crazyness came back and wont buy any until it settles back down.  Since youre waaaay late to the party, you will pay dearly for it.   

also, you dont need 1 million primers to "learn" how to reload so if you can wait or the worst case pay "dearly" for a few/several hundred primers it wont be as bad.   

[flgolfer29]

I passed on Federal LPP at a local gunshow one week ago, $40 per thousand (there were several cases).  I did pick-up a couple boxes of Tula LPP for $20 each box plus tax (only four boxes available when I got there). 

What I would be willing to pay would be equal to online ordering plus hazmat / shipping fee.  With the quantities I purchase it would equal about $31-32 per box if bought locally.  I thought the Tulas were a steal.

joe

[JimThornTX]

the question should be how much can you AFFORD to pay for primers. 

What I can afford, and what I am willing to pay, are two very different things.

This past weekend I went to a local gun show. I wanted 40 S&W ammo. I could afford $40 for a box of 50 but I refuse to pay that much. I could afford to buy a 250-round bulk pack of 9mm for $250 but I refuse to pay that much.

I can afford $100 for 1000 primers on Gunbroker. But I am not willing to pay that much now that I know I should be able to find primers for about $35 per 1000.

[papaairbear]

+1.  Primers should cost between 26.00 and 35.00 /k.  $40.00 is as far a stretch I'd be willing to pay if I was out and needed some.

[Wobbly]

In Jan 2012 (15 months ago) I was tracking primers getting ready to make a big buy. At that time, primers were ~$24/K for Fed 100s, less for what I consider inferior brands. Primers had been working their way down since early Dec 2011. At the end of Nov 2011 they had been in the area of $28.

Then came the start of the pre-election "we're all going to die" hype and they zoomed up to $33.

If I won't pay $25, then I sure as heck won't pay $40. I'd sooner put the guns away. Why? Because some of this is frightened buyers, but Im affraid some of this is shooting industry simply wanting higher margins. I'm not sure if this started as a well-intentioned plan to funnel money to the NRA ILA fund for the temporary Senate gun vote or what. But it sure cant continue. If the industry as a whole gets this pricing level too long, it will never fall again.

The truth is this: I like to shoot, but I don't HAVE to shoot.

 

[1SOW]

The highest I've ever paid for Fed SPP is about $34/1000 shipped and knew I was being zinged for a small order of 5K + shipping +haz-mat recently.

If everyone can hold out for a while the prices will come at least "partially" back toward sanity.

[jwc007]

The truth is this: I like to shoot, but I don't HAVE to shoot.

+1 !  At this time I have a good stock of what I need to keep shooting and I've trimmed back my consumption, considerably. I refuse to pay scalpers prices and won't deal with them.  I would rather go without than fuel the speculators greed.  One of the Gun Shops I buy Powder and Primers from has told me his suppliers prices have not gone up.