Finally: New Primer Manufacturer Coming Online

[ColeInOregon]

I thought there was another thread on this already, it had some links to news articles about the company. Anyway here are a couple things I found in another article:

"The state-of-the-art facility will specialize in making parts for the small arms industry"

And

"The company is looking to hire a large workforce ranging from custodial work to skilled labor and technicians."

Ammunition plant coming to the Texarkana area

HOOKS, Texas - An ammunition plant is expected to open next year in East Texas, and bring more jobs to the region.

www.ktbs.com

 

[fstdraw]

At least I've got tons of those pesky Berdan primers! 7.62x39 here comes papa!

 

[WillametteWill]

My Google Fu is about average but I haven't found anything on a primer import ban other than Russia. In October, Sportsman's had stacks of Cheddite 209 shotgun primers for $39.95, not that much higher than pre-covid average (October 2021 btw). The box says made in France.

Regarding Russian primers, I've been reloading a couple of years (since 1978) and in this time I've never even seen Russian primers. I'm sure they were out there, but if they were there in any significant quantities, you would think I might have tripped over a box or two in 40 something years.

 

[dangerranger60]

Proof is in the pudding. If Olin and Vista had not failed the market, then Lone Star would not be moving into it. Instead of trying to individualize this thread, which frankly serves no purpose, you'd be better served seeing it from an economic supply/demand perspective.

From an Economic Supply/ Demand Perspective, All the major suppliers have to order their raw materials a year or more in advance. Lets just think about where the country was a year before the shortage.
The wars in the Mid East were winding down, Our ammo where house's were packed full, Trump was headed for an easy re election, Gun makers were having to offer sales and rebates to move their stock, etc....
So with an outlook like that why would suppliers stock up? They would have had to buy or rent more storage space to keep the raw materials. Their storage was already full of loaded ammo. So they only ordered enough to replace what they were projected to sell.
When they realized they were in a shortage mode, every other country in the world was in panic mode too!
Then with Covid scaring every provider of raw materials into shutting down , Now no one can get what they need to make primers.

As far as treating reloaders poorly, Reloaders make only a tiny portion of their sales . I'm sure it makes more sense to sell to those that buy in train load quantity's rather than case or even pallet quantity's. I'm sure those with big money have negotiated contracts to take everything the plant can produce. And in train load quantity's the manufactures don't have to package them, they sell them in bulk.

The ammo manufactures are still turning out ammo at the same pace as a full war time condition. I have a feeling most of that ammo is ending up sitting in garage shelves all over the country. So the only ones we have to blame is our own shooting community.
And I would be willing to bet suppliers of re loading components are selling just as many primers as any other year. But like ammo it is ending up on shelves of people who will never use them! I personally know several shooters that do not reload, but have several thousand primers " Stashed away you know just in case". If you multiply that by hundreds of thousands of shooters its easy to see where all the components are going.
DR

 

[dangerranger60]

They didn't block just Russia import they blocked all primer import from Canada, Mexico and all other foreign locations.

Canadian and Mexican re loaders are out of primers too. This time its world wide. In the early 90's the shortage was only in this country. Shooters in other country's had no problem getting supplys. DR

 

[BAJ475]

My Google Fu is about average but I haven't found anything on a primer import ban other than Russia. In October, Sportsman's had stacks of Cheddite 209 shotgun primers for $39.95, not that much higher than pre-covid average (October 2021 btw). The box says made in France.

Regarding Russian primers, I've been reloading a couple of years (since 1978) and in this time I've never even seen Russian primers. I'm sure they were out there, but if they were there in any significant quantities, you would think I might have tripped over a box or two in 40 something years.

I never saw Russian primers in local stores, only online and generally on GunBorker or gunbot.net

 

[quneur]

It was most likely a variety of factors. The Wuhan flu hit and people started panicking and the gun community knew there was going to be a run on ammo so they went and bought as much as they can afford (including TP). That also prompted people to become new gun owners raiding shelves. With all this panic, scalpers bought anything related to firearms with the exception of blackpowder.

I'm waiting to see how the supply chain/great resignation, inflation and/or Russia/Ukraine conflict will effect supply.

 

[Local Loader]

Well this just happened

Gunfire and explosions reported in Kyiv as Ukraine's leader accuses Putin of waging "war against Europe"

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky appeals to the West to take tougher action against Vladimir Putin as air raid sirens go off again in Kyiv.

www.cbsnews.com

Need to stock up again

 

[2ndtimer]

Regarding Russian primers, I've been reloading a couple of years (since 1978) and in this time I've never even seen Russian primers. I'm sure they were out there, but if they were there in any significant quantities, you would think I might have tripped over a box or two in 40 something years.

Not sure if it was the 90's or early 2000's, but I do recall ordering Wolf Small Rifle 223 Primers (Russian made) from Widener's online for $15 per thousand. I think I ordered 5 bricks and am still using the last 2 or three. They work very well, should have ordered more. Same for the Sellier & Bellott primers that Cabelas offered a few years ago for $20 per brick on close out.

 

[BAJ475]

Not sure if it was the 90's or early 2000's, but I do recall ordering Wolf Small Rifle 223 Primers (Russian made) from Widener's online for $15 per thousand. I think I ordered 5 bricks and am still using the last 2 or three. They work very well, should have ordered more. Same for the Sellier & Bellott primers that Cabelas offered a few years ago for $20 per brick on close out.

I think I paid more than $15 but less than $20 per brick. It was some time ago but I think that I ordered 20 bricks. I recently sold a brick to a person I met in a LGS who needed SR primers to load ammo for his dad. The son said that he was looking for primers to load 300BO, but of course nobody had any. I ask how old dad was and when he told me his dad was a year younger than myself, I asked if dad was a vet. Son said Vietnam. That did it. I told son to tell dad that it was his lucky day because I would sell him a brick of SR primers and not at an inflated price.

 

[VanceInWA]

Hi All... In case you're interested and in the market, Bi-Mart in Tigard had quite a few primers in stock today (09MAR22), all selling around $60 per thousand. These included CCI No. 300 Large Pistol, Federal No. 100 Small Pistol, and CCI no. 400 Small Rifle. They didn't have a limit, so chances are they've sold out by now, but just advising you so you know the "unobtainium" phase of the primer shortage may FINALLY be showing signs of coming to an end.

 

[Local Loader]

Last I checked bi-mart had a 2 sleeve limit on primers just last week.

 

[Alexx1401]

About two years ago, you could buy all the primers (and ammo) you wanted for reasonable prices.

There were multiple warnings here and elsewhere, to buy cheap and stack deep.

I am given to understand that ammo component manufacturers are running 24/7 to meet demand.

Whose fault is it that a person doesn't have what they need?

THIS!!
I have been shooting for over 50, loading over 40. Have seen multiple panic shortages. I learned after the first one. Ever since the net came along I see a HUGE number of people who seem to learn nothing no matter how many times they see it. I do feel bad for newbies who come along at a bad time. Almost all the yelling and anger seems to come from people who have been doing this long enough to have seen at least a couple of these panics. Yet rinse and repeat they are again caught pants down and want to blame someone else.

 

[VanceInWA]

Last I checked bi-mart had a 2 sleeve limit on primers just last week.

Yeah, I was pretty surprised when I asked if there was a limit and the answer was "no." Maybe that's just another sign...

 

[Local Loader]

Yeah, I was pretty surprised when I asked if there was a limit and the answer was "no." Maybe that's just another sign...

I think the person either didn't know or more likely didn't care.

 

[oremike]

I'll just put this here for your perusal:
https://scc.virginia.gov/docketsearch/DOCS/3f7h01!.PDF
Dudes got a sketchy past, buyer beware.