Primers possibly?

[P7M13]

Some time spent searching online will usually allow me to purchase small pistol primers cheaper. Below is a current pricing for CCI #500 primers, $65 per thousand plus shipping hazardous material $30 fee.
If I bought 5000 in Oregon, I believe the total cost delivered to me is $355. About $71 per thousand.

https://libertysurvival.com/product/cci-small-pistol-primers-1000ct-copy/?v=a284e24d5f46

I can find a current ad for primers that are not manufactured in America that are less expensive then the CCI listed above.

FLASH SALE! - Servicios Aventuras Small Pistol Primers, 1000

heartlandgl.com

Have you ever purchased from them or known anyone who has?
In my experience, something that seems too good to be true usually is.

 

[PewFac]

Issue with sportsmans is many of us. Including myself that works for myself and makes my own schedule can't be at sportsmans right when they open. Most times they have primers they are gone almost as soon as the doors open. Buying straight from cci wholesale we are paying $76 per 1000. And those are OEM only. We can not resale them. We have had multiple people lately looking for primers and we are trying to figure out the most reasonable way to make that possible. Best way so far is to buy them retail in large enough quantities to offset the hasmat etc. Just can't get stuck with a few thousand dollars worth of primers we can't sell. Any suggestions that would benefit everyone is certainly appreciated.

 

[Catfishmoon]

Have you ever purchased from them or known anyone who has?
In my experience, something that seems too good to be true usually is.

No, and I am not endorsing them. Once again, my point is that primers can be bought cheaper than the original poster is inquiring about at $110 per thousand. I recently bought CCI #500 from from Cabela's for $90, I had 3000 shipped to my local store so there was no additional fees added to my cost.
There was a thread here a few months ago where primers from Argentina could be purchased for less than $60 per thousand including shipping, multiple people purchased and reported good results. I occasionally recheck that website and if the offer reappears at that price I will purchase.

Servico SPP $55.20 per thousand, shipping included.

https://normashooting.com/shop/uncategorized/limited-supply-new-small-pistol-primers-made-in-argentina-qty-1000/?utm_source=AmmoShopOnline&utm_campaign=0b9217ecba-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_03_07_03_25&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-0b9217ecba-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=0b9217ecba&mc_eid=0c2d67c2e9 I'm...

www.northwestfirearms.com

 

[Local Loader]

No, and I am not endorsing them. Once again, my point is that primers can be bought cheaper than the original poster is inquiring about at $110 per thousand. I recently bought CCI #500 from from Cabela's for $90, I had 3000 shipped to my local store so there was no additional fees added to my cost.
There was a thread here a few months ago where primers from Argentina could be purchased for less than $60 per thousand including shipping, multiple people purchased and reported good results. I occasionally recheck that website and if the offer reappears at that price I will purchase.

Servico SPP $55.20 per thousand, shipping included.

https://normashooting.com/shop/uncategorized/limited-supply-new-small-pistol-primers-made-in-argentina-qty-1000/?utm_source=AmmoShopOnline&utm_campaign=0b9217ecba-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_03_07_03_25&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-0b9217ecba-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=0b9217ecba&mc_eid=0c2d67c2e9 I'm...

www.northwestfirearms.com

I'm surprised they let you get 3 bricks, they've been limiting people to 1 per day in store.

 

[Catfishmoon]

I'm surprised they let you get 3 bricks, they've been limiting people to 1 per day in store.

It was the same for me...
I actually placed three separate orders online in the time span of one hour. I placed an order for 1000 primers at about 11:30 pm and the website allowed me to place a second order 60 minutes later at about 00:30 am. I also ordered 1000 primers in my wife's name.
I picked up all 3000 the following weekend at my local Cabela's service counter.

 

[Local Loader]

It was the same for me...
I actually placed three separate orders online in the time span of one hour. I placed an order for 1000 primers at about 11:30 pm and the website allowed me to place a second order 60 minutes later at about 00:30 am. I also ordered 1000 primers in my wife's name.
I picked up all 3000 the following weekend at my local Cabela's service counter.

Yeah my wife goes with me when I pick up primers in store.

 

[JO JO]

To the OP
At your projected price of $11 a sleeve you just might be stuck upside down in that, I have been seeing ammo prices going down and some online retailers offering free shipping or free hazmat

 

[aasbra]

To the OP
At your projected price of $11 a sleeve you just might be stuck upside down in that, I have been seeing ammo prices going down and some online retailers offering free shipping or free hazmat

Agreed. I personally wouldn't tie up the money in primer inventory to sell at that cost just to "just barely break even" unless you are banking on the primers attracting new customers to your business that could lead to other sales. The most I have paid for a brick of primers is $65-$70 the last few years, but I don't need them bad enough to pay more.

Although the market can and will fluctuate, as JO JO commented, some retailers are dropping prices on ammo, powder is more abundant, and shipping/hazmat promos can be found. And lower priced primers from time to time.

 

[arakboss]

We here at Pewnitions Factory Are looking at bringing in primers to sell. However, we need some feedback to see if this is gonna be worth while. We can only bring them in paying retail prices, but we can bring enough in to offset the hazmat and shipping fees. My question is if we have to sell these at $11 per 100 would anyone be interested at that price? This is what we would have to charge to barely be over break even. Any feedback would be very appreciated. If there is enough interest we will order some.

Thanks in advance.

nope

 

[kmk1012]

Yeah my wife goes with me when I pick up primers in store.

Just don't try that with a teenage kid, trust me in this one. They don't want them to have "ammo"

 

[PewFac]

I want to say thank you for the feedback from everyone. Seems like our worries are justified and we are gonna hold off bringing them in. We have also been dropping ammo prices so definitely understand that part of the market. Wish we could grab pallets of stuff super cheap like the big guys for everyone. Unfortunately not doable for us. No better resource than everyone in the community and we do appreciate. Hope to see everyone in the shop eventually.

Thank you
Nick

 

[msgriff]

JJE (parent company of PSA) bought AAC in the Rem bankruptcy sale a couple years ago. AAC started construction of a primer production plant from the ground up about a year ago. Product is scheduled to be available sometime around the end of July. I can't see this as anything but a good thing regarding primer supply, and by extension, lower primer prices. I think the OP is on the right track.

 

[DizzyJ]

I want to say thank you for the feedback from everyone. Seems like our worries are justified and we are gonna hold off bringing them in. We have also been dropping ammo prices so definitely understand that part of the market. Wish we could grab pallets of stuff super cheap like the big guys for everyone. Unfortunately not doable for us. No better resource than everyone in the community and we do appreciate. Hope to see everyone in the shop eventually.

Thank you
Nick

Appreciate you coming in and posting the question. It's never a bad thing to have the pulse of the reloading community on hand.

 

[Crockett9]

We here at Pewnitions Factory Are looking at bringing in primers to sell. However, we need some feedback to see if this is gonna be worth while. We can only bring them in paying retail prices, but we can bring enough in to offset the hazmat and shipping fees. My question is if we have to sell these at $11 per 100 would anyone be interested at that price? This is what we would have to charge to barely be over break even. Any feedback would be very appreciated. If there is enough interest we will order some.

Thanks in advance.

Doesn't work for me because I'm starting to see price drops -- like at $89.00 per brick.. We've still got hazmat and shipping fees but if these price drops indicate a trend, we may be seeing a turnaround!

 

[oremike]

A couple of observations, if you are self employed and set your own schedule why can't you have a 9am coffee break at Sportsman's warehouse? Next question, you are an ammo manufacturer so if you were to have an overstock of primers why wouldn't you just make ammo with them?

 

[gmerkt]

We can only bring them in paying retail prices,

This is the part I don't understand. Normally, legit retail businesses can get things wholesale. But I guess this isn't "normal." OreMike has told us before that as an ammo manufacturer, he can get them from CCI. I guess I see why CCI thinks an ammo manufacturer rates higher than a retail gun dealer who is going to sell them to private people who are going to load ammo. I suppose CCI thinks they are circumventing scalping with this policy.

Issue with sportsmans is many of us. Including myself that works for myself and makes my own schedule can't be at sportsmans right when they open. Most times they have primers they are gone almost as soon as the doors open.

Buncha old farts with nothing else to do, stand in line and buy more stuff that they don't need. I'm an old fart but I'm not interested in wasting what precious little I have left of my life waiting in line first thing in the morning for some silly-assed primers.

I recently bought CCI #500 from from Cabela's for $90,

The times I've stopped in Cabela's in Tulalip and Lacey, in two years, no primers.

I actually placed three separate orders online in the time span of one hour. I placed an order for 1000 primers at about 11:30 pm and the website allowed me to place a second order 60 minutes later at about 00:30 am. I also ordered 1000 primers in my wife's name.
I picked up all 3000 the following weekend at my local Cabela's service counter.

So this is why Cabela's never has any on the shelf.

Just now I went to the Cabela's web site, they show nine (9) primer choices. There is the comment, "In Store Only" and "This Product is Currently Not Available Online." The "Find a Store" feature shows that none of the nine primer choices are available "in store" within 200 miles. If this changes from time to time, all well and good, but another thing I'm not gonna do is keep my face in a smart phone 24/7, hoping to see availability at one o'clock in the morning.

I personally wouldn't tie up the money in primer inventory to sell at that cost just to "just barely break even" unless you are banking on the primers attracting new customers to your business that could lead to other sales.

Agree, OP, you're in business to make money. I understand your wanting to be a good guy and accommodate customers. But they will forget you as soon as primers are back on the shelf elsewhere, no sense in taking risks that can be easily avoided.

Primers are around. I found a local member of NWFA, he had a supply of primers that were surplus to his needs. He wasn't scalping, because the packaging wasn't newish. I gladly paid him $10 per hundred. Because I didn't have to go all over Hell and half of Georgia, scraping around, waiting in lines, etc.

 

[Catfishmoon]

The times I've stopped in Cabela's in Tulalip and Lacey, in two years, no primers.

I also have not had much luck in finding primers on the shelves of Cabelas for a long time. Any time that I bought some, I bought online and had them shipped to Tulalip to avoid hazardous material shipping fees.
I have had some time away from work this week and visited some local gun stores.
Pintos in Renton has a good selection of powder in one pound containers, they expect CCI primers to arrive this week...
I bought powder and primers today at Sportsmans Warehouse Everett, they limit the number, but the price is the cheapest I saw..
I was in Burlington at Skagit Arms, the best selection of primers I have seen in years. No limit on amount purchased, mainly CCI and Federal. I bought 3000 Federal for a pistol with light springs, $90 per 1000. CCI was the same price. Good selection of one pound powder, mainly Hodgdon...
Skagit Shooting range in Burlington, some powder and primers, but more expensive...
Cabelas in Tulalip, limited powder, more expensive than Sportsmans or Skagit Arms. Only primers were a brand I was not familiar with, for too much money (small pistol). But I bought all they had of a 9mm copper plated projectile that they priced matched an online competitor.

 

[gmerkt]

I bought powder and primers today at Sportsmans Warehouse Everett, they limit the number, but the price is the cheapest I saw..

One of my daughters lives near that SW store in Everett, I've been in there when passing by so many times, no primers ever in the past two years when I was there. I did buy a pound of Win. StaBall 6.5 there a couple of months ago.

I was in Burlington at Skagit Arms, the best selection of primers I have seen in years. No limit on amount purchased, mainly CCI and Federal.

I was in there two months ago, I saw they had a limited selection of primers. Very limited at that time. But then again, I'm not up for too many trips that far north to find primers. I was looking at something else the day I was there.

Any time that I bought some, I bought online and had them shipped to Tulalip to avoid hazardous material shipping fees.

So, does Cabela's periodically alternate from not available online to available online? This would be a good thing, yet last night, it wasn't an option.

 

[Catfishmoon]

So, does Cabela's periodically alternate from not available online to available online? This would be a good thing, yet last night, it wasn't an option.

It appears that is correct.
I just looked online and I did not find the option to purchase and have them delivered to one of their retail stores, that option was available a few days ago for CCI and Federal small pistol primers...

My wife likes 2nd hand stores and I like outdoor stores so it is common for us to take a weekend day trip. I drop her off at a thrift store, I visit a nearby outdoor store, return, pick her up and repeat farther down the road...

We went South towards Tacoma today. I bought 2 boxes of Fiocchi small pistol primers at Sportsmans Warehouse in Federal Way and had my wife buy two also. That is their limit per day, per person on primers. The boxes contained 150 primers each...

I stopped at Sportco in Fife and I bought 2000 CCI small pistol primers #500 for $83 per thousand. They had a small selection of powder...

I visited Bass pro shop in Tacoma. I saw no primers and only a small selection of powder. I am surprised that Bass Pro Shop / Cabelas has had such limited reloading supplies available online or at their retail stores. I would have expected their large retail purchasing power to give them an advantage with distributors, but I am finding their shelves empty while nearby small independent shops have much more inventory for sale...

I reload primarily small pistol and that is what I am looking for when I search for primers or powder, I don't really notice what the stores have otherwise. I reload large pistol and small rifle, but I am well stocked with those...

My guess is that the price of primers may come down a bit, but I expect powder to go up in price. I am looking for one or two eight pound containers of powder that I like and to restock all my reloading supplies.
Never know when the next shortage could occur.

Skagit Arms really did have an impressive amount of primers in stock on Friday. However, they did not answer the phone when I tried calling the day prior to inquire about primer availability before driving there (another person told me they were well stocked). It may be worthwhile to send an email, perhaps they could "put at will call" or allow an online purchase and pickup at your convenience.

 

[Local Loader]

I visited Bass pro shop in Tacoma. I saw no primers and only a small selection of powder. I am surprised that Bass Pro Shop / Cabelas has had such limited reloading supplies available online or at their retail stores. I would have expected their large retail purchasing power to give them an advantage with distributors, but I am finding their shelves empty while nearby small independent shops have much more inventory for sale...

It's interesting that you say that as the one here in Tualatin has a lot of powder and bullets, just not many primers. From what I can tell, they won't do ship to store for Oregon.