Gunshow price-gouging

[Dave Waits]

Went to Bill Goodman's Gunshow in Dayton today, mainly to get some cleaning supplies and some primers. To say I was shocked at Primer prices would be an understatement. A few examples;
CCI 500 Small-pistol Primers- $50.00 per 1000
CCI 550 Small-Pistol Magnum- $55.00 per 1000
Winchester Small-Pistol Primers- $40.00 per 1000
Winchester Large Pistol Primers- $50.00 per 1000
Wolf Small Pistol Primers- $35.00 per 1000

One table had 15 cases(Not boxes, cases) of CCI Small-Pistol Primers on the Table and about 25 more cases on the floor behind the table. This was common, all the component tables had loads of primers. There's no shortage of Primers...just integrity. I asked one guy why he was charging so much for Primers and he responded, " Because you'll either pay that price or, you won't reload." They're not even trying to justify it anymore.
So, I'm asking all you reloaders to grab a bullet out of the box and bite it. We need to boycott all Gunshow ammo component sales and gunstores until the prices come down to realistic levels

[M1Tommy]

.........you'll either pay that price or, you won't reload.".........

Its called the market. I have seen one gun store in Little Rock with similar prices for primers. His aisle was stacked to over my head (and has been for months) , and one salesman was lamenting that '... no one is buying any primers nowadays!...." :icon_scratch: My suggestion to lower his prices 25% wasn't appreciated, but was sincere.

Tommy

[Dave Waits]

Tom,I'm not against anyone making a profit, we live in a free-enterprise system. But, when everybody in a business sets an artificially high, price-level(All selling at the same price, for example), that's not 'What the market will bear, it's Price-Fixing. Now, there's obviously no shortage of primers as they all had loads of them so, either the Distributors, the dealers or these guys are setting an artificially high price.

Interesting sidenote; There were two tables there where they sell reloaded ammunition. I priced their 45ACPFMJs. $25.00 for 50. Of course, their Factory .45 FMJ was marked at from $43.00 to 50.00 a box, regardless of brand.Personnaly, I wouldn't trust any handloaded ammo but my own but, sales for it were brisk.
Dave

[Matt Anthony]

Why buy at a Gun Show??????? Wideners and Powdervalleyinc. have Wolf primers for under $30.00 per thousand. Powdervalleyinc.com is at $25.50 per thousand.
Matt

[Maj Dad]

I finally did, bought a pile of primers from Graf's a few months back - hazmat fee and only small handling charge, no shipping, good bit less than $30/m. Worked out so well I bought 12 pounds of powder, and with the fee, still came to less than $20/lb. Haven't checked with them lately, but it's sure worth a peek.

[FW!]

At a show in june I saw WLR's priced at $70. per 1000. I don't know if he sold any but the onl;y other guy at the show with primers was asking $60. A friend was in a promanent local shop who was selling for $30. A guy came in & bought several thousand. As he was going out the door he said "I will sell at the gunshow for $50". The store owner said If they are going for $50 than I will sell for that

[Liam]

Warned my .223-shooting buddy about turn around times for primers. Even through a large reputable company such as Cabela's his wait was six weeks. Started out as 3-weeks, got pushed out, etc. This was several months ago. No wonder folks are hoarding.

[John Kepler]

I asked one guy why he was charging so much for Primers and he responded, " Because you'll either pay that price or, you won't reload." They're not even trying to justify it anymore.

No "justification" is needed....if the guy can sell at that price, then that's the price, the item is worth what people are willing to pay! If the price is too high, then nobody buys....if the price is too low, the vendor goes out of business and/or raises prices! It's just that simple!

WE collectively created the situation by hoarding and over-buying based on nothing much more than hysteria....this is the price we literally and figuratively pay for our collective idiocy. I bought Federal 205M primers at the National Matches for $35/1000....a high, but reasonable price. By Christmas, the prices will be back to something like normal, and this will all be a lesson that everyone will totally forget by Valentines Day! And as a kid....I thought the story of "Chicken Little" was an exaggeration written by adults just to scare little children!

[joem]

Primers seem to be in short supply around St. Louis , MO. I usually buy 20k at a time. Now limited to 1000 or so. Hope to buy more soon.

[Rodd Knox]

Doesn't matter how many forums you post this on - you still get the same answer.

[M1Tommy]

No "justification" is needed....if the guy can sell at that price, then that's the price, the item is worth what people are willing to pay! If the price is too high, then nobody buys....if the price is too low, the vendor goes out of business and/or raises prices! It's just that simple!.........

Shhhhhhhhh! Espousing S&D is not appreciated much nowadays it seems. Look at the elections, the forums, etc, ad nauseum (sp?) :icon_salut:


Tommy

[RED]

Primers seem to be in short supply around St. Louis , MO. I usually buy 20k at a time. Now limited to 1000 or so. Hope to buy more soon.

If you buy primers 3 times per year, that's 60,000.

How long does it take you to load and shoot 60,000 rounds?

In a year you would have to shoot 165 rounds of CF every DAY except two.

You could take an M-16 and (if you had a mag big enough) shoot FA for almost 90 minutes without stopping.

If you buy 60,000 primers a year for 20 years that's 1,200,000 rounds

Sir, methinks you are the problem. :icon_twisted:

[Dave Waits]

Guys, I didn't put this thread on forums because I was looking for someone to commiserate with, I was pissed and I'm looking for people who will help with this. If enough of us stick together and quit buying primers at the gunshows they'll either drop their prices or eat the primers. I'm not advocating stopping the buying of primers at gunstores either, just gunshows. I went on the web and went to some of the businesses you guys mentioned. You know what I saw in almost every site? OUT OF STOCK! For most all primers. According to a guy I talked to on the phone at Widener's, the same people are buying all their primers the day they come in. He suspects they're gunshow sellers. I was told the last time they got primers in they sold almost 300,000 in one day!

You want to parrot that S&D, Free-market crap, fine. But it's price-fixing pure and simple.

[John Kepler]

You want to parrot that S&D, Free-market crap, fine. But it's price-fixing pure and simple.

How do you figure that? Got any documentation? E-mails between the sellers discussing the price they are going to charge? Letters? Phone recordings? If not....don't make such rash statements Dave!

BTW Dave.....it's Econ and Business 101, not "parroting"....and obviously something you need a refresher in! The most cogent statement you made was, "Don't buy!"....that's how "S&D" works.

[mold maker]

I've only bought one brick in 2 years. I've also shot less in the last couple years than ever in memory. I'm not a hoarder, but I do still have an ample supply, of powder and primers, and intend to make it last.
With tons of lead and molds for everything I shoot, that wont be a problem.
I learned a valuable lesson when Bill and Hillbilly took office. I wont be caught short ever again.
You'd be wise, to never expect, to hop down, to the local bate and gun store, and find everything you want, for cheap. It ain't gonna happen. We live in a new world now.

[JohnF]

Miwall is probably the largest seller of ammo and primers on the west coast. They cover most all gun shows up and down the coast and some other western states. When I attended the show in Reno, NV in August primers were $39.95 per thousand. They and other small dealers still had tons of primers left on the table after a three day show. I went to the gun show last week in San Francisco, CA and Miwall had the primers for sale at $29.95 per thousand and sales were fairly brisk, and you could buy as many as you wanted. Those dealers that had them on the table for $39.95 still had them at the end of the day.

[Dave Waits]

John, send miwall to Ohio.