Hmmm, funny how there was NEVER a primer shortage ever before when we had a much larger military, were involved in a lot of conflicts around the world, had larger police forces (and ammo requirements?), had a LOT more hunters and recreational shooters, etc.
I guess that comes down to the lack of raw materials? Color me skeptical. 
It might well be that they can't get enough people to work; the new paradigm seems to be why work when you can sit at home in front of the TV and the government condones it.

The 22 rimfire "shortage" seems to be slowly loosening up. No lack of raw materials there . . . . . 

If the explanation was as simple as they said, why weren't they willing to go on the record?  Kinda strange in my book.

I think all of the theories have some merit, and some truth. But I think none of them are 100% true. The reality is that everyone involved from the manufacturers to distributors, and your local sporting goods stores is gouging because they can.
Things certainly did slow down during the pandemic, and workers stopped coming to work when they got free money to stay home. But when demand drove the prices to extremes, everyone involved saw dollar signs, and realized customers were willing to pay much more than they ever imagined before! So now that the new price average has been set, don't expect anything to get cheaper just because shelves begin to fill up again. This sort of thing has been done for longer than most of us have been alive.

It’s not really hard to figure out. Based on new gun owners first time purchases, record sales every month for 2 years, if every gun sold came with a single box of ammo, it would amount to 1.5 billion primers needed. Before you factor in hoarding both ammo and components due to the run up to an election.

Then cut production by 25-30% with Remington out of the picture during that time frame.

Next throw in your favorite covid conspiracy and labor force reduction. Including the number of people buying ammo and components with their covid checks, paying too much because it’s “free money”.

Lots of factors. Still all boils down to supply and demand. 

Did I mention government handouts and double Digit inflation?

Can’t wait for all the safe queens to hit the second hand sales market in I few years. 

406shooter wrote on Feb 1^st, 2023 at 10:09am:


My thought also.

gnoahhh wrote on Feb 1^st, 2023 at 12:10pm:


There is going to be if you can wait 2 years. Fiocchi  is breaking ground in Arkansas right now to build a new $40 million plant just to make primers.

Old-Win wrote on Feb 1^st, 2023 at 2:22pm:

Hell, half of us may not even be here in 2 years!

And Ukraine will have won the war and repaid all the money and munitions we sent over. Result - no more primer shortage!