there are three plausible explanations for the primer shortage -
Hoarding - people think they have to have 10's of thousand primers on hand for the impending Armageddon -
Profiteering - look on Gunbroker - there are primers for sale - at extortion prices - a box of 1000 primers (depending on size and brand) should be about $40 +/- - they are available on GB for 250 to 300 or even more - the only way to stop that is for people not to buy them - but the panic types will continue to encourage this behavoir even though they are less likely to use them any more than the garage full of toilet paper
lastly - and maybe mostly - its the ammo shortage -the ammo makers are sucking up the primers as they come off the line - because there are more hoarders stockpiling ammo than there are reloaders - the manufacturers of primers are not about to build more factory capacity for what may be a temporary crisis if that investment will not be need long term - primers take specialty equipment
the only primers I am truly low on is small pistol primers - the local gun shops I know tell me they have been on back order for most of the year with no delivery date in sight
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"If there is a heaven it must have thinning aspen gold, and flighting woodcock, and a bird dog" GBE
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