This past weekend I was in Academy Sports and Outdoors and there were two gentlemen, both former military, (Academy provides 10% military discounts) purchasing 4000 rounds of Blazer 9mm 115gr and 124gr FMJ for $216.00 a thousand ($240.00 per thousand before their 10% discount).

Help me understand how CCI can manufacture, mark up, and sell to Academy, who is also marking up this ammo before selling it (two companies making a profit on this specific ammo) loaded 9mm ammo for $216.00 or even $240.00 per thousand rounds yet this same companies small pistol primers alone are selling for an average price of $75.00 (give or take $10.00 per thousand) with two mark ups (CCI and the Distributor selling the primers). Academy was selling CCI small pistol primers for $7.99 a hundred and most on line reloading distributors are selling CCI primers for $65.00 to $80.00 per thousand.

This and powder now averaging $41.00 to $50.00 per pound is making reloading something that cost per round on popular calibers like 9mm to be a questionable hobby for some. I realize most reloaders today have paid for their equipment many times over but for folks wanting to get into reloading I am sure these prices may cause some shooters to opt to shoot factory ammo.

I guess what I am saying is it seems to me that US primer and maybe the few powder manufactures left in the market are enjoying very high profit margins on reloading components currently and as a result will eventually cause reloading to become a hobby for less people in the future.

I am not selling my equipment but I sure do not load as much as I used too because of today’s component prices.

Well, CCI pays a LOT less for components and their manufacture than we do. That goes without saying.

I am currently reloading 9mm for about $170-180 per thousand these days, using RMR plated bullets, Aguila primers, and CFE-P powder.

Saving $35-45 per K is still a large enough margin for me to continue reloading.

Thanks VictimNoMore for responding.

I am gonna have to get off of my OCD issues thinking I can only use CCI or Federal primers. This is where my problem exists. I have just always liked the feel of these two primers when loading. I use the CCI for all reloading except revolver rounds where I use the Federal primers.

CCI and Federal box primers using what's left over after the loaded ammo on the production schedule, for one.

Vista Outdoors currently owns CCI, Remington, and Federal as well, and they've been slowly boiling the frog over the last few decades, but given the the craziness surrounding Covid they've ramped the heat up because they knew they could get away with it.

ETA: sigarmsp226, look into Ginex primers. They're awesome. I'm undecided on whether I want to go back to CCI if pricing ever gets back under control.

Vulrath - I will look at the Ginex primers. Had not considered these. Thanks for your recommendation because I see their pricing is very reasonable in today’s primer market pricing range (actually the best prices). Mark

Also, 9mm is the worst caliber to compare, pick anything else and the situation you’re seeing isn’t as argumentative.

223 even is less to reload…get away from those two and we’re talking 1:2 reloaded to factory ammo cost.

Reloading costs to manufacturers costs are always gonna be skewed because of the quantities they are buying, the fact that they have no middle man, and they are consumer number one for any manufacturer of components. That’s all IF they aren’t the ones producing the components in house and selling extras to reloaders.

Yep…try buying .45 Colt, 44/40 or .35 Remington or pretty much any other larger calibers and the difference becomes huge…I agree on the Ginex primers…they are great (the rifle primers are pretty much the same as CCI Milspec primers as to hardness…the pistol primers are all reliable in my lower hammer spring Rugers)… I buy almost all my reloading supplies from American Reloading…fair prices and zero shipping and hazmat

Otto - Great points especially related to 5.56/223 ammo.

Bisley - I will look into American Reloading. Thanks for that detail. You mentioned 35 Remington, I was FLOORED when I saw what 35 Remington factory ammo is selling for currently and could not believe what 35 Remington brass is selling for on line.

Thanks to both of you for your feedback.

I don’t know if this is an effect of high Ammo prices or greedy sellers. But I’ve noticed people selling the lesser common brass for astronomical prices. $1+ for 45-70 for example. $2+ for some projectiles (not specialty ones either). As though they assume the cost to reload lesser used rounds should be comparable to the cost savings of reloading 9mm.

I’m sure someone is buying it, which sucks. But deals are still to be found I guess. I rarely see projectiles offered in any kind of quantity for less than the stores are offering though. Sometimes I can save the shipping cost and tax.

I haven’t done any handloading in years, so I’m not familiar with current component pricing, but although it’s conventional economic wisdom that when demand goes down, prices should go down as well, when it comes to certain commodities such as unusual ammunition types, that certainly is not true.

Whether it’s because it’s more costly to produce the stuff for which there is small demand; because the manufacturers figure if you want something like that, and especially if not much is made, you’ll pay whatever prices are asked; or some combination of the two, I don’t think it’s surprising. The supply/demand thing works only if the supply is high when demand goes down. That doesn’t apply when low demand results in low supply as well.

quote:

Originally posted by vulrath:
CCI and Federal box primers using what's left over after the loaded ammo on the production schedule, for one.

Yup, that is what causes shortages when there is a high demand for factory ammo. They aren't making a killing on profits on primers. They just have less to sell and their vendors are marking them up to reflect demand so that they still have some on hand for the casual buyers...ones who aren't buying 5k and 10k cases

quote:

ETA: sigarmsp226, look into Ginex primers. They're awesome. I'm undecided on whether I want to go back to CCI if pricing ever gets back under control.

Ginex SPP have completely replaced CCI in my inventory. I picked up most of mine when they were less than 50% the cost of CCI and they are still at 35-40% less expensive.

I don't see any reason to go back to CCI as Ginex has proven to be more sensitive in most of my pistols. The brass ones are comparable to CCI and the nickeled ones are almost as sensitive as Federal SPP...about 80%