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Finding primers lately... a tip


Tack14

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I have been hearing reports of some people being able to find primers at  gun shows etc. but for most part finding them online anywhere has been pretty bad the last few months.

But I learned a trick about a particular place lately and also talked to them.

Midway USA has been pretty consistently getting some primers in stock, different kinds from day to day, most days for the last couple few weeks.  But they sell out really fast, and they limit to 1K of a particular brand/type per order and will also not let you order more of that brand+type for 7 days.  (which, I can understand, they are trying to make sure everybody has a chance to get some, rather than a couple/few enterprising types get 'em all and gouge everybody else re-selling them).

The trick I've been seeing be true lately with Midway is, check inventory early in the morning a couple times, around 8am - 8:30am central time.  You can pick "Primers" (general category) and often times the Availability filter works (ie, show me only things in stock) but sometimes it's not super accurate.  Things that don't show up in stock when you are looking at ALL small rifle primers, for example, might actually BE in stock if you go to that particular product's detail page, at least for a little while until it sells  out.

I talked to them about a week ago and they said also sometimes around 12pm they will get more in/orderable.  I've not seen that much but the early mornings have been pretty good lately.

They also explained that their email alerts are essentially first-come, first-served basis, so people who set email alerts up for a particular product coming back in stock before you did will get the email in stock alert first, but once they run out of stock, the emails stop being sent.  Eventually you'll get your email alert.

But when I found a box of what I was looking for, it was before an email alert got sent to me about it.  I just happened to look one morning just about 8am and they were showing in stock, so I ordered em and  got em several days later.  About a week later, I did get an email about a certain brand/type I had set a reminder up for of those.

So the trick I learned with Midway USA is, if you have time to search for a couple minutes each morning around 8am-8:30am central, keep checking until the kind you want shows up.  Don't give up!  Eventually you'll get lucky and you just may find what you're looking for in stock before your turn to get an email alert about them gets sent.

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Tack14
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  • 2 months later...
19 hours ago, ValleyCook said:

I've seen them on Brownells as well... Close to $.10 ea for 1k tho🤮

They seem to price gouge every chance they get... But then again if they have it and nobody else does whatcha gonna do?

Not really price gouging - you have to look at the industry, and be able to read it.

They can't order an entire pallet of primers anymore - the inventory, because of the demand, just isn't there.  It's panic-buying all over again.  Before, you could just yell out to your supply specialist, "Hey MIKE!  Go ahead and order 6 MORE FULL PALLETS of CCI 400 primers!!!"   Big, montrous buy that will get you through 6 more months of orders, and you get a giant bulk discount, you get them 3 weeks later, and your HazMat fees are less for that literal semi-load of primers that you just bought.

Not happening now.  Look at the market, not the vendors.  If a vendor can get 20k primers, that's like hitting a gold mine.  But, it will get them through NEXT WEEK...  And the HazMat fees will be higher...

Perspective, man.  Understand the market  -and don't blame the vendors.  It's not their fault.  THE DEMAND is the problem pushing this, as well as COVID restrictions - didn't use to have people 6 feet apart, but now they need to be.  That reduces how many people you can even have in the shop or factory at one time.  Now you needs 2 shifts, not just the 9-to-5 you had before.  NOW, you're running 3 shifts!  Electricity, water, etc., times 3...

I hope you see where I'm going with that.  Hope you can smell what I'm spreading. 

It's not the manufacturers fault, not distributors fault, not the small shops fault...   It's just the times we're in - and I outlined why we're in those times.  It sucks, yes. 

But, it's not about gouging anyone...

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On 10/26/2021 at 9:19 PM, 98Z5V said:

Not really price gouging - you have to look at the industry, and be able to read it.

They can't order an entire pallet of primers anymore - the inventory, because of the demand, just isn't there.  It's panic-buying all over again.  Before, you could just yell out to your supply specialist, "Hey MIKE!  Go ahead and order 6 MORE FULL PALLETS of CCI 400 primers!!!"   Big, montrous buy that will get you through 6 more months of orders, and you get a giant bulk discount, you get them 3 weeks later, and your HazMat fees are less for that literal semi-load of primers that you just bought.

Not happening now.  Look at the market, not the vendors.  If a vendor can get 20k primers, that's like hitting a gold mine.  But, it will get them through NEXT WEEK...  And the HazMat fees will be higher...

Perspective, man.  Understand the market  -and don't blame the vendors.  It's not their fault.  THE DEMAND is the problem pushing this, as well as COVID restrictions - didn't use to have people 6 feet apart, but now they need to be.  That reduces how many people you can even have in the shop or factory at one time.  Now you needs 2 shifts, not just the 9-to-5 you had before.  NOW, you're running 3 shifts!  Electricity, water, etc., times 3...

I hope you see where I'm going with that.  Hope you can smell what I'm spreading. 

It's not the manufacturers fault, not distributors fault, not the small shops fault...   It's just the times we're in - and I outlined why we're in those times.  It sucks, yes. 

But, it's not about gouging anyone...

Not gouging... it's Brownells lol they are one of the MOST expensive sites to order just about anything from.

Hey bud, since you CLEARLY have all knowledge on every aspect, why don't you run for president, you have my vote👍

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1 minute ago, ValleyCook said:

Not gouging... it's Brownells lol they are one of the MOST expensive sites to order just about anything from.

Hey bud, since you CLEARLY have all knowledge on every aspect, why don't you run for president, you have my vote👍

You are clearly a fucking idiot.  If you want to start slinging personal insults, I'm all about that, and will accommodate you.  I'll embarrass the fuk out of you, too. 

Say GO.  Let's just do it.

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29 minutes ago, ValleyCook said:

I'm sorry, I'll retract that last statement. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings... It's just perspective I guess?

You didn't hurt my feeling.  I give not one shiit about you.  Nothing you do impacts me in the least.  :thumbup:

Edited by 98Z5V
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Brownells has a decent little discount for mil, and they price match for most stuff. Done it several times. Additionally they have been awesome about taking returns for any reason with no hassle. I don't think I've ever paid sticker price for any large orders I made with them. Ok in book. 

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On 10/28/2021 at 2:04 AM, blue109 said:

Brownells has a decent little discount for mil, and they price match for most stuff. Done it several times. Additionally they have been awesome about taking returns for any reason with no hassle. I don't think I've ever paid sticker price for any large orders I made with them. Ok in book. 

LEOs get the same discount, even after they retire!😁 I've done a lot of business with Brownells over the years, especially in all my 1911 endeavors, and they are still my go to place for parts.

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Brownells has been selling gun parts and gunsmithing supplies since before anyone had heard AR. Made my first order from them in 1976 and I know it was at least second generation then. If you watch their clearance section you can find some amazing deals very regular, they even let me return a chromed BCG I bought on clearance that wouldn't headspace with the barrel I had. Another thing you rarely hear of is how much they do on all fronts for 2A rights, can't think of a family that has and has put more skin in that game. 

On 10/28/2021 at 1:21 AM, ValleyCook said:

Not gouging... it's Brownells lol they are one of the MOST expensive sites to order just about anything from.

 

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I think one thing we can be certain of is that certain online retailers aren't coming out of this worse for wear.  At the same time I bought my primers from Midway for $80 per k, Brownells was selling the exact same primers for $95.  I've also noticed that both midway and Brownells are frequently more expensive than lesser known retailers for the exact same product.

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On 10/28/2021 at 1:21 AM, ValleyCook said:

Hey bud, since you CLEARLY have all knowledge on every aspect, why don't you run for president, you have my vote👍

Probably the smartest thing you have said since joining the forum. Of course you haven’t set the bar very high so far.

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