I stocked up on bullets ,brass and powder but I forgot one thing primers.I just got so use to buying them and just plain out forgot to restock.If any one has some extra ones here I sure could use some.I use them in my 416 Rem mags,338-378 weatherby,338 win mags ,300 win mag and my 264 win mags.This is no fun without primers.There are very few reloading stores in Georgia and Alaska is barren in Fairbanks as far as reloading stuff lately.

I feel your pain, I was down to 200 215 primers and I couldn't find any. I finally tracked down 300 at a small gunshop. I would check the places off the beaten path. I managed to score 1000 CCI magnum rifle primers at a different small shop. I'd start calling the mom and pop gun stores to see if you can find any.

I have used the Federals, but I'm finding the Remington 9 1/2 Mag primers work just as well in my .300 RUM and my .416 Rem. Primers have dried up around here also and some of the powders are getting hard to get.

I was told to use only 215 federal lagre mag primers in my 338-378.I dont want a hangfire.I hope the primers get to flowing better this is no fun .

I admit I have not had any experience with a
338-378, but I have to beleive any primer that will work in a .416 will be ok to use? What Powder are you using?

dgr

Try some CCI magnum rimers if you can find them.

Rays sporting goods and hardware in Dallas , Texas has Fed 215's.

EZ

i am using cci mags for my middlin loads.. not bad, and probably as good as the feds ... put in an order, and wait ..

Cant get the 215 Feds at my local dealers in Aus at the moment.

Bought CCI Mags, they gave me 2 x hard strikes in my 416 Rigby which was no fun. I wont use them again unless absolutley required.

Stu

I use only reloader 25 in my 338-378 Weatherby .I use only Reloader 15 in my 416 rem mags.I swear I thought we would not have another primer shortage.Its worse than 1993.The Walmarts are empty of ammo.Finding 20 ga buckshot is hard too.Yep the cci wont work in my 416 rem mag I tried them 12 years ago I forgot and they wont work in my dillion 550 either.I swear if I find 5,000 215 Federals i will get them all.

I feel for you guys, but count myself lucky. Last Jan I bought 5000 215 Feds, along with the same amount of 210s. I noticed I was getting down to less than 2000 in November and found some at Cabelas of all places, I bought 10000 of all the feds, 215s 210s and then handgun and small rifle. So I am stocked for a while thank goodness! I have been looking around too, there are no primers anywhere I can find.

Michael

michael - You must be the reason nobody can find any 215's, you have them all!! Just joking, good score. Haven't seen any for over 4 months or more.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by michael458:
I feel for you guys, but count myself lucky. Last Jan I bought 5000 215 Feds, along with the same amount of 210s. I noticed I was getting down to less than 2000 in November and found some at Cabelas of all places, I bought 10000 of all the feds, 215s 210s and then handgun and small rifle. So I am stocked for a while thank goodness! I have been looking around too, there are no primers anywhere I can find.

Michael

Hey Larry

Yep I stocked up for a little while for everything, large rifle 215 and 210-large handgun, small handgun (don't load much of that) and small rifle too. I hope I have enough to get me thru until production catches up. I have not seen any either since I bought those. I think I was lucky.

Michael

Call Bruno's Shooters supply and get on the waiting list. I got my 210M/215M's last week after about a month wait.

I put in a standing order at Graf and Sons several months ago. It took a while, but I finally got my 5000 Federal 215s .
No substitute as far as I am concerned when I load my 400 Jeffery and 404 Jeffery.

quote:

Originally posted by michael458:
I feel for you guys, but count myself lucky. Last Jan I bought 5000 215 Feds, along with the same amount of 210s. I noticed I was getting down to less than 2000 in November and found some at Cabelas of all places, I bought 10000 of all the feds, 215s 210s and then handgun and small rifle. So I am stocked for a while thank goodness! I have been looking around too, there are no primers anywhere I can find.

Michael

Yep, I found the same thing at the Cabela's here a few months ago. I was looking for 215M primers for my 338-378 Wby but all they had was the regular 215s. Guy said, "How many do you want, 10,000, 20,000, I've got 10 cases here and 10 more in the back" . I should have bought some then because I don't know if they have any now.

Ken....

Ken, I agree. I prefer and use the 215M (match grade).

I stocked up before all of this, it was easy to see coming. FWIW, I actually prefer RP mag priemrs to the 215. They show slightly better accuracy in my 7mmDakota & 404jeff.

Is everyone on AR prejudiced against Winchester?

I still have some Fed 215 and 215M, as well as some Rem 9 1/2M and CCI. But several years ago I switched to WLRM for just about everything and will never go back to the others (only if I have to for some presently unknown reason ).

Tests have been done which show the WLRM primers to be hotter and burn longer than Federals 215's.

In personal testing, I've found that WLRM primers give better standard deviation and accuracy in my rifles, including my 45-70's. I don't have an ax to grind. Just what I've discovered and so, I've hoarded them.

Bob

www.bigbores.ca

There are no fleas on Winchester primers. They are just as good as Federal if not better for some applications. I use both brands and some CCI primers. Right now, anything is better than nothing. You can always use the ones you least desire for target/plinking and save the better ones for the serious shooting and hunting.

Picked up the last 1000 Wichester magnum primers the guy had at the last gun show. I've used CCI in my .375 for three years, along with a few 215's and some Winchesters. The CCI's are a bit oversize in my Dillon 650 and occasionally jam the feed. And I had a guy at Dillon tell me not to load 215's in the 650 because they have had several instances of sympathetic detonation. FWIW.

To all here. What do you feel the shelf life is on primers, if kept in good storage. Say army ammo cans at room temp?? I was given a couple of thousand from a retired buddie that were stored as such. But the price tags on the boxes went clear back to 1987. Think there are ok? I shot some in a 45 LC and they went boom! Thanks Maddog

quote:

Originally posted by MADDOG:
To all here. What do you feel the shelf life is on primers, if kept in good storage. Say army ammo cans at room temp?? I was given a couple of thousand from a retired buddie that were stored as such. But the price tags on the boxes went clear back to 1987. Think there are ok? I shot some in a 45 LC and they went boom! Thanks Maddog

I have some left over from the early 80's that worked. Keep them dry. Mine even survived hurricane Andrew when my house and almost everything else didn't.

Outdoor writer John Barness who posts over on 24Hour Forum posits the issue with the primer shortage is hoarding. Guilty as charged! I had my standing order with Grafs and got my 5000 last month! jorge

quote:

Originally posted by MADDOG:
To all here. What do you feel the shelf life is on primers, if kept in good storage. Say army ammo cans at room temp?? I was given a couple of thousand from a retired buddie that were stored as such. But the price tags on the boxes went clear back to 1987. Think there are ok? I shot some in a 45 LC and they went boom! Thanks Maddog

I'm still using primers form the last shortage, 92-93. Keep them dry & reasonably cool & they will last decades.
FWIW Jorge, I don;t consider 5K primers hoarding, 50K maybe. For pistol primers, 5K isn't even 4mth shooting for some guys.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Outdoor writer John Barness who posts over on 24Hour Forum posits the issue with the primer shortage is hoarding. Guilty as charged! I had my standing order with Grafs and got my 5000 last month! jorge

I know a guy that has not fired 500 centerfire rounds of rifle ammo in his life just ordered 10,000 primers.

Although I too am suffering from the shortage, I doubt that hoarding is the cause. There have always been large quantities bought and used, why would bought and hoarded be any different?

I also feel like the guy who hasn't shot 500 rounds in his life but just bought 10,000 primers is well within his rights.Woe be the day we have to prove our "need" to purchase them. Just because we shoot them doesn't mean we deserve them more than he does.

Having said all that, yes it sucks not being able to find primers, powder, brass, etc. I buy and shoot thousands a year, and always like to have thousands on hand for when I want them. Components seem to constantly be harder to find or more expensive, so if you'll use them eventually, they'll never be cheaper than the last time you bought.

No offense to anyone, and good luck finding what you need.

I use whatever brand is least expensive and readily available. As I usually buy them 5000 or 10,000 at a time, it is no big deal to work up the load again when a different brand is used. You folks have me concerned as the last Fed 215's I bought were $23.95 a thousand.

Graf's is selling the Fed 215's for $33.? with tax per thousand. I was in today and they were out but I picked up several thousand of the small and large pistol. The local Graf's receive their orders in on Thursday delivery. Also picked up another 8 lbs. of H110 and another 8 lbs of 4350. Not really a shortage just that they sell out on weekends and have to keep a continuous order more. Plenty of 9m/m, 40, and .223 available here.

Dutch

quote:

Originally posted by dgr416:
I use only reloader 25 in my 338-378 Weatherby .I use only Reloader 15 in my 416 rem mags.I swear I thought we would not have another primer shortage.Its worse than 1993.The Walmarts are empty of ammo.Finding 20 ga buckshot is hard too.Yep the cci wont work in my 416 rem mag I tried them 12 years ago I forgot and they wont work in my dillion 550 either.I swear if I find 5,000 215 Federals i will get them all.

DGR, what do you mean the CCI primers "won't work"?

Folks, I have thousands of CCI250, Winchester, and Rem9 1/2 mag primers, if you really need some, PM me and I'll try to help you out.

Joe

dgr416, You might want to consider a switch from RL25 to Retumbo...I got much better velocity and accuracy out of my 338-378. I tried both Win, CCI and Fed mag primers and had good results with all of them.

I scored some Fed 215s at a gun show this weekend for $32 per thousand. The dealer was limiting everyone to 2,000 primers so everybody got some.

I finally found some 215 Federal primers.My guy limited everyone to 1000 primers so more people could reload.My dillion 550 does not like CCI primers and i asked Dillion about it.I have been warned not to use them in my 338-378 so i stick to only Federal 215 mag primers in my 338-378 and my 416 rem mag.A hang fire in one of these calibers is no fun.All they have to do is stop making primers and none of us will be shoooting at all.The gunshow and all gun shops were totally out of small rifle primers.I now have 2400 which will keep me shooting for a while.I really had to hunt for them though which is no fun when you cant shoot.I had plenty of brass ,powder and bullets but forgot the primers.