cost of primers at kempf's

[red_zr24x4]

Rumor has it that Kempf's in Michigan City is selling primers for $45-1000.

This coming from a friend that was there recently. I repete I have not seen this with my own eyes.
I wish there was a place local to buy reloading supplies. Kempfs usually has what i want but he's just a tool.
Whatever happened with midwest gun starting a reloading dept.?

 

[2cool9031]

Kempf's is kinda ....middle of the road in his prices. I did purchase 2 pistols from there in the past few months. He is not as high as Blyth's or Bass pro.
But that seems high ...even for him. I believe it though....whatever the market will bare.

 

[Lawguns]

Whatever happened with midwest gun starting a reloading dept.?

I hate to break it to you but it is very hard to make money selling reloading equipment and supplies. Most of the large internet stores will beat any local shop and can ship right to you. The only thing that local stores have over the internet store is they save you the hazmat charge. But, we the consumer seem to want to still pay the mail order price. Currently I can order bulk primers as a dealer for $24-$28 a 1000, about the same as you can. I still have to pay shipping and the hazmat fee. When it is all said and done I am charging $35/1000 and making about $5/K. When I can only get 50K in primers in stock in 6 months there is not enough money in it to make it worth while for most dealers. I order for some friends and order extra to sell in the store as a service.
I guess my point is if a store is going to charge $45 for an item that took them 6 months to get in stock and cost them $30 thats fine. If you were to order the same 1000 then it would cost you about $28 plus $5 shipping and $20 hazmat fee a total of $53. I think the store is saving you money. Now if you want 10K order them on line and you can get them cheaper in 6 months.
Just keep in mind what the dealers are going through trying to get you your product and they have to wait 6 months to get it.

 

[preachere]

Lawguns- Could you please post a link to where I can buy primers in the 10K bulk you talked about. I've wanted to do this for a while so I don't have to worry about the ups and downs of the market again. It doesn't matter to me if I have to wait 6 months to get the as I've got plenty to last me that long.

Regards,
Eric

 

[Soundslikejosh]

Rumor has it that Kempf's in Michigan City is selling primers for $45-1000.

This coming from a friend that was there recently. I repete I have not seen this with my own eyes.
I wish there was a place local to buy reloading supplies. Kempfs usually has what i want but he's just a tool.
Whatever happened with midwest gun starting a reloading dept.?

Vote with your dollars and live by your own principles. Personally, I wouldn't buy from Kempf is primers were $3 a thousand and he was giving away chests of gold with each purchase. If you can buy from Kempf and sleep at night, well I guess that's your business. Every time you walk in his door you are telling him it doesn't matter that he is a jerk. I don't mean to get all preachy but I don't understand why everybody knows he's a jerk but people still keep buying from him. Please don't shop there. As LAWGUNS pointed out, you can get good prices on the internet--- and you aren't supporting Grumpy!!

 

[bulletbaron]

Total Agreement PLUS more info!

Lawguns pretty well sums up the situation as to running a business in this day & age. With a "brick & mortar" establishment, as I have, there are a few things 99.9% of the individual reloaders & ammunition purchasers either forget or just do not care to know.

Such things as;

Product Liability Insurance
Fire Insurance (inventory & equipment)
General Liability Insurance
Federal Taxes (Excise, Payroll, Unemployment, etc)
State Taxes (Payroll, Unemployment, etc)
County Tax (payroll, Inventory, property etc)
PAYROLL for the employees
Payroll Taxes
Workman's Compensation Premiums
NIPSCO (Gas & Electric)
Communication (Phone & Internet)
General Operating Expenses (Toilet Paper etc etc etc)
Vehicle Upkeep (Fuel, Oil Changes, maintenance, etc)
Dealing with Bureaucrats (City Inspectors, OSHA, EPA, ATF etc)
AND, believe me the list goes on & on & on...........................

Plus, as a SMALL Business owner, I have to contend with the HUGE buying power of Wal-Mart, Cabella's, Dick's, Gander Mountain, Bass Pro, AND the Internet retailers who have very few, if any, of the Overhead costs I do.

So, when a potential customer either comes to me shop, calls me on the phone, or sends me an e-mail wanting a "DEAL" on ammunition (especially in this "crisis"), it seems that I am an uncaring S.O.B. if I do not stop what I am doing and attend to this individual's needs.

As for my business stocking & selling Reloading Supplies, I got out of the retail end of the business for all of the above reasons fifteen years ago when things were not as tight as they are today, just because the profit margin was small compared to the HUGE inventory that was necessary to try to stock everything that was needed to have a complete reloading component area.

I am not crying the blues, I actually enjoy being my own boss, but as a business owner, as I tell so many people "Excuse me for trying to make a living at this" Believe me, it gets very tiring to hear day after day after day "What kind of deal can you give me?????"

If Kempf's wants $45.00/1,000 for primers and no one else around has them, then one must make a decision, "HOW BAD DO I WANT THEM".

Just, remember when it was $4.68 for a gallon of Diesel, we paid it because we had to! You don't have to buy primers!

So, as Lawguns pointed out and "Soundslikejosh" agreed, there are good deals on the Internet and I am sure there are some not so good ones, one must decide "How bad he wants something" and if he wants to pay the price. And, he decides one way or the other concerning" and you aren't supporting Grumpy!!

Lastly, remember;

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS HAVING TOO MUCH AMMO

 

[Lawguns]

Here is the link for Grafs. Keep in mind that last ime I ordered they did not honor the back order price. I did not mind because I know their cost went up as well. I order 10-20K at a time from them.

Graf & Sons - Primers

 

[rfguy1984]

I say try and buy what you can from local dealers if possible. I buy from them if they have prices that are close to what I could buy them online would be. For example...if I want 1K primers and my local dealer has them for $35 and I could get them for $30 online then I would buy them locally. I understand that it costs money to run a business and I am paying for him to keep me supplied by keeping him in business.

On another note: I am unaware of the company stated above, but if a business owner is "grumpy" and/or prices stuff too high...eventually they will not be in businees.