Eurooptic vortex burris nightforce sale




teslong borescope digital camera barrel monitor


As an Amazon Associate, this site earns a commission from Amazon sales.









March 11th, 2024

BargainFinder 442: AccurateShooter’s Deals of the Week

AccurateShooter Deals of the Week Weekly Bargain Finder Sale Discount Savings

At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.

NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.

1. Palmetto State Armory — Semi-Auto 12ga Shotgun, $199.99

palmetto GF99 12 gauge shotgun black g-force semi-auto
Great owner reports on versatile, sub-$200 shotgun

This might just be the shotgun deal of the decade. Right now you can get a reliable, optics-ready 12ga semi-auto shotgun for just $199.99. The 8-pound G-Force GF99 DLX Shotgun features a 20″ barrel, full Picatinny rail, and ships with a 5+1 magazine. Weight, unloaded, is 8 pounds. Read the very positive reviews from verified buyers: “Won’t find a better gun for the money… reliability [and] usability 5 stars”; “Cycles perfect. No jamming… go for it”; “Not one malfunction… I’m 100% happy with the purchase.”

2. MidwayUSA — BOG Tripod + Electronic Muffs Combo, $139.99

BOG tripod deathgrips e-max electronic muffs sale combo free shipping
Save $70 on outstanding tripod and electronic muffs combo

Here’s a great combo for PRS/NRL shooters and/or hunters. You get the excellent BOG Deathgrip Tripod AND Caldwell E-Max Electronic Muffs for just $139.99 total. Plus you get free shipping this week from MidwayUSA. The BOG DeathGrip Tripod has rugged aluminum legs and a patented hands-free clamp. The bipod head pans 360 degrees with cant adjustment. The 3-position leg angle lock allows bipod use in standing, kneeling, and prone positions. The comfortable, low-profile E-Max Pro electronic muffs have a 23dB noise reduction rating (NRR).

3. Powder Valley — Hodgdon and Alliant Powders in Stock

powder valley hodgdon varget h4831 h4350 sale in stock
Ultra-popular Hodgdon powders now available at good prices

This is your lucky day — many super-popular Hodgdon powders are in stock right now at Powder Valley. That’s right, you can order Hodgdon Varget, H4350, and H4831SC right now. And other Hodgdon powders are available starting at $32.99/lb. Plus many popular Alliant and IMR powders are in stock at Powder Valley including the outstanding Alliant Reloder 16. NOTE: If your favorite powder sells out, Midsouth also has Varget, RL16, H4350, and other top choices in stock including 8-lb jugs of H4350 and H4831sc for $390.99 ($48.87/lb).

4. CDNN Sports — Walther .22LR Pistol + TrekLite Safe, $289.99

walther p22 target .22 LR handgun pistol sale free hornady lockbox gunsafe
Combo Deal — rimfire pistol with Hornady compact LockBox safe

Everyone should have a good .22 LR rimfire pistol for training and fun shooting. We really like the Walther P22 Target Model. This has excellent ergonomics and a nice trigger. With its forward compensator, this pistol has almost no muzzle flip, allowing very rapid shot strings. Currently you can get this P22 pistol plus a Hornady TrekLite Lockbox XXL portable gun safe — all for just $289.99 at CDNN Sports. Get the Lockbox via Walther mail-in rebate. CLICK HERE for Rebate INFO. NOTE: If you already have a .22 LR Pistol, CDNN has the gun+safe combo offer with other Walther 9mm and .380 ACP handguns.

5. Creedmoor Sports — Canvas Shooter Coat, $120.00

creedmoor sports canvas shooting coat sale
Save 20% ($29.95) on very good canvas shooting coat

Creedmoor Sports makes some of the best shooting coats you can buy. Right now the popular Deluxe Canvas Shooting Coat is 20% off. Regularly $149.99, this is now on sale for $120.00, a $29.99 savings. This coat is very popular with High Power shooters, and Garand/Vintage military rifle shooters. Act soon as this discount ends on Tuesday 3/12/2024 at noon CST.

6. GunZoneDeals — MTM GV-30 CaseGard Gun Vise, $35.99

MTM casegard gun vise
Great price on versatile, well-designed gun vise

Here’s an excellent gun vise on sale for just $35.99. The versatile MTM GV-30 CaseGard Gun Vise supports rifles and shotguns for cleaning/maintenance. High and low forks allow level or angled gun placement. The rubber-padded rotating stock clamp provides a firm hold. The base has 14 different compartments for tools/solvents, plus 11 slots for jags, brushes, and screwdrivers. On the side are tabs for two cleaning rods. This GV-20 vise is made from rugged, solvent-resistant polypropylene plastic. If this sells out on GunZoneDeals, Midsouth has the GV-30 Vise for $38.00.

7. Locked&Loaded — CCI Blazer 9mm Ammo, $219.99 1000 rds

target sports use ammo+ discount membership contest giveaway free shipping ammo plus
Quality 9mm brass-cased ammo at a super-low price — $0.22/round

CCI makes very reliable pistol ammo with reloadable brass cases. Right now you can get 1000 rounds of CCI Blazer 9mm FMJ ammo for just $219.99 at LockedLoaded.com. That price works out to just $11.00 per 50-round box — a fantastic price. This very affordable 115gr Blazer 9mm ammo is excellent for practice/training, and it is more reliable than commercial reloads.

8. Amazon — Caldwell Pistolero Handgun Shooting Rest, $22.39

caldwell rest sale
Handy adjustable rest fits nearly all types of pistols and revolvers

A small compact rest definitely helps with handgun load development and accuracy testing. A good choice (at a great price) is the Caldwell Pistolero shooting rest (#ad), now just $22.39 on sale at Amazon. The Caldwell Pistolero rest is durable, and the support surfaces will not mark your pistols. The hand support is comfortable to use. With 5 inches of rear pad movement and and 3 inches of vertical adjustment in the front, the Pistolero rest accommodates virtually all handguns, providing a stable shooting surface.

9. Amazon — GuardTech Plus Gun Cleaning Kit, $43.50

guardtech rifle pistol shotgun cleaning kit jags brushes calibers
Excellent full-featured cleaning kit for all types of guns

This big GuardTech Plus Cleaning Kit will work for rifles, pistols, and even shotguns. You get a big selection of brushes, jags, and mops that fit calibers .17 to .50. In addition, there are picks and tooth-brush-style brushes for cleaning your action, plus a pull-through cleaning rope. You get all this, in a nice fitted hard case, for just $43.50 on Amazon. Choose green case (as shown), or black case.

10. MidwayUSA — Wheeler Bore Lapping Kit, $21.89

barrel clean lap lapping kit wheeler sale
Simple, inexpensive method to enhance factory barrels — Save 54%

This kit can help polish a rifle bore to remove factory machining marks and reduce fouling. With this kit you coat bullets so they can perform a lapping function as they are fired through the barrel. This Wheeler Lapping Kit consists of three 1 oz. jars of silicon carbide abrasive pastes (220 Cutting Grit, 320 Smoothing Grit, and 600 Polishing Grit) and two steel application plates. NOTE: We do NOT recommend using this kit with high-quality, hand-lapped barrels from makers such as Bartlein, Brux, Krieger, and Shilen.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Hot Deals, Optics No Comments »
December 22nd, 2023

RUAG Large Rifle Primers Available Now at Powder Valley

powder valley ruag large rifle primers sale 5341 ammotech gmbh

Large rifle primers have been extremely hard to find lately, both regular and magnum type. Well folks, now you’re in luck. Powder Valley has received a large shipment of RUAG large rifle primers. RUAG Ammotec GmbH is a top-tier company that produces primers and ammunition in Germany.

Needless to say, these RUAG #5341 LR primers are very good, reliable primers. These primers are priced at $112.99 per thousand, with a limit of two boxes (2000 primers total) per customer. Yes, that’s expensive, but if you can’t find Large Rifle Primers elsewhere this may be a vital source.

powder valley ruag large rifle primers sale 5341 ammotech gmbh

RUAG Ammotec GmBH is a subsidiary of RUAG Holding, a large Swiss company specializing in aerospace engineering and the defense industry. RUAG is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland and also has numerous production sites in Switzerland and Germany. RUAG Holding also owns and operates Norma Precision.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, New Product No Comments »
December 6th, 2023

Powder Valley Now Offers Norma Brass and Loaded Ammo

Powder Valley 12 days christmas sale discount

Powder Valley has added Norma products to its extensive inventory of ammunition, reloading components, tools, and shooting accessories. Powder Valley is now carrying Norma products for shooters and handloaders. Norma ammo and components are developed with the high quality raw materials and tight tolerances to ensure long life and accuracy.

About Norma Precision AB
Dedicated to outfitting shooting enthusiasts with quality products since 1902, Norma started out in a small Swedish town and is now a top global brand boasting more than 350 employees, most of whom are hunters, shooters, and reloaders themselves. For hunting and target shooting applications Norma manufactures many millions of rounds annually for 100+ different cartridge types.

VERY Informative Video Show Cartridge Brass and Ammunition Production:

Here’s a cool video showing how bullet, brass, and ammunition are produced at the Norma Precision AB factory. You can see how cartridges are made starting with brass disks, then formed into shape through a series of processes, including “hitting [the cup] with a 30-ton hammer”. After annealing (shown at 0:08″), samples from every batch of brass are analyzed (at multiple points along the case length) to check metal grain structure and hardness. Before packing, each case is visually inspected by a human being (3:27″ time-mark). The video also shows how bullets are made from jackets and lead cores. Finally, you can watch the loading machines that fill cases with powder, seat the bullets, and then transport the loaded rounds to the packing system.

12 Days Of Christmas Contest at Powder Valley

Powder Valley 12 days christmas prize contest give-aways

Beginning Monday, December 4, 2023, Powder Valley has been running a major give-away contest, with prize products from a different maker each day. Today, 12/6/23, Berry’s Bullets are the Prize. And, TAKE NOTE readers, tomorrow 12/7/2023 Lapua, Berger, and Vihtavuori products are the Daily Contest Prize. If you need Lapua Brass, Berger Bullets, or VV powder, be sure to enter before end of day 12/7/2023. The 12 prizes vary by day and by value. Each day’s prize will be posted on Facebook and Instagram. WINNER SELECTION: A random drawing will be conducted the following day by Sponsor or its designated representatives. The Sweepstakes began on 12/4/23 and ends on 12/15/23.

About Powder Valley
Powder Valley began in 1984 as Dexter Automotive, the first master distributor of Accurate powder. In 2000, Bryan and Noel Richardson purchased the company and moved operations to Winfield, Kansas with a focus on providing the finest in reloading components at the best possible price. Powder Valley expanded its vision to offer every type of powder and primer available so reloaders would have a single shopping source. Since then, Powder Valley has grown into the largest distributor of canister powder in the United States and currently carries an ever-expanding offering of high-quality bullets, brass, wads, shot, gun care items, and ammunition at an excellent value.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Hot Deals, New Product, Reloading No Comments »
July 6th, 2023

Powder Valley Launches Enhanced, Full-Featured Website

powder valley inc. reloading powder primers website store new updated supplies

Powder Valley, a leading distributor of reloading supplies, is pleased to announce the launch of a major update and enhancement to its PowderValley.com website. The enhanced website now has a completely updated look, improved search and browse features, along with a streamlined checkout experience. The updated website is also mobile-friendly so it works great with smartphones and mobile devices. And right now the Powder Valley website features special discounts, with some items up to 50% Off. For big savings, click the Weekly Deals tag on the home page.

There are convenient, one-click product category links for:

Ammunition
Smokeless Powder
Primers
Bullets

Reloading Brass
Reloading Tools
Reloading Manuals
Shotshell Ammunition

Muzzleloading
Shooting Supplies
Swag
Gun Safes & Storage

“We’re excited to provide our customers with a new website that is fast, easy to navigate, and helps them make an informed buying decision” said Bill Clinton, CEO of Powder Valley. “The new website is the first step in a series of strategic changes at Powder Valley which will improve our ability to implement significant improvement in how we serve customers, from enhanced product information to increased breadth and depth of our product offering.”

To learn more about Powder Valley and its full lineup of reloading supplies, visit PowderValley.com. On the updated website, as you scroll down the home page, you’ll see convenient major feature categories for:

1. Sales and Clearance | 2. New Arrivals | 3. Popular Products

powder valley inc. reloading powder primers website store new updated supplies

About Powder Valley
Powder Valley began in 1984 as Dexter Automotive, the first master distributor of Accurate brand powder. In 2000, Bryan and Noel Richardson purchased the company and moved operations to Winfield, Kansas. Since then Powder Valley has become the single largest distributor of canister powder in the USA, stocking nearly every brand of Smokeless and Black Powder offered in the nation. Powder brands include Hodgdon, IMR, Vihtavuori, Alliant, Ramshot, Winchester, Hornady, Shooters World, Goex, Schuetzen, Swiss and more, along with an ever-expanding offering of bullets, brass, wads, shot, gun care items, and reloading equipment. Powder Valley also carries a wide selection of rifle, pistol, and shotgun primers.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Hot Deals, News, Reloading No Comments »
May 28th, 2023

BargainFinder 401: Deals of the Week Plus Memorial Day Sales

AccurateShooter Deals of the Week Weekly Bargain Finder Sale Discount Savings

At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.

Memorial Dayssale Midwayusa Natchez midsouth save

NOTE to Readers: Monday, May 29, 2023 is Memorial Day. Many vendors may be running special SALES today, or over the next few days. Check with vendors Brownells, EuroOptic, Creedmoor Sports, Bruno’s, Graf & Sons, Midsouth, Precision Reloading, Bullet Central, Powder Valley, and MidwayUSA to see all the products they have on sale. For example, MidwayUSA offers free shipping on orders over $75 with code FREESHIP052723. You can find other promos and sales with web searches.

NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.

1. Precision Reloading — Memorial Day Sale 10% Off Orders $75+

precision reloading tools powder dies bullets ammo sale memorial day weekend 10% Off
Save 10% on virtually all items in stock — Act soon

Save 10% sitewide this Memorial Day weekend on nearly all Precision Reloading orders over $75. Important — you can get 10% savings even for most items otherwise listed with discounts or “on sale”. To save 10% on your order, use coupon code MEM23 at checkout. Don’t delay folks — this deal expires at 11:59 pm CST on Monday, 5/29/2023.

2. CDNN Sports — Sauer 100 Rifles, $699.99 – $799.99

berger bullets precision reloading sale
Great prices on high quality hunting rifles

As part of its Memorial Day Sale, CDNN Sports has slashed prices on German-made Sauer 100 rifles, both short-action and long-action, in a wide variety of chamberings and stock types. Now you can save $300 on an excellent hunting rifle with a 3-lug bolt, 60-degree bolt lift, and accurate hammer-forged German barrel. The Sauer 100 trigger adjusts from 2.2 to 4.2 pounds.

3. Academy Sports — Sports Afield 64-Gun Safe, $799.99

large sports afield safe gunsafe vault 64 gun pistol pocket sale
Excellent deal on big, 40″-wide safe with six looking bolts

Here’s an excellent, large gunsafe with good user reviews, priced at $799.99. That’s 33% OFF the regular $1199.99 price, a great deal. Rated for 64 guns, this Sports Afield safe measures 55″ high x 40″ wide and comes with a door organizer with 6 handgun pockets and long gun holder. Weighing 374 pounds, this safe rivals other safes costing $1400 or more. It is waterproof and has a 30-minute fire resistance rating.

4. KYGUNCO — Savage 64 Precision Rimfire Rifle, $249.99

savage 64 precision fde flat dark earth .22 LR rimfire rifle NRL22
Great deal on good starter rifle for NRL22

Here’s a bargain-priced .22 LR rifle in a nice, modern chassis. The semi-auto Savage 64 Precision houses a semi-automatic action in a chassis with M-LOK slots and an ergonomic pistol grip. The heavy barrel has a threaded muzzle for easy attachment of brake, tuner, or suppressor. This is a good starting rifle for NRL22 — the semi-auto action allows fast follow-up shots. Get this rifle on sale now for $249.99.

5. Midsouth — Memorial Weekend, FREE Shipping or FREE Hazmat

midsouth shooters supply free shipping hazmat sale memorial day
Save with FREE Shipping or FREE HazMat on $99+ Orders

Midsouth is offering a very attractive promotion for Memorial Day weekend. Now through 11:59 pm on Monday, 5/29/2023 you can get FREE shipping on orders over $99.00 with code MDSHIP23. Alternatively, with code MDHAZ23 you can choose FREE Hazmat for an order with powder and/or primers that exceeds $99.00. Act soon, this deal expires at the end of the day on Monday, 5/29/2023.

6. Primary Arms Memorial Day Sale

primary arms discount memorial day sale optics trigger AR
Significant discounts on hundreds of products

Primary Arms is running a big Memorial Day Sale with hundreds of products with big discounts. Save on AR parts, AR receivers, Optics, Slings, Shooting Mats, Carry packs, magazines and more. You can save $30 on a shooting mat, $70 on a trigger, $27 on premium electronic muffs, $26 on a rifle case — just as a few examples. There are also special Bonus Bucks credits on Vortex rifle scopes.

7. Powder Valley — Winchester #41 Small Rifle Primers, $79.99

winchester 41 primers 5.56 milspec AR15 powder valley sale
Very high quality Winchester primers at best price we’ve seen

Top-quality primers are still pricey and in very high demand. Thankfully, Powder Valley obtained a large supply of Winchester #41 small rifle primers. These mil-spec primers work great in ARs as well as bolt-action rifles. Grab these for just $79.99 per thousand while supplies last — these could sell out quickly.

8. Sportsman’s Warehouse — Memorial Day Optics Sale

sportsmans warehouse leupold vortex sig sale scope spotter rangefinder
Big savings on rifle scopes, spotting scopes, binoculars, and LRFs

Sportsman’s Warehouse is running a major Memorial Day Optics Sale with big discounts on scopes, spotters, binoculars, and rangefinders from Vortex, Leupold, and SIG Sauer. We recommend the Vortex 20-60x85mm Spotter for $799.99 ($200 off), the Vortex Ranger 1800 Rangefinder for $279.99 ($40 Off), and the Vortex BX-1 10×42 Binoculars for $149.99 (30% Off). And for AR shooters the SIG Sauer 1-6x24mm Tango-MSR scope is a real bargain at $349.99 ($130.00 off).

9. Palmetto SA — PSA AR15 Complete Lower Sale, $119.99 and up

palmetto armory complete AR-15 AR15 AR lower receiver m4 magpul moe stock sale
Large Selection of complete lowers with adjustable buttstocks

Need a complete AR15 lower — equipped with internal controls, trigger, and buttstock? Well, as part of its Memorial Day SALE, Palmetto State Armory is running a big AR15 Lower Sale. Get a plain black (blem) lower with M4 stock for just $119.99 or get a complete lower with the MagPul MOE adjustable stock for just $159.99. And there are many other options.

10. KYGUNCO — Memorial Day Sale Ammo and Primers

kygunco memorial day ammunition superformance hornady v-max ammo primers sale
Good deals on rifle and pistol ammunition plus primers

KYGUNCO is running a Memorial Day weekend sale with attractive pricing on ammunition. For you varminters, we found good deals on Hornady .223 Rem Ammo with V-Max bullets. In addition, hard-to-find CCI BR-4 Small Rifle primers are in stock at $119.99/1000. Many pistols are discounted also this weekend.

11. Amazon — GuardTech Plus Gun Cleaning Kit, $48.95

guardtech rifle pistol shotgun cleaning kit jags brushes calibers
Excellent full-featured cleaning kit for all types of guns

This big GuardTech Plus Cleaning Kit will work for rifles, pistols, and even shotguns. You get a big selection of brushes, jags, and mops that fit calibers .17 to .50. In addition, there are picks and tooth-brush-style brushes for cleaning your action, plus a pull-through cleaning rope. You get all this, in a nice fitted hard case, for just $48.95 on Amazon. Choose green case (as shown), or black case.

12. Amazon — Dual-Diameter Scope-Mounted Bubble Level

Scope Optic bubble level 30mm 1
Essential leveling accessory for 1″ and 30mm scopes — real bargain

Avoid bad rifle canting by using a bubble level fitted to rail or scope. One very affordable option is the Jialitte Scope Bubble Level. This features a 30mm diameter ring, plus an inner insert ring so it will also fit 1″-diameter main tubes. The Jialitte unit, just $10.99 on Amazon, is nicely radiused with a low profile. User reviews have been very positive. You could easily pay $35.00 or more for a 30mm scope level.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Gear Review, Hot Deals, News, Optics No Comments »
April 4th, 2023

Powder Valley Now Sells RCBS Presses, Dies, Tools and More

powder valley rcbs fred huntington Vista Outdoor

Powder Valley now offers RCBS Reloading tools and components as part of PV’s large selection of shooting sports and reloading products. So now, when ordering powder, primers, brass, ammo, and bullets, you can also add dies, reloading tools, and even a RBCS reloading press. “Powder Valley already offers an extensive line of reloading components, including Federal, Speer, and Remington bullets, CCI and Federal primers, and Alliant powders. The expansion of our Reloading Tools and Equipment line makes perfect sense” said Bill Clinton, CEO of Powder Valley. “This is one more way we can [benefit] our Customers and serve their reloading needs”.

CLICK HERE to see the wide variety of RCBS products now in stock at Powder Valley. You’ll find powder dispensers, priming tools, reloading presses, case prep tools, plus a wide selection of reloading dies.

A Short History of RCBS (And the Origin of the “RCBS” Name)
powder valley rcbs fred huntington Vista OutdoorRCBS was founded in 1943 by Fred T. Huntington in Oroville, California. Huntington was a dedicated shooter but found it difficult to obtain quality varmint bullets. However, after reading about making a die to swage .22 rimfire cartridge cases to form jackets for bullets, he began to craft his own dies in the back room of his father’s Oroville laundry and dry-cleaning business. Because the resulting bullets were used to shoot rock chuck varmints, he named them Rock Chuck Bullet Swage dies, later shortened to RCBS.

RCBS soon outgrew this modest beginning. By 1958, RCBS expanded to a 7,500-sq-ft factory that quickly grew to 50,000 square feet. With time, more expansions have occurred, but RCBS stayed near its roots. Oroville is still the major location for RCBS production. RCBS is now a subsidiary of Vista Outdoor, which also produces Federal and CCI ammunition and primers, Alliant powder, and many other products.

Visit https://www.powdervalleyinc.com/brand/rcbs/ to see Powder Valley’s full inventory of RCBS products.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Hot Deals, Reloading No Comments »
December 24th, 2021

Strategies for Finding Primers in Time of Shortages

primer sources supplies finding CCI Federal
Photo courtesy Laurie Holland, TargetShooter UK Magazine.

Reloading components are in short supply these days, particularly powder and primers. But primers may be the biggest challenge these days — finding them may seem like a Quest for the Holy Grail. That’s a big problem for handloaders. You may be able to find substitutes for your favorite powder and bullets, but if you don’t have primers, you can’t even get started.

To locate primers these days, you must consider ALL possible sources: local gunshops, local private sales, sale tables at shooting club meetings, gun/hunting forum classifieds, large outdoor stores, and mail-order vendors. Then yes, worst case scenario, look at the auction sites such as GunBroker.

You need to be looking at multiple places — local vendors, gun clubs, big retailers such as Cabela’s and Sportsman’s Warehouse. And get creative — talk to shooting buddies, check for estate sales.

primer sources supplies finding CCI Federal

Consider all Possible Sources — Not Just Online Vendors

The guys who are scoring primers these days are resorting to old-fashioned methods — visiting small, mom-and-pop gunstores, checking local estate sales, and “networking” with local shooting club members. First, if you are not a member of a local shooting club, you should join for a multitude of reasons. We recently acquired some powder at a local shooting club meeting, exchanging some H4198 for Hodgdon Varget straight across. A Forum member recently scored both powders and primers at the estate sale of a shooting club member.

For the best chance of success, regularly check 6-10 brick-and-mortar locations in your region. One good way to do this is by combining forces with shooting buddies. Get together with 3 or 4 guys and collectively scout ALL the local gunshops and outdoor stores with shooting supplies. You CAN get lucky. For example, we regularly check a small gunstore in a nearby mall. Just last week we were able to find CCI pistol primers! Yes, deliveries are happening, you just need to check. And check often.

How to Find Primers — SEVEN STRATEGIES

1. Make a list of ALL local gunshops and outdoor supply stores within a 70-mile radius. Call them on a regular basis.
2. Join a local shooting club. Attend meetings where you can sell/exchange products. (We recently exchanged pistol primers for rifle primers we needed).
3. Join local/regional gun forums. You may find listings for “face-to-face” transactions where you can buy/exchange primers. Our AccurateShooter Forum also has a thread on Where to Find Primers.
4. Bookmark multiple vendor websites and check daily (we provide a list below).
5. Combine resources with some shooting buddies. Get together with 3 or 4 guys and collectively scout ALL the local gunshops and outdoor stores with shooting supplies. Assign each guy a different “territory” (perhaps close to his work locations).
6. Search your garage and storage areas. This Editor recently found 5000 Winchester Small Pistol Primers in an unopened box. These were left over from his IDPA and 3-gun days, years ago.
7. Consider APS Primers. CCI sells APS primers pre-loaded in plastic strips. These can still be found gathering dust in some shops. You can remove the primers from the strips, or simply buy an APS priming tool and use them as intended.

primer sources supplies finding CCI Federal

Online Vendors for Primers

Here are leading online retailers that sell primers (along with other reloading components). NOTE: Most of these vendors’ primer inventories sell out quickly. So you need to check regularly. Persistence will pay off, eventually. Primer shipments DO arrive, they just sell out fast.

Brownells
Graf & Sons
Midsouth Shooters Supply
Powder Valley Inc.
Precision Reloading
Bruno Shooters Supply
MidwayUSA
Natchez Shooters Supplies
Sportsman’s Warehouse (check online AND in stores)
Academy Sports
Cabela’s

Best Strategy for Online Primer Purchasing (Not Auctions)
With these (and other) online vendors, you need to check “early and often”. Primers may arrive and sell out in a matter of minutes. You should bookmark multiple sources and check them multiple times each week.

The primer shortage has been worsened by dramatically reduced imports of Russian primers.
Russian Wolf Primers shortage

WARNING — SCAM Websites Want to Steal Your Money
BEWARE of websites that list unlimited quantities of hard-to-find primers. In recent weeks we have seen five criminal scam websites selling reloading products including powder and primers. Here a quick tip — if the website does not take regular credit cards (MC/Visa/Amex/Discover) it is likely a scam site. And if you can order 200 8-lb jugs of Varget it is definitely a scam site! Bottom Line — beware of ANY seller without an established history, and be very wary of sites that only take Zelle, Venmo, and Bitcoin.

Last Word — About Online Auctions for Primers
We are seeing persons selling primers at crazy high prices ($200/1000!) via online auctions at Gunbroker and elsewhere. Be careful… very careful. Primers are a HAZMAT product. They may ONLY be shipped legally by Hazmat-certified businesses. Some of the Auction sellers are not HAZMAT-certified. If your primer shipment is seized or not delivered because the seller was not properly certified, don’t expect to get your money back.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Reloading, Tech Tip 1 Comment »
January 21st, 2021

Finding Primers — How to Organize Your Quest

primer sources supplies finding CCI Federal
Photo courtesy Laurie Holland, TargetShooter UK Magazine.

Reloading components are in short supply these days, particularly powder and primers. But primers may be the biggest challenge these days — finding them may seem like a Quest for the Holy Grail. That’s a big problem for handloaders. You may be able to find substitutes for your favorite powder and bullets, but if you don’t have primers, you can’t even get started.

To locate primers these days, you must consider ALL possible sources: local gunshops, local private sales, sale tables at shooting club meetings, gun/hunting forum classifieds, large outdoor stores, and mail-order vendors. Then yes, worst case scenario, look at the auction sites such as GunBroker.

You need to be looking at multiple places — local vendors, gun clubs, big retailers such as Cabela’s and Sportsman’s Warehouse. And get creative — talk to shooting buddies, check for estate sales.

primer sources supplies finding CCI Federal

Consider all Possible Sources — Not Just Online Vendors

The guys who are scoring primers these days are resorting to old-fashioned methods — visiting small, mom-and-pop gunstores, checking local estate sales, and “networking” with local shooting club members. First, if you are not a member of a local shooting club, you should join for a multitude of reasons. We recently acquired some powder at a local shooting club meeting, exchanging some H4198 for Hodgdon Varget straight across. A Forum member recently scored both powders and primers at the estate sale of a shooting club member.

For the best chance of success, regularly check 6-10 brick-and-mortar locations in your region. One good way to do this is by combining forces with shooting buddies. Get together with 3 or 4 guys and collectively scout ALL the local gunshops and outdoor stores with shooting supplies. You CAN get lucky. For example, we regularly check a small gunstore in a nearby mall. Just last week we were able to find CCI pistol primers! Yes, deliveries are happening, you just need to check. And check often.

How to Find Primers — SEVEN STRATEGIES

1. Make a list of ALL local gunshops and outdoor supply stores within a 70-mile radius. Call them on a regular basis.
2. Join a local shooting club. Attend meetings where you can sell/exchange products. (We recently exchanged pistol primers for rifle primers we needed).
3. Join local/regional gun forums. You may find listings for “face-to-face” transactions where you can buy/exchange primers. Our AccurateShooter Forum also has a thread on Where to Find Primers.
4. Bookmark multiple vendor websites and check daily (we provide a list below).
5. Combine resources with some shooting buddies. Get together with 3 or 4 guys and collectively scout ALL the local gunshops and outdoor stores with shooting supplies. Assign each guy a different “territory” (perhaps close to his work locations).
6. Search your garage and storage areas. This Editor recently found 5000 Winchester Small Pistol Primers in an unopened box. These were left over from his IDPA and 3-gun days, years ago.
7. Consider APS Primers. CCI sells APS primers pre-loaded in plastic strips. These can still be found gathering dust in some shops. You can remove the primers from the strips, or simply buy an APS priming tool and use them as intended.

primer sources supplies finding CCI Federal

Online Vendors for Primers

Here are leading online retailers that sell primers (along with other reloading components). NOTE: Most of these vendors are sold out of most primers most of the time (as of 1/21/21). However, you should check regularly. Persistence will pay off, eventually. Primer shipments DO arrive, they just sell out fast.

Brownells
Graf & Sons
Midsouth Shooters Supply
Powder Valley Inc.
Precision Reloading
Bruno Shooters Supply (Not currently taking web orders)
MidwayUSA
Natchez Shooters Supplies
Sportsman’s Warehouse (check online AND in stores)
ReloadingEverything.com
Academy Sports
Cabela’s

Best Strategy for Online Primer Purchasing (Not Auctions)
With these (and other) online vendors, you need to check “early and often”. Primers may arrive and sell out in a matter of minutes. You should bookmark multiple sources and check them multiple times each week.

The primer shortage has been worsened by dramatically reduced imports of Russian primers.
Russian Wolf Primers shortage

Last Word — About Online Auctions for Primers
We are seeing persons selling primers at crazy high prices ($200/1000!) via online auctions at Gunbroker and elsewhere. Be careful… very careful. Primers are a HAZMAT product. They may ONLY be shipped legally by Hazmat-certified businesses. Some of the Auction sellers are not HAZMAT-certified. If your primer shipment is seized or not delivered because the seller was not properly certified, don’t expect to get your money back.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, News, Reloading No Comments »
December 26th, 2020

Primers — Why There is a Primer Supply Shortage

primer shortage availability CCI Federal small rifle pistol Wolf Tula
Photo courtesy UltimateReloader.com.

Editor: This article is from the Powder Valley Website. The original release date was in October, 2020, BEFORE the election, so some factors have changed. But we are still seeing extreme shortages of primers.

primer shortage availability CCI Federal small rifle pistol Wolf Tula

If you’ve tried to purchase ammo or reloading supplies lately, you’ve probably noticed a lot of products are out of stock. Of all the components needed to reload ammo, it seems primers are the toughest to find, prompting many reloaders to refer to the current crisis as “The Great Primer Shortage of 2020″. The primer supply shortage doesn’t just affect reloaders, though. It’s also limiting the production of many popular types of ammunition. This can be frustrating for shooters and hunters looking to keep their edge on the range, and can be concerning for preppers, survivalists, and others who are concerned about their safety.

We are in the midst of the greatest primer shortage of all time, and we don’t see things getting better anytime soon. Read on as the experts from Powder Valley delve deeper into the primer shortage of 2020.

A Massive Increase in Demand
Like any other product in a market economy, primers are subject to the whims of supply and demand. As far as demand is concerned, a perfect storm of factors has caused a run on the ammo market like we’ve never quite seen before. A mix of the Covid-19 pandemic, civil unrest, and the possibility of an anti-2nd amendment President and Senate has caused demand to skyrocket. The pandemic specifically has incentivized shooters to learn how to reload their own ammo.

We have an extremely large number of new reloaders who have entered the market. The NSSF estimates that first time gun owners has increased to 6.2 million people over the past few months. [Editor: Vista Outdoor says the number may be 7 million by the end of 2020.] Unfortunately, many of those reloaders entered the market anticipating that it would be easier to make their own ammo since readily available ammunition was so difficult to find. With shortages of bullets, powder, brass and primers, that has simply not been the case

Since so many people have lost a chunk, or all of their income, it makes sense that reloading, which saves on the cost of ammo at the expense of time, would become more popular than ever. Even if you’re financially stable, reloading and shooting are great socially distant activities you can do while the movie theaters, bowling alleys, and bars are shut down. With little answers on the virus, it’s hard to see when these closures and limitations will end. This is why we believe this could end up being the greatest primer shortage of all time.

CCI PrimersHoarding of Primers
When there is a primer shortage the first thing people normally point to is consumer hoarding. We believe this is having an impact on availability, but probably not to the extreme that many think. There are definitely some profiteers who buy primers and then sell them on auction sites or other multi list sites. This is why many online retailers have now chosen to limit the purchase quantities to an extreme low level in an effort to reduce this.

Disruptions in the Supply Chain
Demand, however, is just one part of the story. Disruptions in the supply chain have also made a big impact on the availability of primers. When it comes to ammunition supplies, bullets are easy to manufacture, brass can be re-used, and powder is generally stockpiled by companies (though perhaps not the kind you’re looking for). This leaves primers, which are relatively difficult to make, as the component that causes the bulk of ammo shortages.

In the USA, only four companies (Winchester, Remington, Federal, and CCI) manufacture primers for civilian use, law enforcement, and the military. Even under perfect circumstances, there’s only so much they can produce at once, and needless to say, circumstances have not been perfect during the pandemic. People getting sick, missing work to take care of their kids, and self-quarantining – from factory workers to delivery drivers, and all throughout the supply chain – caused a lull in manufacturing this spring.

primer shortage availability CCI Federal small rifle pistol Wolf Tula

The Remington bankruptcy has had a large impact on the shortage of ammo and primers. With Remington in a state of financial insolvency for the past two years, suppliers were demanding payment upon delivery for products. Remington simply did not have the financial capabilities to have an abundance of raw materials on hand and had to shutter some of their production capacity. Barnes bullets and primers were hit particularly hard in the reloading market. With the recent purchase of Remington by Vista Outdoor, there is a good chance that Vista will be diverting CCI and Federal primers that would typically go to reloaders to Remington ammunition production. Remington primer production capacity has never been great. The hope would be that Vista will place more emphasis on getting the Remington primer production capacity increased substantially and quickly. The best news coming out of this is for Barnes fans. With Sierra’s purchase of Barnes we anticipate the availability of Barnes bullets to increase substantially in a very short period of time.

Reduced Supplies of Foreign-Made Primers
In 2008 we saw a huge influx of Russian primers. We are not seeing that this time as the Murom Apparatus Producing plant is only producing at partial capacity due to the COVID-19 restrictions. On top of that, there have been changes in upper management at Murom which have caused further disruptions. But, we are very hopeful that these changes will have a positive effect on production and distribution in the long run.

The situation has been worsened by dramatically reduced imports of Russian primers.
Russian Wolf Tula primers

With import restrictions out of Russia, we do not anticipate seeing the help we had from them in 2008-2012. We had also seen S&B, Unis Ginex and other foreign brands of primers enter the market during the shortages to relieve some of the pressure, but aren’t seeing that influx of primers this time around. The lack of foreign primers on the market is a major reason we believe this shortage is going to last for quite some time. We may see some help from foreign primers, but we don’t anticipate the large volumes we’ve seen previously.

What Should You Do?
CCI PrimersAs an individual, as of right now, there’s little you can do in the face of the reloading equipment supplies shortage. Keep checking your trusted online distributor Powder Valley for new arrivals of primers from all four manufacturers.

We have created some very stringent limitations on the purchase of primers in an effort to help as many people as possible work through this extremely tough time. Normally, we would say “stock up”. But that time has passed, and I would encourage everyone to learn from this. Stock up in times of plentiful supply so that you are not affected as greatly during these times of extreme shortage. In the meantime I would encourage everyone to pray for our country and our leaders[.]

Permalink - Articles, Bullets, Brass, Ammo, News, Reloading 4 Comments »
August 28th, 2020

High Demand Powders — Where You Can Find Them

Reloading powder hodgdon H4350 Varget reloder 16 reloader H1000

Thanks to our Forum members, we’ve found sources for some of the most popular reloading powders for rifle accuracy cartridges. Handloaders know that powders such as Varget, H4350, H4895, H4831SC, H1000, Reloder 16, Reloder 23, and N150 are often in short supply. And it seems like Varget has been near impossible to find in recent months. As of Friday, August 28, 2020, here are some sources for many of these hard-to-find powders.

Hodgdon Varget 1-pound
Source: Powder Valley
NOTE:
Varget 1-lb in stock; 8-pounders still out of stock

UPDATE 8/29/20: SOLD OUT — Our Members got the last of it.

Hodgdon H4350, 1-pound and 8-pound
Source: Powder Valley
Source: Midsouth Shooters
NOTE:
Powder Valley has BOTH the 1-lb and 8-lb H4350 containers in stock. Midsouth has the 1-lb H4350 only.

Alliant Reloder 16 1-pound
Source: Powder Valley
NOTE:
Reloder 16 1-lb in stock; RL16 8-pounders still out of stock

Hodgdon H4831SC, 1-pound and 8-pound
Source: Powder Valley
NOTE:
Powder Valley has BOTH the 1-lb and 8-lb H4831SC containers in stock.

Hodgdon H1000 1-pound
Source: Powder Valley
NOTE:
H1000 1-lb in stock; H1000 8-pounders still out of stock

Vihtavuori N150 1-pound and 8-pound
Source: Powder Valley
Source: Midsouth Shooters
NOTE:
Powder Valley has N150 1-lb and 8-lb in stock. Midsouth has the 1-lb N150 only.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Reloading 4 Comments »
February 4th, 2020

Can’t Find H4350? Consider Alliant Reloder 16 — It’s Excellent

Hodgdon H4350 Reloader reloder 16 powder sale Varget

Forum members are lamenting that they can’t find Hodgdon H4350 at local gunstores or through major online Vendors. There ARE a few shops that do have H4350 (and Varget) on the shelves. But the nearest H4350 may be in another state, far away. Therefore, you may want to consider using Alliant Reloder 16 (RL16). We highly recommend Reloder 16 for shooters who can’t find H4350. RL16 has a very similar burn rate, excellent accuracy, and is VERY temp stable. Some ace F-Class shooters (among Top 10 at Nationals) tell us that, with hot ambient temps (80-100+° F), RL16 is even more temp stable than H4350.

Powder Availability at Online Vendors — H4350, Reloder 16, Varget
Vendor Hodgdon H4350 Alliant Reloder 16 Hodgdon Varget
Brownells Out of Stock In Stock $207.99 8 lbs. Out of Stock
Bruno Shooters Supply Out of Stock In Stock $28.50 1 lb. Out of Stock
Midsouth Shooters Out of Stock In Stock $221.31 8 lbs. Out of Stock
Sportsman’s Warehouse In store $229.99 8 lb.* In store $31.99 1 lb.* In store $229.99 8 lb.*
Powder Valley Out of Stock In Stock $26.05 1 lb. Out of Stock
Precision Reloading Out of Stock In Stock $26.67 1 lb. Out of Stock

*This is available in-store only at a few locations. You need to search store locations near you for availability. For example, H4350 8-pounders are available in a couple locations including Show Low, AZ and Midvale, UT. Varget 8-pounders are available in AZ, NM, and WY and a couple other states.

Alliant Reloder reloader 16 powder

Do You Like H4350? Then You Should Try Reloder 16 — It Is Accurate and Temp Stable
Alliant Reloder 16 is used now by many top shooters for cartridges that work well with Hodgdon H4350. In fact, we’d say that Reloder 16 is the best substitute for H4350 on the market. Alliant’s RL 16 is very temp stable, offers good velocity, and the accuracy is top tier. Some guys report slightly better accuracy than H4350 in the .284 Win, .260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6mm Creedmoor, and 6XC cartridges. If you currently use H4350, you should definitely give Alliant Reloder 16 a try. The powder also boasts excellent lot-to-lot consistency and contains a proprietary de-coppering additive.

Alliant powder Reloader Reloder 16 RL16 load data 6.5 Creedmoor .243 Win WinchesterThis is NOT just a slower version of Alliant’s double-based Reloder 15 (which words great in the 6mmBR and Dasher cartridges). Reloder 16 is a completely new formulation, produced in Sweden by Bofors for Alliant. Reloder 16 utilizes TZ technology, which manipulates the response of the propellant and resists the natural tendency to generate more pressure at higher temperatures and less pressure at lower temperatures. As a result, Alliant’s Reloder 16 offers truly outstanding temperature stability.

Reloder 16 Load Recipes »

Reloder 16 Load Data PDF »

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Competition, Reloading 1 Comment »
December 10th, 2019

Powder Valley 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways and Promos

Powder Valley Inc. Giveaway 12 days of Christmas Ammo Bullets Press Sierra Hornady Hodgdon Powder Bullets Ammo

Are you feelin’ lucky? Well here’s your chance to win. For 12 Days in December (Dec. 9-20), Powder Valley is giving away thousands of dollars worth of products from big name suppliers. This is top-of-the-line stuff, including Powder from Accurate, Alliant, Hodgdon, Ramshot, and Vihtavuori, Bullets from Berry’s, Lapua, Nosler, Sierra, Speer, and Zero, Ammunition from Hornady, Nosler, and Zero, plus Reloading Hardware from Hornady. Each day there will be a new set of prizes.

On the first Day of Christmas this year (12/9/2019) Powder Valley offered FREE Shipping on orders over $49.00, plus a free “Koozie” gift. Today, December 10th, the Second Day of Christmas, you’ll have a chance to win a Hornady LNL Classic Kit or Hornady Ammunition.

Powder Valley Inc. Giveaway 12 days of Christmas Ammo Bullets Press Sierra Hornady Hodgdon Powder Bullets Ammo

To enter the give-away contest, you need to visit Powder Valley’s Facebook Page and post a comment. Winners will be selected by lottery from those who comment as instructed. Each successive day, through December 20th, there will be another product giveaway post. On some of the 12 days Powder Valley will have additional discounts and/or FREE HazMat offers.

Powder Valley Daily Giveaway — New Prizes Every Day

For the Daily Powder Valley Contests, you need to go to the Powder Valley Facebook Page and post a Facebook Comment for the Daily Prize story. You don’t have to fill out any forms, but you must have a Facebook account so you can comment. You can enter multiple times by commenting on multiple days, but sorry, if you win, you are no longer eligible.

NOTE: You MUST post your comment on Powder Valley’s Facebook Site, NOT HERE. And you need to comment each day on the featured Daily Giveaway Post to be entered in that particular day’s contest. To have repeat chances to win you need to comment on multiple days. Got it?

Each day the folks at Powder Valley will select winners from among the visitors who commented. In days ahead there can be multiple daily winners. And on Day 12 there will be very special prize give-aways including Powder Valley Gift certificates.

Permalink Bullets, Brass, Ammo, News, Reloading No Comments »