Not to dispute what you say Chantry, you pointed out some good issues. I don't know how much of the story is accurate, but I read on the trapshooter's forum that Winchester is coming out now with greater supplies of the 209 primers. Some of the members on that board said that they were paying around $70.00 for 1000 primers. So, we might want to keep an eye out for that. Just thought I'd give everyone a heads up. But when I started shooting trap 25 years ago, I believe it cost $3.50 a round for trap and skeet for members at our club. Now it costs $5.00 a round, so I don't think that's too bad. And you are right about reloading costs- they sure have gone up. It used to cost me about $2.50 to load a box of 12 gauge shells. I don't even want to figure what it costs now. It's an expensive sport/hobby.
I'm not just a shotgun shooter and talking to other handgun and rifle shooters, primer prices are as high or higher than shotgun primers. Powder seems to about the same, bullets and brass seems to be higher than pre-Covid as well. Using 9mm as a benchmark, 50 rounds of factory FMJ is about $2 more per 50 than pre-Covid.
I expect when things settle down, if they ever do, most American made components aren't going to get much cheaper than now. American primers will probably end up between $60-$70 per thousand for rifle, pistol & shotgun.
I'm expecting shortages late spring to early summer of next year due to the election. Maybe not so much for the shotgun sports, but definitely the more common rifle & pistol calibers and related reloading components
