Yep, and eventually people will realize that--or realize it's easier and cheaper to handload than buy rimfire ammo at scalper's prices. That and the increased production will drive prices down and availability up in the long run. It's simple capitalism.
In the meantime some people will scoop up ammo as soon as it appears at stores, and sell it on websites or at gun shows for 2-4 times the price. Some of them are retired, some of them have fortunate schedules, but together they've created another layer of "dealers" who add another layer of profit to normal prices.
The one thing there ISN'T is a conspiracy among the ammo manufacturers to reduce production and drive up prices. I know a bunch of people in the business, and they all say they're REALLY tired of running factories 24/7, along with answering e-mails and phone calls asking, "Where the hell is the ammo?" The same is true of stores, including the mail-order companies.
Yeah, the money is good, but nobody likes to work day and after day of overtime, and never see any light at the end of the tunnel. And no, they are not diverting manufacturing from rimfire to centerfie. I've visited several ammo factories, and the rimfire and centerfire production lines are totally separate.
Yet we still have guys like Dink, who firmly believe ammo companies refuse to make as much .22 LR as people want. As evidence they say even the big companies like Midway and Cabela's "never" have any in stock. Well, just like Wal-Mart and every other retailer, anytime the mail-order companies get any "average price" ammo in stock it's all purchased within a few hours, usually because some guy on the Campfire or other Internet site does all his fellow shooters a favor and gives them a heads-up.
