The depression era example of the kid with a single shot and one bullet is not a good comparison. In those days Dad said that ammo was available, it was the people's cash supply that was mostly non existent for recreational shooting. Growing up with first memories mostly during WWII, I have tried to I always have at least some cash reserve. During the war, ammo was scarce to non existent. I recall Mom considering the purchase of ten to twenty five rounds as hitting the jackpot.

Dad told me that from about age 10 or so, that he always had a dollar or two stashed from odd jobs. Even at fifty cents a day, a month of Saturdays was good for two bucks. He said the old Winchester single shot that my brother and I learned to shoot with, cost him $4.50 with a box of shorts about 1929-30.

Being frugal, shorts were his favored .22 round. He said they were plenty good for a cotton tail rabbit or a mess of quail. Dad only had one sport hunting weakness, and that was dove, which we also ate. The rest of his shooting was for meat or defending the farm from varmints and predators. Snakes were always dispatched with a hoe or shovel. Save the ammo!

Burning a brick of ammo a day would have heated my barrel and my butt, if Dad had footed the bill. If it was my money, a stern lecture about being wasteful was sure, provided he found out.

My "hoard" is a case of Super-X LR that I put into reserve storage after the Clinton shortage. I have stopped shooting .22s for recreation. I also have a few bricks of target ammo to start granddaughter off with. She already has experienced air guns and the 28 guage.

Good luck scoring ammo at reasonable prices.

Jack

"Do not blame Caesar, blame the people...who have...rejoiced in their loss of freedom....Blame the people who hail him when he speaks of the 'new, wonderful, good, society'...to mean ,..living fatly at the expense of the industrious." Cicero