I sent an Email to CCI and they assured me they were cranking the 22 ammo out 24/7 as fast as they could. But they are still hard to find.

Every body else is still buying up every box on the shelf, so they can resell for triple the normal price! This [bleep] ain't ever gonna end at the rate it's going now.

The real reason? As opposed to which fake reasons?

Local Walmart usually gets .22 ammo in three times a week. Not much at a time but usually some. The same people are standing there snapping it up. You have to get there early and stand around if you want some. This Walmart is not open 24 hours a day but from six am until midnight. They put the ammo out a around seven thirty, so you have to be there first and wait an hour and a half to even find out if they have any. I went seven times before I got any. Three times they got a case of federal bulk which is ten boxes, and three people got three boxes (limit per person) and one person got one box. It was gone before it got my turn and all paid out of the same billfold. The next three times I was first in line and they got no .22 shells and the funny thing, those people were not there. I did go on the seventh time real early and stood around and they had some .22 shells. They were supposed to have 3 boxes of Remington bulk according to the invoice but there were only two on the ammo cart. I got both boxes. The ones getting the ammo were there and got nothing that day but somebody at Walmart is calling them I think so they know when to show up. I only got bullets because I got up early and waited a long time to be first in line. Being hard headed pays off some times. miles

If they're being called regarding ammo arrivals, it's against company policy. If people call and ask if ammo's coming in, associates are permitted to answer that question, but no one should be making calls to tell folks ammo's coming in. At our store, the stockers don't have time for that any ways. I really think these buyers have just learned how to work the system. All I can tell you is make the calls, get there early, and be the first one in line. Sucks, but that's how the game is being played. The same thing happens at the local Gander Mountain, Fleet Farm, and Dicks stores too. I have developed a good relationship with my local private owned gun shop, and about 4 times out of 5 when I go in there, I can get some .22 ammo. He's about a buck a box more that the big guys, but I don't wait in line for an hour, and I don't mind an extra buck to help support a small business man. But then again, I'm just buying it to shoot it, not triple the price and sell it on line or at a gun show.

Its simple.
more guns too feed.
People are buying 22's in record numbers so they can still shoot. Its expensive and hard to find but it's a lot cheaper than centerfire.

It might be against company policy, but who's going to stop an employee from sending a text while he's sitting on the pot during a bathroom break?

how long is it going to be before some of these types find themselves getting physically abused by someone in the parking lot..

I thought that it was interesting that they did not show up on the days that there was no ammo. They get the ammo in at night but do not put it out until after the day crew arrives. If you want some, you better be there when the day crew is showing up for work or you will be too late. miles

When people get as much stocked up as they think they want (probably a lifetime supply), then things will go back to normal. Just be patient. Don't overpay. When the basements are full and the wives start complaining, you'll get your supply.

The answer to the question is simple. G-R-E-E-D and selfishness!

I am not going to pay the prices on gun broker, arms-list, or cheaper than dirt. I have enough I can wait. I am just wondering when it will be back on the shelves.

What will really help is for folks not to buy at inflated prices, let the scalpers sit on them. If you're going to pay high prices, save it for quality ammo, like Eley, from a dealer.

You guys aren't very good detectives. There is a WalMart iPhone app that will scan the bar code on a box of ammo. The app will show you what stores near you have the ammo. It links directly to WalMart inventory computers in the local store.

No one at WM is "telling" anyone about ammo.

I don't have, nor do I know anything about an iPhone. miles

Ask a neighbor kid to help you.

1st they have to put the stuff into inventory in the computer. At what point does that happen?

Honest hardworking hoarders have nothing to do with it -

It's all a one-world government conspiracy.

Wal Mart could , if they wanted to , do something to help this situation. Instead of putting ammo out at regularly scheduled times lock it up in the back with only the store manager having a key. The manager could let it out at random times. This would at least help to stymie the resellers.



Mike

I saw $100 a brick at the last local show. Nobody was buying but that was day one.

Milespatton: You are close in your phone call conspiracy theory but not quite exact!
I think it goes more often like this - I have several friends (22 ammo shoppers!) who call various Wal-Mart employees and ascertain if and when shipments of 22 ammo are coming in.
I also disagree with the OP that CCI is cranking out 22 ammo 24/7.
I think that ammunition manufacturers and distributors are making their profits the easy way by not shipping the ammo they do produce as far as in decades past and they are concentrating on making centerfire ammo as opposed to rimfire ammo.
And certain government entities are buying outlandish amounts of centerfire - for who knows why?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

They are right about the Walmart app. I just installed it and it works great.

The ammo comes in, three days a week which is known to everybody. It arrives at night but they do not put it out until the day manager comes on duty. She does not know whether there are .22 in the ammo shipment or not until she goes and looks. If you wait until then, you are too late and too far back in line to get anything. Yet the ones buying most of the ammo did not show up when there are no .22 shells in the shipment. miles

I got 12 bricks this year and had to wait at my local Walmart for many evenings for many hours so when it did show up and I had drew a high number I have no guilt or remorse for stocking up.......btw our local WM has a "take a number system" to avoid pushing and fighting

Not any one real reason. When you get a panic,you get people deciding that their current inventory is too small. This causes a shortage. Other folks try to capitalize on this shortage by buying up whatever they can find and sell it at inflated prices. Then normal consumers start to run out. Now nearly everyone is reevaluating their inventory level. Everyone who runs across ammo at quasi-reasonable prices will buy it. In order for thing to return to normal, everyone needs to get stocked up at their new higher inventory levels.

The reason for the shortage of .... (fill in your choice of primers, powder, brass, ammo, etc) boils down to five words:

"I bought all they had."

And all they get in, as soon as it gets there.

And that app's about as useful as a solar powered ashtray. Those counts are at best inaccurate, and that's being generous. Don't forget that while you're scanning that bar code, that box of ammo may be leaving in someone else's hands as you fondle your I-phone.

This schitt will continue as long as there are idiots willing to pay 3-4 times the price to get some ammo. If everyone would just swear off buying ANY .22 ammo at ANY price, 60 days later there would be no shortage and the scalpers would be back under their rocks.

I can't believe anyone asked this question.

I had lunch with a friend who works at Federal and they are working 24/7/365 on all of their rimfire lines. They are cranking out 5-7 million rounds per day. They have not added machinery, but they are maximizing what they have. I wouldnt blame the manufacturers, they just cant keep up!

I have some .22 ammo, but I have 3 kids who are just starting to shoot. It wont be long and I will have to tell my kids that we dont have any ammo to shoot. I really hope that it settles down before then. If not, I hope the fish are biting! Either way, we will be fine and I am not going to panic buy.

5-7 million x 365 = 1825 to 2555 million rds per year, and that is just Federal? Out of the roughly 300 million people in America, I wonder how many people actually shoot 22's?

Was at Cabela's in Edmonton on Saturday, and the .22 ammo shortage cetainly has not made its way up here yet. They had stacks of CCI minimags and stinger in 1600 and 1200 round boxes,somewhre around $150 i think they were. Winchester and Federal 550rd boxes still around $25,and you could haul a truckload out if you wanted. Even had Winchester bricks in little wooden boxes for $21, nice little box too. So, I'm pretty sure no conspiracy on the ammo makers part in holding back ammo.

I'm just about at that point with my 11 year old grandson. He loves to shoot and we are just about of .22's. he ain't gonna be happy. He loves to shoot his Henry lever!! We only have 150 rounds left!!!

The answer is simple, THERE IS A SHORTAGE BECAUSE DEMAND IS HIGHER THAN THE SUPPLY

Not real difficult to under stand

Fear of the present political climate. Everyone is buying. A buddy was tickled pink to pay $80 plus additional shipping to pick up a brick for his kid the other day.

Well, there you have it, the whole problem in a nutshell. As long as your buddy keeps on being tickled pink to pay S80.00 for $18.00 worth of ammo, the problem will just keep on going.

Yes. I'm taking the guns out of the safe and putting my ammo in.

I got up early this morning and went to Walmart and was the first one through the door at 6:00 am. A little after 7:00 the manager came by and said that they got no ammo of any kind last night. There was more ammo in the glass case than there has been for a long time but no .22 rimfire. They had lots of .45 auto and 3006 and even one box of .308. They also had lots of .40 handgun ammo and some of most hunting rifle types. They even had 3, 20 round boxes of .223 winchester. Also a lot of .204 ammo. The regular crowd of buyers did not show. miles

Just this weekend I cracked open a brick of 22 and went shooting. I was going to stare at it all day in my closet instead, and take a bunch of pics, but I figured it would be more fun to go shooting.

every sportsman should quit buying any ammo,powder and bullets for at least six months and sit back and watch the prices start dropping.

I shot a few rounds over the weekend too. I am just trying to get some ahead to carry to Quemado in August. I hear that there is going to be some shooting out there. miles

the prices may well come down some eventually, but the odds of seeing a brick of .22lr ammo for $10 again are as likely as seeing a dodo bird, .58 gal of gas, or $1 per gal. of milk


I've two new scopes on .22 rifles and they both need to be sighted in.

today might be a good day to hit the range.

shoot to you run out then sell your 22's

^^^ This.

Other than 2 cases of steel shot last year, and the wife buying a 357 that I just didn't see coming and having bought a couple boxes of that around last November... I have not bought a single thing related for years.

Same here-In the past year plus I have purchased 2 bx of .243 that I needed for a hog hunt and nothing else.

Nice !

one person or a few can change nothing , it takes a large majority to get change , you have to seriously hurt their pocket book to get their attention

.22s are in short supply, but they also aren't being shot based on my observations at the range and commentary online. That means "inventory" is piling up in basements and closets and safes.
On the bright side, once everyone fills their basements with .22s, the bottom is going to drop out of the market, even if supply stays the same. Anyone holding excess inventory at that time will either start blasting expensive .22s that they paid a lot for, or if they're over-leveraged, they'll take a financial hit reselling it. Of course with inflation, that may just mean that ammo prices will flatline for a few years.
I've taken this time to sell off my stockpile of crap .22 ammo at good prices, and buy some premium ammo with the proceeds, since premium .22s haven't gone up in price that much. The only lesson here is that as with any consumable good that keeps well-stock up on it when it's cheap.