Every time I think the 22LR shortage is ending... It apparently is not.

I was starting to see some availability on the shelves of retailers last spring, but I haven't seen a brick since April. It's probably just the summer season and increased activity levels, but I yearn for a day when i can walk into a store and buy a brick just because I need one.

I've got a decent supply on hand of a few thousand rounds, but with teenage boys, we're down from about 4,000 in the spring.

So do we all, but I think those days are gone forever. Hoarders and survivalists, along with speculators and just plain greedy people, have put a stop to that, and I don't see any sign that they will ever change their ways. With Hildabeast in the wings, you can bet it will get even worse.

Yup keep hearing about how 22 ammo is around, its not around here, lest you want to pay big time for it looked 3 diffrent places in town today, NONE!

I had a guy in Walmart tell me how the hoarders were ruining it for everybody, then told me he personally won't be effected due to the 30,000 rounds he has accumulated.

I've found them at the Sportsman's Warehouse in the Springs, but only on Friday morning, which I assume is when they stock.

It is back to about 9 or 10 cents per round locally. Pretty decent inventory everywhere but Walmart.

I will admit that I am a hoarder, but I did my hoarding when .22 ammo was plentiful. Since Sandy Hook I have purchased 1025 rounds but I have given away a little more than twice that many and fired a few hundred also.

Bought 200 rounds of CCI 36 gr. at Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday. Left 200 on the counter for the next guy. They had about 600 rounds of lead nose. Not sure what they started with.

rarer than hen's teeth around North and South Florida. Every once in awhile, you can walk into a Gander Mt, and find some, but not often, and not consistantly. What you do find, is at vastly inflated prices.
You won't ever find .22 LR in WalMart, Dicks, Sports Authority, Bass Pro.

Still hard to find here, too.

I tried reloading some.
Seating primers is a bitch.

I got 2 325 round packs of Federal from the local Walmart yesterday, and the local shop in town has been pretty much keeping Remington Thunderbolts, or CCI Mini Mags, or Federal Automatch, or a couple of different types of Winchester in stock the last 4-6 weeks. They have consistently had something, and not at scalper prices.

I even tried dropping number 11 caps down there.

Only way it works is smash it with a hammer.

Then resizing your brass is a bitch.

Hunter's Outlet in Thief River Falls, MN had some in stock. I bought 2 525 bulk packs of Remington Yellow Jackets and left another 3 or 4 packs on the shelf for the next guy.

They said "no limit on the ammo, it isn't there to look at".

GE

was looking in the locker the other day. Still have bricks that I bought in 2008, marked $8.95. Thats less than 2 cents per round. Now the norm seems to be a dime a pop.

I remember being miffed paying 15 bucks for the American Eagle 400s. That was in 2008.
Then Obama happened.
After Panic One, I was wandering through the gunporium and there was a brick of WW 40 PPs for, gasp, 38 bucks, the first I'd seen in over two years. I griped, but I bought it. Saw no more for the entire time, then Obama got re-elected.
Panic Two.
I bought two hundreds of CCI mini mags for 8 bucks each last spring.
So, since 2008, I've seen 700 rounds of 22 LR ammo I actually wanted to buy, and did.
I'm shooting centerfire mostly because I can't find what my rimfire pistols like (they're picky) and I'm sitting on the stuff my gopher getters like -- why waste something so expensive on paper?

Jnyork: I disagree with your theory.
I know LOTS of gun store owners who give me a different view of things - to a person they say they are seeing LESS 22 ammo nowadays, WAY less than in previous years to stock their shelves with!
I think part of THAT is the big mail order outfits are selling more through the mails and it never sees a stores (LGS) shelves!
And I think the ammo makers are concentrating more and more on the high profit centerfire and 17 HMR markets - foresaking the obvious need for MORE 22 L.R. quality ammo?
I don't know for sure - but I do know for sure that ALL the stores I frequent seldom if ever have quality American made high velocity hollow-point 22 L.R. ammo - and this has been going on since October of 2,012!!!
I know that is when this "shortage" started because I was paying attention and wrote it down - October 2,012 (thats when it became glaringly obvious that barack husein obama would be re-elected!).
Thats 33 straight months now of "not enough" 22 ammo on stores shelves - something nefarious is afoot - NOT just some hoarders and greedy people.
I, like you, do FEAR the coming presidency of the hildabeast though!
LOTS of things will get worse when that comes about - not just ammo shortages
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

It's very clear the manufacturers are NOT going to step up and add additional production to meet demand. They're still treating this as a spike, and we're 3 years into this. A friend at work today was just bragging that he paid 9c a round for some .22; I about wet myself. UN-FREAKING-ACCEPTABLE!!!

I think the only way we're going to see rimfire ammo normalize is if we get a Republican president.

I just about brought up those miserable 17s.

I wish people would go play with those and leave us old two two shooters alone.

Ain't no way the 22LR shortage is ending. Went to Cabelas last week and they had a 1000 round limit per day. I picked up 5,000 rounds I had shipped to the store and on the way out wife and I picked up another 2,000 rounds. Added them to the 30,000 rounds in my stash. Still a 22 LR shortage at my house.

Looks like you're seeing to that personally...

I just want to get back to were I can order a case of rimfire any time I want it.

How many of us look for .22 ammo anytime we go into a sporting goods store, and if there's any on the shelves buy some? Before 2012, we took for granted that .22's would be there whenever we wanted some, so we didn't buy any unless there was a really good deal, or we wanted some to plink or hunt with sometime soon.

How many of us keep more on hand than we ever did before?

Did recently hear through a local sporting goods store owner that one of the major ammo makers was cutting back on .22 rimfire production. The reason? They never made much profit on it anyway, and what with hiring on more workers and having to pay them overtime, they've been making even less profit since 2012. They've been going pretty much 24/7 since then, and it still hasn't fill the demand, so why should they continue to barely make a profit? And if they invest in another factory, they'll be making "cheap" .22 Long Rifles (the kind we keep demanding) at a loss for several years.

Not buying that. Raise your price to account for higher costs. You don't cut production to make less money. Only a fool would do the above. Demand remains at an all time high a a public willing to pay a higher than historic price.

This.

kwg

Also -- a slightly higher price from the manufacturer and corresponding increase at the retail store will stop the re-sellers and hoarders.

After they stop the price will go back down. Just look at what happened recently with bacon prices...

Good point ya got there.
Too bad it's on top of your head.

I remember the good ol' days, when a brick still had 500 rounds in it.

Just to add grist to the rumor mill. The guy behind the counter of Ross coin and gun in Idaho Falls told me the other week that the Federal rep had been in and he told them that there was no way they were going to ramp up production of 22lr. It was making them too much money. They can sell every round they make right now. If they flood the market and meet demand, the demand will go away and they ultimately lose money. The current shortage is also good for dealers according to the Federal rep via the guy at Ross. They can sell all they can get ahold of at higher profit margins.

That all makes a certain amount of sense. I'm not sure I can buy all of it as told but it explains why this idiocy is still going on.

The guy at Ross also said that ALL Federal ammo is going up 20% across the board.

For what it's worth.

It's not just .22s. There are a few people here I think are a few rounds short of a full brick.

Tom

Not buying that. Raise your price to account for higher costs. You don't cut production to make less money. Only a fool would do the above. Demand remains at an all time high a a public willing to pay a higher than historic price. [/quote]

Yep

Economics point zero 01

Even this hick in the sticks can do that math.

The truth is, your "pro-gun" Teamster neighbor voted for black guy. Black guy won, and gun owners have been running scared since.

The retailers could end the shortage in 9-12 months, but they're too afraid of drowning in everybody's tears. That includes the loyal Teamster-types because Lord knows they cry they absolute-fugking-loudest.

So buy Eley (or similar), or don't, because I can assure you this problem ain't going away.



Travis

Quit making sense.

Yeah, I took off ignore already.
GFY

Waste of time to look for it around here.
Stupid question is --'Got any 22?'

I haven't seen any cheap ammo for a long time, but several local stores have been stocking quality target ammo pretty regularly for several months. It is 14-16 cents/round but not out of line for what you get.

TFF

.22LR is a bitch to find, .22 mag even worse. 17 hmr is everywhere, gonna buy one soon. For my .22 plinking I have went from my rem 597 to my savage 24 cause I don't burn through it as fast.

It is going to go down. There will come along some new thing like air rifles, or something that will make that stuff obsolete.

Mmmmmmm.... no.





Travis

The super secret attachment for Dillon works great for seating primers...

\

Cabelas up here has had it on the shelf the last two times I've been in.

Prices are up a bit from last year.

Believing the 22 ammo shortage would not last is simply unrealistic.



Shod

Academy Sports had a pile of .22 today - I bought 2 100-ct boxes of CCI Mini-Mag .22 LR HP, $7.49 each.

They also had American Eagle .22 (50-ct), Eley .22 (50-ct), and Federal Gold Medal .22 (50-ct). They always have the Gold Medal in stock because it's $19.99/box

It's become a question of luck. So every time I go in to Cabelas, BassPro .... etc. it pays to ask for 22LR and hope for the best.

Well I don't expect to pay what I did 10 years ago, I don't mind paying a little extra. Even 7-8 cents a round would be an improvement. Let them make a little money, that's the point of doing all the work. But let's cranks things up.

Remington is/or has expanded their plant in Lonoke, Arkansas after the shortages began. I have not tried to keep up with the progress. miles

There were 22's at Cabelas in Richfield Wi. today , and Monday. They were Remington in a green carton. I am sure they were 525 packs for 30 bucks. Not that bad. There were a lot of them on Monday and I didn't buy them since me NEW FAVORITE NIECE picked me up a 1,400 bucket for $70 with tax.

Online there has been a slight increase in supply, but no perceptible drop in prices.

The Obama shortage made every retired and unemployed hick an entrepreneur. Previously, those same folks probably had not fired a shot in years (if ever). Now, every time a box hits the shelf at 9am on Tuesday morning, there are folks to buy it, add to their stash, and pray for higher prices yet.

If everyone would buy what was needed vs. hoarding 30,000 rounds, the supply would have a chance to recover, driving prices back to something acceptable.

Maybe we should invest our time and energy into getting a pro- gun candidate elected, rather than crying about Hillary as if its a foregone conclusion?

Last Saturday Field&Stream and Dick's Sporting Goods in Altoona,Pa. had quite a bit of 22 Auto match and CCI mini-mag on the shelves with no limit on what you could buy. I was shocked there was no limit. Auto match was $19.99 and the mini-mag I can't remember as I didn't need any CCI so I never paid attention. I think Auto match was about $15-16 before the crazy stuff started. Got two boxes of the Auto match for the kids to shoot if they stop by. I am O.K. on my supply except for the bulk stuff for the kids to have some fun. I am seeing more in our area than a while back.

I bought three, 325 round, boxes of Federal Auto Match at Wal-Mart today for $60, a little over $0.06 per round. That particular W-M had a full shelf of those 325 round boxes, probably 30 or more after I paid for mine.

Even before there was a rimfire shortage, I didn't see many people shooting rimfire rifles at the local rifle range. Usually, I'm the only person at the range shooting a rimfire rifle, as I "warm up" by shooting between 50 and 100 rounds of .22 LR in an accurate rifle before starting to shoot more expensive ammo. If, for whatever reason, I'm having a bad day and can't shoot the .22 rifle, I just pack it in and don't waste expensive CF ammo if my game is off that day. Much easier to do for a semi-retired guy who can go to the range frequently than for a guy who works 40+ hours per week and doesn't have as flexible a schedule.

There really isn't a shortage in upstate NY anymore. My LGS has had various brands of 22LR in stock constantly for the past 3-4 months. Dick's in Binghamton has also had a variety of.22's almost every week for the past several months. I've stocked up with over 9,000 rds. of mini mags, Federal auto match, Federal lightning, Remington yellow jackets and Golden bullets over the past few months.

9,000 res? That is a lot of ammo. When everyone like you feels they have enough, then there will be 22 ammo all over the place. It doesn't bother me you bought that many but there are a million guys who have a lot more 22 ammo than they did 6 yrs ago. Not that I care.

I was almost out last summer and didn't shoot as much as usual because of it. That isn't going to happen again. I've been burning up 2-300 rds. per week this summer and intend to keep buying ammo weekly. Just got word today that my lgs took delivery of 18 cases of mini mags yesterday. I'll be buying more tomorrow.

WyColoCowboy and Yetti,
Melanie at Elite Firearms and Training had 20 500 count boxes of 22 on the 20th of July. $35 a box, but she did have it in stock.
https://www.facebook.com/EliteFirearmsTrainingLlc

I scored again today, same deal as you: Walmart had 325-ct Federal AutoMatch, $18.97/box. I bought three, four left on the shelf.

I snagged a 300 round box of CCI Mini-Mags today at Bi-Mart for $20.00. They had a bunch, still a one brick limit.

It's out there, folks. I just got one box today, $19.97 at Walmart:

From another forum:

"I was at the Cabela's in Fort Worth today. There is non expiring no limit on .22lr. The guy I spoke with said that they have a truck coming any day now with 1.5 million rounds of .22lr. Buy as many as you want."

They had Winchester 555's for $29 at Academy today.

Didn't even pick any up because I've not had much luck with that ammo cycling my .22 pistols. It's been a pretty consistent and ongoing problem, so I passed.

I normally shoot about 1,000 rounds of QUALITY rimfire a year, basically Mini Mags and/or Power Points. Since the panic, that's down to 200 rounds. Which is as much as I've seen worth buying in two years. This is BS.

My usage of .22lr has gone down quite a bit.

Mostly due to using my Marauder .25 cal airgun around the house here at the ranch in place of a .22lr.

Coon or possum needs killin' or whatever else, I just reach for that .25 now. Way quieter and disturbs less too.

Yesterday, Cabelas in Rapid City had Remington gold bullets on the shelf for ten buck per hundred. I wasn't that desperate, but a guy in front of me was picking em off the shelf as fast as his greedy little hands could go. 200 rounds left when I walked away.

The clerk said they have had some kind or other of 22s on the shelf the last few months.

Thats a good funny. Never considered those quality. That was reserved for Eley Tenex and Federal UM.

Ain't bought a bit since they were a buck a box. That [bleep] will come out of the closets someday when air rifles have made it obsolete.

screw it , I went to air rifles, a 9mm carbine and heated up the molds to cast bullets. The stash of 22 I have is dolled out to my kids and other kids that come down to shoot, have hooked up a few junior programs. Way things are going we should invest in a few flintlocks

Thats not even 2 full cases. Ain't much when it comes to rimfire really, but I sure would only pay for what I was going to actively shoot wiht the prices the way they are right now...

I bought a brick of rem. thunderbolts for $26.89 the other day, they had a limit of 2, they had 3 bricks left, i just took the one, this was at a Dunhams sporting goods in town, 1st in a long time!

Local Dirt called me yesterday, and said the Bass Pro in Dania Beach (Ft Lauderdale) had Winchester bulk packs at about $.06 per round. I did not have him pick me up any, but I may drive up today if they have any left.

My LGS typically has decent quality ammo - CCI MiniMag or STD velocity in stock. At about a 50% premium over pre-stupidity prices. Or 12 cents a round. Not too bad relatively speaking.

The thing is though, is that I can shoot the .25 Marauder in the back yard without the neighbors batting an eye. For less than 4 cents a round plus some exercise every 16 shots.

The .177 Marauder is even quieter, cheaper, and less exercise. It, and my Feinwerkbau 300 are supremely hallway friendly too.

Scott

Gander Moutain flyer in yesterday's newspaper.

Week End specials (bottom right)

http://gandermountain.shoplocal.com...=GanderMt-150820&PromotionViewMode=1

8/21 - 8/23 - CCI .22 std velocity, 50rds $4.99 - order online.

8/28 - 8/30 Federal Auto Match, 325rds $22.99.

I've been to Gander enough times when their ads said that they had .22s only to find that they were either out or had never received shipment that I am not buying anything there until the day that I walk in and find .22s availalbe.

It only has one way to go..

Scott, a scuba tank has been a pure joy. No muss, no fuss. No sweating!

I fill it about once a year when only using the Marauder. If I crank up the .357 Bulldog, a couple times a year.

Adventure Outdoors in Atlanta has CCI Mini-Mag HPs for $9.99 a sleeve
They have entire pallets in several places in the store---no limit

Rost,
That's QUALITY ammo for actually hunting stuff. Go Furs, not paper, even though both make nice groups. And the fact is, I've never seen even the spendiest custum rimfire that can outshoot a breathed-on centerfire.
I won't shoot meat with a solid unless it's a head shot for supper. Pest control, the job is to zap them dead, the challenge is to drop them so they never know. Hollowpoint Minis and PPs fit that bill very well for me.
Now I just use my Fireball and back off a little ways. The bang for the buck works out about the same.