Went to the gun show this weekend and I couldn't believe my eyes. The 22lr 1400 round buckets that I was getting for $55-&75 were at the show for sale for $200 each.
What!
Is everyone insane?

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15-22 bullpup, "X-terminator"

Short answer... YES.

Personally I don't like paying more than 6 cents a round for bulk. I will pay a little more, but not stupid prices.

When ammo is that high look for good deals on the guns that shoot it.

That difference is what I call a "stupid tax" if you have been shooting for awhile. Yes I paid that tax last year simply because I should have known better but didn't. Its a tax people who have been shooting for awhile who should know better who got caught short are forced to pay. New shooters just see it as a base price.

Yep. To say the least.

If people stop buying, the prices will go down. No one to blame for high prices except the people who are paying the high prices.

Re-loading ammo is your friend, and forget rim-fire for now.

If u think its bad now. Just wait til November 2016.

If people quit buying ammo then the manufactures will quit producing it and then we will be in a bigger mess.

I'm just shaking my head because these arent just buying .22lr. They are buying the worst .22lr known to man (Golden Bullets). I could maybe try to understand them wanting to buy some good ammo for that price if they were that desperate. But those golden bullets, u couldnt give them to and ask me to put them down the barrel of my weapons. Heck i wouldnt give those things to my worse enemy.

The only thing more pathetic than the bottom feeders selling this poor quality .22 ammo at these inflated prices are the fools that are buying it.

The people paying it and posting it up are insane IMHO, these guys on the 15-22 forum are constantly putting up gouging deals like this in the available ammo thread. why I ask you??? they must own this goose island ripoff joint
Winchester Black Box 40 Grain Target/Plinking 500 Rounds(M22LR) NOT RECALL LOT | Gooseisland

Wait............What, the people are not buying from the manufacturers the dealers are, if people stop paying the gouging prices, the people gouging are not going to eat the ammo for dinner, the price will be forced down. This is called supply and demand, it's nothing new

Smitty357

What exactly is the problem with Golden Bullets.

I picked a couple of buckets recently, ($49.99 each) and have shot them through a dozen handguns and several rifles and haven't had any problems. Accuracy was good, not too dirty, no problem in semi- autos as far a feed and function. I was happy to get them at that price.

None of this is following supply and demand. If it were, the prices at Walmart and Cabelas should have shot up to balance the supply and demand.

I do not think this is bad. I think it is stupid.

It has had no effect on me at all, since I load all my own ammo (except 22 LR, of which I have plenty). I haven't bought ammo in several years. I actually sold off ammo when the ammo hogs were really buying it up last spring.

I sure wish I had stock in one or more of the ammo producing companies.

Very little to no supply at Cabela's and in your state of Texas no 22lr hits the shelves of Walmart for more than 3 minutes, it's in the hands of Armslist/Gunbroker gougers

What upsets me about posts like this is the people posting this really have no idea what is going on. They say all people have to do is quit paying the high prices. OK. Lets take a look at that statement.

Users of 22lr quit buying from dealers,web sites and others. Those selling the 22lr seeing that they cannot sell the 22lr quit purchasing it from their suppliers. Those suppliers turn around and see that this line of ammo is not selling and they call their distributors to cancel any standing orders. Those cancellations work their way back to the manufacturers who see that 22lr is not selling so they either reduce production or shut it down completely. Now you have your wish but the unintended consequences are that now there is no production of 22lr at all. That is what they call supply and demand. No demand equals no supply.

Actually it should be called demand and supply because if there is no demand there will never be any supply. Demand comes first.

Now to the Walmart statement. My bet is you don't know what you are talking about. My guess is you have no idea what the supply to Walmart is in regards to 22lr. I can tell you from my experience that 22lr is being rationed to every store that gets it. I've seen days when nothing comes in, days when a box or two comes in, sometimes they would get a full case.

I was there on one of those days when they got a case of federal 525 count boxes came in. A whole case not just a box or two. The first 3 guys got their 3 box limit, the fourth guy got one box and I being 5th in line got nothing. This shortage at places like Big5,Walmart,Academy and other retailers is the cause of the shortage. There is simply very little 22lr making it to the store shelf for people to buy.

I gave up on .22 LR a while ago.

It used to be what you could always find in stock and could afford to shoot all day long.

Those days are long, long gone and aren't coming back anytime soon. I now spend my money on calibers that I use for concealed carry/defense, because frankly it's FAR more available and the power/price ratio is so much better for them.

YMMV.

It really irks me to hear the complaints about the lack of ammo.

The name calling, the accusations, and the whining!

I hear the complaints about "fairness", the complaints about price, the complaints about availability, and wonder, what the hell has happened to our Nation?

What ever happened to rugged individualism, self reliance, and being prepared?

This shortage should in no way have been a shock to anyone paying attention the last 5-7 years!

IMHO if you didn't see this coming, you simply were not paying attention.

Now that you're awake, learn from this and prepar for the next time.

And you can be assured, their will be a next time.

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Molon Labe!

They won't learn. They will be crying,whining and still attacking their fellow gun owners.

Haven't bought the GB's by the bucket, but I have bought them in the 525 packs. They feed without problems in my semi-auto rifles. I have one RIA 1911-A1 that has a Marvel .22 LR conversion unit on top. That pistol works 100% perfectly w/ Aguila and CCI Mini-Mags. When I can find them, it works perfectly with Fed. Champions and Auto-Match. That same pistol does not do as well w/ the Remington GB's. Surprisingly it does almost as well with the Thunderbolts as it does with the Champion. Odd, but true. The GB's have run 100% perfectly in my S&W 15-22. Accuracy has been on par with all other .22 LR ammo that I've found available.

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Re: Complaints/fairness, etc. It is fully understandable why everyone is outdone with the lack of supply of .22 LR as well as the gouging, etc. As far as observations about preparing, etc., get real. To prepare for this drought of .22 LR ammo that is now well into it's second year or more might be workable if one only shoots a brick or so a year. Believe it or not, many people simply cannot afford to go out and buy 20-30K rounds of decent .22 LR ammo for shooting through a possible drought such as this one. Even if they could buy say 20K rounds, once it was gone... they'd be sitting around like everyone else... with no ammo. The only way anyone can make even a large amount of ammo last is to only shoot as much as they can replace. Otherwise at some point they exhaust their stock of ammo.

As far as attacking fellow gun owners... complaining about gouging, insiders being given first dibs on infrequent deliveries of ammo, etc., get real. Gougers deserve every criticism voiced against them. They are fundamentally destructive to the shooting sports. They are the equivalent of termites. They care nothing for the future of the shooting sports but only lining their pockets. It is that simple. All this tommy rot about capitalism, preparation, etc., is just so much horse hockey spread around to try and distract attention away from them and what they are doing.

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Believe me, I'm very real.

I live in the real world, not the pixie dust, unicorn fart, fairy tale world of how it should be, or how I would run it world.

I too am on a budget. My resources are limited and every dollar at my disposal is put into a budget and allocated for ammo, arms, parts, powders, and supplies.

In my world, you do what you need to do to maintain your supply!

I gave up other hobbies, sold off the equipment needed to participate in that hobby and applied all of those resources to areas I deemed more important.

I've gotten creative and traded off items I no longer needed or wanted on Craigslist, Backpage, local FB forums, and local gun forums.

I save aluminum cans and put that money towards my budget. I have a change jar and save all of my loose change. I gave up eating fast food for lunch. I quit drinking fountain drinks, etc....

It's all a matter of how bad you want it!

In my case, I want it bad enough to make sacrifices for it.

I've used the tools at my disposal, I use the ammo availability thread here on this site, I use Gunbot, I use Brassbager, I've gotten up early to wait in line at WM for those rare shipments of 22LR, etc...

I've sacrificed to build my cache because it's important enough for my son and I to be able to continue to enjoy our favorite pastime.

I've also made changes in our range practices, the bolt guns see a lot more use than they did before. I purchased a couple of air rifles to shoot as a means to reduce our 22LR usage.

Over the last year, we have continued to shoot, and not dip into our cache. In fact, it has grown as from time to time I find some 22LR or I trade for some.

It's just the way I was raised! I don't depend on the availablity of on line ammo with any kind of regularity at this time. I don't expect it to be in stock at the LGS, WM, Bass Pro, etc...

I'm proactive! I hustle for it! I wheel and deal. I get it done!

If I can do it, so can you.

As far as the name calling and accusations? I just don't have time for it. I'm to busy preparing so as not to get caught short.

It is what it is. It sucks! You don't like it, nor do I, but it is!

If you have any understanding of the market, you would understand that it is driven by the BUYER!

The "gougers" are only selling to those WILLING to spend the insane prices they are asking.

All of the ammo I've procured has been at pre SH prices. I refuse to pay more than .08 a round for bulk 22LR with most of it running closer to the .045-.06 a round.

All the b****ing, complaining, and whining in the world won't change that. So I choose not to partake in it.

Instead, I go to the range and take out my frustrations on those evil paper zombies!

Enjoy shoveling that horse hockey.

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Molon Labe!

And they DARE call that box at that price Discounted....

Nobody is attacking anybody.

One person makes a post to inform others of what he sees--then those who dont agree-seem to love to pile on him. That--is nuts.

Im outta here before this gets uglier and locked.

It's very simple. You decide how much ammo you want as a reserve. With that number in mind you build your reserve beyond that and everything above your reserve is what you use to engage in the hobby. Learn this lesson now and avoid what I and others who got caught short in Jan 2013. My failure to have this type of plan in place cost me a great deal. I had to pay more for the ammo I bought to build my reserve and I had to give up my normal shooting scheduled which was 25,000 rounds a year to less than 1500 rounds in 2013 to build that reserve. It's taken a lot of time, energy and money to position myself so I never have to experience such a drastic cut in my shooting schedule ever again.


Now people are complaining about having to pay higher prices. They blame others for their lack of planning. It's very simple. If you don't have ammo then it's your fault not someone else's.

Now just in case some of you have not figured out what has happened allow me to say this.

The era of cheap ammo is over. Today's prices are the best you are going to see for the foreseeable future.

Now keep in mind that we have grown from 80 million gun owners to over 100 million gun owners without a corresponding increase in ammunition manufacturing capacity. This lack of manufacturing capacity has caused shortages to develop which is a natural reaction of adding so many new gun owners to the demand curve.

As far as people having connections all I have to say is why have you not cultivated such connections. Again a lesson to learn because life is not fair.

Discussions on this board are not unlike conversations that sometimes occur around a dinner table when family immediate and extended gather. Occasionally one or two members of that extended family will be so determined to grind an axe (either political, economic, religious, social) that they care not how it affects their family, immediate or extended. If the family is dealing with some difficult reversal, occasionally there will be one who will opine something along the line of, "You should have seen it coming... I saw it coming... It's all your own fault..., etc." Possibly such opining is the only way that person knows how to deal with the circumstances. They often wonder why at family gatherings they feel left out, on the margins, even rejected.

So it goes. Like a dog that will fight another dog to possess a well chewed cracked and split bone, there are some who insistently press their view supposing that having the last word is proof incontrovertible of all that they say and believe. Like that well chewed bone, there is nothing to be gained from such insistence beyond a bone w/ no meat.

Bon appétit! Looks like the rest of the family has moved on.

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[QUOTE=ladyT;137792706]

The era of cheap ammo is over. Today's prices are the best you are going to see for the foreseeable future.



The same as gasoline, the days of cheap and available ammo are over. Period. If you think they aren't you are living in a fantasy world.

Many posters saying, "don't buy it." Simple you don't buy it you don't shoot.

I'd suggest buy everything you can get your hands on. Sort of like buying in advance. Same as some high priced guns we buy. Because if you think todays prices are bad wait until 2016 when HC gets in.

I'm not sure that I agree. I think prices for .22LR will come down. Availability will come back as well.
When - I cannot however - divine.

The prices for AR-15s didn't stay up forever, nor did the artificial
drought of them. I can remember none of those on the shelves, anywhere. Now every gun store you walk into, has dozens of AR-15 clones from several makers. I made a lot of money during that drought.

I never espouse not buying it in this climate. It's your money.
If you don't have any .22LR and you want to shoot .22LR, you have to get it where you can, for whatever price that it is.

I haven't made any money on the .22LR drought. Can't say that I'm mad at anyone who has, though. It does irk me that the gouger-shopper will be in the front of the line and buy EVERYTHING with guys who just want a little, behind him. It is a free market economy and a free Country, though. Every time I leave this country, I'm always still really glad when I come back.

all I have to say is I feel very bad for the young ones and new shooters (who are the future of this sport) that can't get any 22 ammo to have fun with and develop their shooting skills. this ammo shortage and drastically high prices is doing more damage then you think to the future of this sport. I go to the gun club now and I have the whole place to myself, when 2 years ago someone was always there. what happens when people quit going and quit paying their dues? places close up....

Please tell me where I can go to buy everything I want without limits. I ask because everywhere I go there are limits on purchases.

Those coming into the hobby today see these prices as the normal prices.

EXACTLY-- there are those of us that kept ourselves well stocked as the years rolled by-- no need for us to forget the rimfire -- JMHO-

it's not just the cost it is the availability, if you can't find it you can't buy it.

Oh its there but nowhere near the levels it was at in 2012. It just takes a little extra effort to secure what you need since there are millions more gun owners today than in Dec 2012.

it takes more then just a little extra effort. in my area you just about have to camp out at the local Wal-Mart to get any chance to snag any 22's at a reasonable prices of $23.99 a brick or $2.50 a box of 50. I don't see a farther spending $50-60 a brick to have an enjoyable afternoon with his children. I think he would end up taking them fishing.

Well I'm so glad my little talk has allowed you to be able to move on.

Glad to have been of service.

Keep that shovel shiny, and keep reaching for the stars!

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Molon Labe!

I can't accept that rational...they are in the business to make ammo. By past histories, they know that things will turn around. If no one buys at the high prices, the stock will increase and guess what...SALES...prices will go down and the manufacturers will continue to produce.

You have to look a little harder than the local Walmart. Use the ammo thread in the 15-22 forum. Yes, some of the links are not deals, just pass those up. If you see a new link for Cabelas, hit it...If you have a Cabelas close to you, ship to store for free. If not, shipping can be in the $5 to $9 range, depending on price of ammo. YOu can also use gunbot and let it run in the background. It has an alarm that will go off when new ammo is posted that meets your price threshold.

Use sites like findmeammo.com to watch your local Walmarts. Two Saturdays in a row, I was able to get 1000 rounds each morning. I got up, checked findmeammo.com and headed to the local store that showed inventory, before 7:30 AM. These were the first two times I used it.

Between all of these tools, in a matter of a couple of weeks, I was able to acquire 3,349 rounds with little effort. No driving from store to store or camping out. This is at normal retail pricing.

Exactly why I am saying the price should go up at the retailer. If they can't keep the shelves stocked, then their price is too low for the demand. Increased pricing at the retailer takes away profits from those who buy to resell, thus reducing their demand.

the price has gone up at the retailers also

I had gunbot up today when it updated and let me know that Natchez had ammo. Was just too slow as when I hit the button it flashed it was out of stock. Just have to move a little faster next time.

It has not went up enough to balance the supply with demand. If you can not keep stock on your shelf for longer than 30 minutes, your price is too low (from an economics viewpoint, but not popular with consumers). If the market will bear $90 a brick and you sell yours at $28, you are constantly going to be out of stock. You want to reach the balance where your inventory is not being bought out on the cheap to be resold, but you are still able to move inventory. In the perfect world, the last box on the shelf is being sold as the next shipment is being unloaded off the truck.

Many people complain about Cheaper Than Dirt, but they don't have the resellers lining up outside their store before the doors open. They have ammo on the shelf, available for purchase, albeit at a higher price than Walmart. But at least I have a choice to buy or not to buy, where if the shelf is empty, I have no choice.

If all retailers would significantly raise their prices, you would see the demand created by the resellers decrease, thereby letting supply build on the shelves, balancing demand with supply. As more supply is available, prices could stabilize.

Of course, this is all text book theory. I've been able to get my ammo on the cheap, so I'm not complaining.

I have not been able to get in on Natchez yet. The alarm goes off, but by the time I input my CC info, sold out. I have better luck with Cabela's.

\


Captalistic views like this are what are driving jobs to China, pushing crappier and crappier products onto our shelves, and ultimately diluting down our strength as a nation. BUT don't forget that one of the largest companies in the Nation, Hell in the WORLD probably, does NOT subscribe to this. This would of course be Amazon. Do they sell 10 million dollars of stuff in 90 minutes by doing what you are suggesting?

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ER Nurse= I carry

You operate under the assumption that your large retailers are willing to drive off customers just to keep 22lr on the shelf. They will not take that chance. They have their model and they will stick with it.

You also fail to recognize that the demand for ammo has increased due to the increase in gun owners from 80 million to over 100 million gun owners without a corresponding increase in manufacturing.

No, what is driving jobs to China is that Americans want everything as cheap as possible. Cheap labor in China.

I'm sorry you disagree, but this is basic supply and demand. When demand increases but supply remains the same, as is the case today with .22lr, you have a shortage of the item and thus the price should increase. The idea is to reach equilibrium in the market, where supply meets demand.

I don't understand what you were trying to say with Amazon. You can't look at total sales, you have to look at a particular item. The demand for a Kindle Fire has nothing to do with the supply or demand of .22lr ammo.

Let's look at Walmart, since they sell .22lr. Throughout this mess, they have kept ammo pricing fairly flat. There was a small increase, but that had more to do with the price of metals, not to stave off demand. Since their price has remained well below market value, or the price that the ammo can draw, Walmart has a shortage. Putting false restraints in place, such as limiting the amount that can be purchased, does nothing to curb the demand and the effect is still the same... they have a shortage of ammo. The only way to curb that demand is to increase pricing to the point that they no longer have a shortage. Increasing too much will result in a surplus of ammo, which is not their goal either. The goal is equilibrium, where you are able to meet the demand with your supply.

Wrong on both counts. Their objective is not to drive away customers, it should be to meet demand and maximize profits. The difference with Walmart is that they are so huge, they have distribution contracts in place and they are not chasing alternative distribution channels like the LGS is. Walmart's cost has remained flat, so their pricing has remained flat. It isn't worth their time to fret over .22lr. Notice, they do follow other models with other commodities such as fuel, milk, etc.

As far as an increase in gun owners without a corresponding increase in manufacturing.... umm, that defines how demand outpaced supply, exactly why pricing should be increased. If manufacturers increase productivity with new machines, or longer production runs, etc., we should also see a rise in retail pricing as those costs should be passed to the distributor, which then is passed to the retailer, which then passes to the customer.

Midway has Norma TAC-22 58.99 for 500, and Aguila Match Rifle 53.99 for 500. Limit one on each.

They sure are I got a bucket of bullets at Dicks sporting goods about 5 weeks ago for 70.00 for 1400 that is 5 cents each

Need .22 LR ammo? Try this... Item Added to Shopping Cart : Cabela's

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