My shooting buddy told me an interesting tale. Apparently more than one local Walmart is having to chase .22LR hoarders out of the store because they keep trying to hawk their stash IN THE STORE.

The game works like this.

Dad goes to Walmart with his kid (this is often key to what follows) to buy some .22 so he and Junior can go plinking. Mr Stash is hovering around the sports area and sees that Dad is told there is no .22 and sees Junior's long face. Mr Stash intercepts father and son and says something to the effect of "Psst, Buddy, you wanna buy some .22? I got plenty in my car outside".

Apparently some of the sharper staff have cottoned on to the racket and Walmart management are now quick to tell Mr Stash to take a hike when they spot him.

Couple of things could be going on here:

1) Mr Stash has figured out the perfect way to hook Dads into paying top money for .22. How can a Dad say no when his kid was crushed not minutes ago.

2) Mr Stash is getting pressure at home. "Hey, weren't you gonna make lots of money with that ammo and take me to Cancun? Why is it all still here?" Throw in that nobody is biting on his price on the free local internet sites because folk like me refuse to play the game, and you can see how he might come up with this ploy.

Sounds like an internet story to me.

It has probably happened a couple times, but you would have to be mighty broke to hang out at Walmart in hopes that someone will come along so you can make $20 bucks on a brick of 22 shells.

True, it sounds like an internet story. Not very believable.

But then, to me, the idea that someone would stand around outside a sold-out sporting event or musical performance, attempting to sell tickets for outrageous amounts of money, ALSO is not very believable.

They tell me it happens.

Is there really a difference between scalping tickets and scalping 22s?

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I always take precautions

i always have ammo put away for when i go shooting id rather be lookin at it than lookin for it . if i was a hoarder i dont think id be hanging out at walmart looking for some poor man that cant take his kid shooting

I have given away a handful of boxes of .22 ammo since the first of the year, and recently a mostly full box of .22 WRF (missing six rounds) to needy children.

I have met two ammo scalpers, one at a Academy Sports store in Snellville, GA and the other coming out of a pawn shop in Clayton, GA. This is not an Internet story, it is the truth. The guy at Academy was driving a blue Honda Element, the pawn guy a red Ford Escape with SC plates.

The only unbelievable part of this story is "A sales person in Sporting Goods Department" (there is never a sales person in Sporting Goods)

Lol do they still manufacture 22 lr? Haven't seen any in the store for 2 years.

If everyone would simply QUIT paying the gouge prices for two lousy months, the situation would rectify itself.
Keep paying, and they'll keep gouging.
Let it stack up in warehouses so high that the bottom pallets are getting crushed, and you will see a good supply at prices that allow for the reasonable profit percentage that the manufacturers always worked for. That may be higher than two years ago because all THEIR costs have probably gone up, just like most stuff in your life has gone up.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

The "22 gougers" market will collapse as it's only a matter of time. You want to speed it up? Quit buying from those jerks.
Jim

Bought five boxes of CCI .22LR Std Vel. this morning. $7.49/100. No limit.

Now THERE is the truth!

Seriously, I waited 30 minutes one day... Why, you ask? Well, because they were one of the few places that had the ammo I wanted in stock. And the price was really good.

I try to avoid the place... But I figure the only reason they have ammo at the prices they sell it for is people get tired of waiting!

You're right.
He ain't got pictures, so it didn't happen.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Can't be true. No Wal-Mart employee has the required cognitive skills.

Is that the guy that opens his long coat to reveal a few dozen pockets sewn to the inside crammed with boxes of .22?

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I was accused of that when I was at my WM talking to the sporting goods guy (yes, my store has one), and offered an out-of-state lady some .22 for her kids (two sons home from deployment with, I think, Coast Guard and Army - on leave from the sand box?), as there was none on the shelf, but her story touched a soft spot. I asked the WM guy if it was ok, then we went to my car for a bulk box I had bought a few days earlier but had not used, but once in the parking lot I was accused by a security guy. Her wheelchair-bound husband offered the receipt I had given them to show how much I paid originally (at the same WM). I had rounded "my price" up to the dollar as neither of us had coin change. The store manager apologized to me.

The discussion ended abruptly. They still allow me in the store.

I have seen what you describe in the lot in front of Dicks back in the midst of the crisis. $119 bulk 9mm went out the door and sold for $175 in the parking lot. I was not surprised, but was certainly appalled.

And I have seen real fights at WM over who was first in line.

Most likely it's an isolated incident. I wouldn't doubt there are people who do it, but it's not like a business that is in the business of making money is going to chase out someone who likes to spend money at their store over something so trivial. Said hoarder can only buy so much of their ammo...

I haven't shot my .22 since last December. I refuse to pay above mkt price to gougers. I'll stick with the 9mm & .45 until the .22 price stabilizes.

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It's Alive !!

When the stupid first hit, and everyone was trying to buy up all the .223/5.56 at almost $1000 a case I decided to buy a S&W M&P-15 22.
I also ended up buying 10 cases of the Federal 525 value packs to use with it and all my other .22s.

For once, I was on top of the game.

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Hold my beer and watch this!

I've had it happen to me at two Wal-Marts, one of them I recognized from around town. Lazy, hasn't had a job in the last decade, on disability because he has emotional issues making it impossible to work around people. We could all do this if we didn't have a job and could just get what we get and not depend on it for a living.

Before anybody complains I believe in disability for disabled people. My brother is physically and mentally disabled from an accident. He still works part time at a office as a janitor.

People are doing this. Fyi he wanted $80 for 500 rounds. He did tell me he didn't have a limit though.

Before I begin, I'd like to apologize to everyone I'm about to offend.

LOL!!! Somebody please explain to me how it's "gouging" when there are choices like; 1) shop for a lower price, 2) don't buy. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy anything or pay any price.

Some, not all, gun owners are some of the biggest whiners when it comes to prices. They think firearms and ammo are, somehow, economically different than other commodities. They are not. Yet, these same gun owners are capitalists, wanting top dollar when they want to sell, socialists when they want to buy and whine when they are priced out of the market.

And can somebody define what a "reasonable" profit is?

To me, a reasonable profit is all I can get and more.

And yes, I make my living buying and selling.

I don't think you'll find much argument from the free trade crew here on general principle. But when you start hawking your goods in somebody else's place of business, you deserve all the abuse you get. JMHO, at a price you can afford.

The people that are not prepared are the ones complaining. I would be called a hoarder now but back before the "shortage" hit, I bought a brick or two of .22 every week or so. I was shooting a lot of .22 then and still do. It's been over three years since I bought any .22 ammo and I'm not worried about running out.
I also put gas in the tank of my truck before I run out.

The two people I saw were running a business. The Honda had he rear seats folded up and the floorboard was covered in IKEA storage containers full of ammo. The Ford driver used Trader Joe's wine boxes to separate and store his ammo. It seems to me one should need a license to sell a truckload of ammo, especially when crossing state lines.

They accused my client of trying to gouge ammo in the parking lot of the Walmart out of his trunk. Turns out he was just selling meth!!

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Forum consigliere

I can't believe these topics are still popping up. Don't these guys own other calibers?

If I was that dad I tell junior to pick one of the other many calibers to shoot

No, some people do not own other calibers, and likely did not have a .22 until some family member passed away and the gun was given to a youngster. I have found firearms for several neighborhood kids over the years who's only experience shooting guns was at BSA summer camp programs. I found a few for some of the parents too.

Mostly Savage 340's and clones; lever action Marlin, Rossi, Winchesters; a couple of Remington 7 & 700 bolt guns, USGI & Iver-Johnson carbines; and a few odd shotguns.

The Crossman 1377 is OUTSTANDING air pistol for plinking! No its not a 22 rimfire, but its cheap and a lot of fun. Was made in USA (mine is) dont know about now. Wally World, Dicks etc carries them. Run about 60 dollars new. 1000 rounds for 10 dollars or less. Get one for Juinor and and a couple bags of plastic toy army men for targets from dollar tree and have at it. Lots of info about them on utube, Regards Ernie

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Rimfires Makes me "Insane"

It seems that some don't/won't understand how supply and demand works and that it applies to firearms/ammo and need a remedial economics class. It's not on this forum it seems that it's on ALL firearm forums.


I have no issue with that.

Same people everyday at my local Walmart with their friends and wives buying out the multi-packs of 22 LR.

Stopped buying .22lr @ $.025/rd. about 2 years ago. Won't buy another rd. until it's $.04/rd or less. Have around 10K rds and use 1200 rds/ yr. Today if I see something I like and need, I'll buy all I can afford when it's plentiful. "New Normal" I guess. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

Is anybody buying 500 round bulk packs for $80 (or even $40)? Is anyone that rich or that stupid? Seems to me that enough time has passed to put the "hoarders" out of business.

I am looking for a different explanation for the continuing 22 LR shortage.

Out
West