Obsession with finding 22LR ammo

[Vinney47]

This is the darndest thing. While we get loads of ammo from Italy, England, Russia and the Philippines my last couple of purchases were Remington, Winchster and Federal.

CCI it a little harder to get hold of but not THAT hard.

This is one case where I'm better off not living in the USA. I can go to my local gunshop (about 850m away) and purchase as much .22 as I want.

KBK

Yeah, it's bad over here. I've never seen anything like this. .22lr used to be plentiful and cheap. They would build pyramids out of 500+ round boxes at the big stores like Cabelas. Now, it's scarce. Has been since the elementary school shooting over a year ago. I thought it would have calmed down by now. But the talk of making it harder to get guns (although nothing came of it Nationally) brought on a lot of new shooters, and new shooters often start with .22lr. And as it's become scarce and more expensive, people are buying it up like crazy. People who kept 1000 rounds on hand now want 10x that or more just incase it's gets scarce again and/or goes up in price ($15 a box of 500 was not so many years ago, it's $25+ now). It's hard to see an end, and no manufacturer has upped production to meet the demand for some unknown reason. It really is a moment to make your heart flutter if you can find .22lr on the shelf, or online at a decent price after shipping.

 

[Kayback]

It's hard to see an end, and no manufacturer has upped production to meet the demand for some unknown reason. .

Most probably because the capital expenditure will not be recovered with lowered prices and wider availability.

If they boost capacity to meet demand, most of the artificial demand will fall away.

You can re-set center fire machines to make other center fire calibers, you can't do that with rimfire machines.

KBK

 

[imashooter2]

One of the LGS here has a pretty regular supply, although available brand is what he could find. I buy when he has brands I want. He also has a "one box limit" although he doesn't care what size box. A few months back I was getting bricks of CCI SV. Last week it Federal Champion. He had a few pallets. I picked up a case at 5.7 cents a round. Lots of my friends got in on that one too.

 

[mb66]

Here lately I've been obsessed with locating more and more ammo for my 15-22. It's almost like I get a high when I actually find some. I hit the jackpot today at Walmart when I lucked up on 3 boxes of 550 count Federal. It was a total rush. Anybody else have this addiction?

I have no recall of logging on last night and making the above post. Weird.

 

[slickracer]

Welcome to the club!

 

[headcase650]

Ive got a cardboard box of federal bulk 550 count. Its probably 12 years old. Price tag on box.......$5.99. Should have bought all I could fit in my truck. Would have been a better investment than my 401K.

 

[photoracer]

$60-$80 a brick!?! That's what happens when old retired guys troll the Wal-Mart's and Cabela's very single day. I hear it all the time from the clerks. They have nothing better to do so they snag all of the ammo from everyone else, then turn around and sell it for a profit. Not only are they hurting everyone else by hoarding, but they're falsely driving up prices locally. I'd rather not shoot than support these idiots.

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Think about it this way. If you were living on So. Sec. and found a way to make a couple of hundred extra bucks a week/month that wasn't reported to Uncle Sam wouldn't you do it? The first person who says no is a liar. Especially considering there is not ammo coming in every day and you can only be a one WM at 7 AM (unless you have buddies with cell phones at other ones). Most WM put it out right after it comes off the truck, which is usually at 7 AM. Really big WMs that get more than one trailer a day might put somemore out at 7 PM or there abouts. One WM near me was twice the top selling WM for ammo for the entire chain during the 2000-2009 decade. They get as many as 3 trailers a day during the holidays. Its not that I blame people for trying to make a buck, as that is the American way, but why do they have to do it in my hobby. From what I have seen the ammo is not being sold at gunshows, but on Gun Brokers. I have talked to some dealers at shows and some of them have to pay the big prices on GB just to have some to sell at a show because often they can't get it either. I was at one show in 2013 where they was a guy with a one table setup selling about a 1/2 pallet of CCI-Tactical for $64 a box of 375. I was not going to pay that but I asked him why so high and he said that was the market. He said he could not pull it out of the crates and put it on the table fast enough.

 

[photoracer]

Most of the serious shooters I know order it directly from the factories in lots of 5000. The factories like that because it cuts on having to ship it around so I am betting the reason the normal supply chains can't get it much is because the big buyers are buying it up by pre-ordering it.

 

[wittmeba]

...It was a total rush. Anybody else have this addiction?

I have the addiction but have not experienced the rush. We still can't find .22 LR ammo anywhere and I refuse to pay the outlandish prices some sellers are asking.

When I do, you'll hear me!

 

[Jessie]

It almost sounds like some are calling for ' Ammo Redistribution' here.
Heck, it's a free market, a person is allowed to buy however many of whatever is available. If they're flipping it, just quit buying the overpriced stuff and it will eventually stop.
Patience is the key. Panic buyers drive the price up. Who do imagine the flippers are selling to?
( that's one thing the "old retired people" have in spades)

 

[Buckshot Barry]

Yes, I'm getting up at 4:45 am in the morning to be at my Walmart for 3 boxes of Federal 550 .22

And I scored. The store received 2 cases. All 6 of us in line went home happy.

Find 22 Long Rifle ammo in stock at Walmart

 

[raver]

Most probably because the capital expenditure will not be recovered with lowered prices and wider availability.

If they boost capacity to meet demand, most of the artificial demand will fall away.

You can re-set center fire machines to make other center fire calibers, you can't do that with rimfire machines.

KBK

When I went the outdoor show Federal/CCI had a booth. From what they were saying, they'd actually have to build new building in order to up production on .22s, and can't justify that expenditure.

 

[Majorlk]

$60-$80 a brick!?! That's what happens when old retired guys troll the Wal-Mart's and Cabela's very single day. I hear it all the time from the clerks. They have nothing better to do so they snag all of the ammo from everyone else, then turn around and sell it for a profit. Not only are they hurting everyone else by hoarding, but they're falsely driving up prices locally. I'd rather not shoot than support these idiots.

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I resent this generalization. I'm old, retired and I haven't bought ammo at WalMart is over 20 years. Cabala's is another matter ...

I have never bought ammo for resale or any other purpose than to shoot. You young whippersnappers need to show some respect for your elders.

BTW, my last .22 ammo purchase was October of 2012. My local dealer had three pallets of Federal 525 in cases (5,250 rounds) and I bought four cases. I still have a case and a half left.

 

[Decipher]

It appears my "old retired guys" comment really stirred some emotions. First off, I never targeted ANYONE here so no one should take offense. They could be young, ignorant guys doing the same thing. They're just old guys here. So, no one should be offended at the comment.

What IS offensive is those who clear out a store for the purpose of hoarding or, way worse, turning it around for a gross profit. Yes, this is America and you have the right. But, those of you who claim to be American and exercising your right, while also claiming to be supporters of the second amendment, are just fooling yourselves. Buying ammo and reselling it for quadruple the price isn't supporting the second amendment for your fellow shooters. It's exploiting the current disposition of the government. Now, add into that those who are earning a profit, yet not claiming said income for tax purposes. Your avoidance of paying justly into the country you love and the country that allows you to exercise your rights is about as unamerican as it comes. My words may be harsh, but true. Is it cool that I work 48 extra hours a week yet the govnerment takes more money from me than I take home? No, but it's my duty as an American.

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[Decipher]

I talked to a Cabela's rep who knows some guys at the Hornady plant. They simply stated they make way more money by producing the higher calibers, so that's why they haven't upped production on 22

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[300xc]

This is exactly why I traded my 15-22 for a .223. It's so much easier to find, and I'm not just constantly trying to stock up for the fear that I won't be able to. It's in stock almost everywhere.

 

[Majorlk]

It appears my "old retired guys" comment really stirred some emotions. First off, I never targeted ANYONE here so no one should take offense. They could be young, ignorant guys doing the same thing. They're just old guys here. So, no one should be offended at the comment.

What IS offensive is those who clear out a store for the purpose of hoarding or, way worse, turning it around for a gross profit. Yes, this is America and you have the right. But, those of you who claim to be American and exercising your right, while also claiming to be supporters of the second amendment, are just fooling yourselves. Buying ammo and reselling it for quadruple the price isn't supporting the second amendment for your fellow shooters. It's exploiting the current disposition of the government. Now, add into that those who are earning a profit, yet not claiming said income for tax purposes. Your avoidance of paying justly into the country you love and the country that allows you to exercise your rights is about as unamerican as it comes. My words may be harsh, but true. Is it cool that I work 48 extra hours a week yet the govnerment takes more money from me than I take home? No, but it's my duty as an American.

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Calm down ... I guess a little sarcasm and humor goes over your head.

As for this second paragraph, get over yourself. This kind of thing has been going on for decades ... buy low, sell high, even your precious.22 ammo. It's a little more blatant now, but contrary to what you seem to think, WalMart is NOT the only place selling ammo. There IS ammo for sale, especially online, if you make the effort to go after it.

 

[model70hunter]

I do not know how Walmart decides which stores to ship it to. Before I retired and left St. Louis it was extremely hard to find, but then I went once in a while later in the day.

Before I left STL Cabelas got in some 5.56, I was walking up to pay for my 5x20 or 100 rounds thinking this was expensive. Two Cabela employees were walking in front of me. Employee A said to employee B, thanks for snagging me that bunch of 22 LR ammo this morning I appreciate it. Then they realized I heard everything, they split in different directions. Now 253 other folks and I had been circling the 22 LR ammo shelf. There was not any there. One guy said he has waited all morning since they opened and never saw any. If I'd heard the heartfelt thank you on the way in and shared it with the angry mob there might have been a lynching. I wonder which LGS got that ammo.

Luckily I bought enough 22 LR several years ago. Just to have some for the grandkids and some plinking, you know when it was 8 a brick for the Russian and 11-12 bucks a brick for American.

Now I live pretty far out in the boonies. Walmart and the few local gun shops do not get any 22 LR in.

Back to the OP's 22 LR luck, you did well. Our local WM has guns for sale, but the same ones have set there for ever. They no longer have an employee working in this area. You have to run someone down to get a license.

The stuff behind the counter that used to be off limits is now an open zone, guns, both boxes of 30-06, scopes and knives are locked up. I asked to find someone to get me something there recently and the WM employee said just help yourself. Now if I'm looking at oil, cleaning stuff behind the counter folks start asking me to show them stuff. I say no workee here, you welcome to help self. They give a look like if I go back there I'll go to jail.

 

[Decipher]

Calm down ... I guess a little sarcasm and humor goes over your head.

As for this second paragraph, get over yourself. This kind of thing has been going on for decades ... buy low, sell high, even your precious.22 ammo. It's a little more blatant now, but contrary to what you seem to think, WalMart is NOT the only place selling ammo. There IS ammo for sale, especially online, if you make the effort to go after it.

It's not sarcasm when multiple people say it. I have a fantastic sense of humor, but it seemed pretty clear it should be addressed.

My second paragraph is provocative. I know. Just because illegal immigrants keep getting free housing and money from the government doesn't mean it's right. Status quo doesn't mean it's okay.

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[Decipher]

Double post.


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