The other day I saw and bought 100 rds. of CCI Mini-Mags at a LGS... $10 OTD. Since January that is the second box of MM that's I've found for sale. Last Thanksgiving I found a brick of CCI Standard Velocity which the LGS sold to me for $32 OTD. That was of course in 2013... the same year in which I was able to find and buy some Fiocchi and Remington... about 3K total. It allowed me to keep shooting. Since January... via links on the 15-22 forum, I was able to buy Blazers, M-22, Norma .22LR, American Eagle and Aguila. This allowed me to have ammo for my daughters when they came down to visit. It was worth every dime I spent.
From time to time I read of those who insist they will just not shoot .22 LR ammo until it returns to what they consider a normal price. Fine. That is their choice. Maybe they will see prices go back to pre-panic 2008/2012 prices. And maybe we'll see $2/gal. regular gas.
I bought my 18-3 to shoot. I didn't buy it to look at. I don't need or want a paper weight. It is one of life's essentials. I can do with out shotguns and shotgun shells. I can do without heavy magnum handgun loads. I can even do without .45 ACP if I have to. Thank God I don't have to... as I can reload it. Thank God I can reload for my much loved .30-06 rifles. If I could reload .22 LR ammo, I'd reload it and shoot it. I can't. So, as I can I will buy .22 LR ammo. And, as I can, I will shoot it. I will shoot it in my little 18 simply b/c I positively adore it. It along with a Marvel 1911 conversion are my most used firearms. This past weekend my youngest daughter came down. We spent one afternoon and the next morning at the range. She had a wonderful time... and 1,200 rounds later I had a very dirty 15-22 to clean. Cool! It was such a joy to what her having fun. The ammo? That's what I bought it for.
Keep your eyes open. Use the various links that often are posted on the 15-22 forum. Ask family members to look for you. I've given my cc numbers to my daughters so that if and when they see ammo, they can buy it for me w/o it costing them anything. I got two bricks of Blazer just that way... one daughter saw Blazers at Cabelas... she bought a brick and her husband bought a brick... which they brought down when they came to visit. Keep your eyes open for other folks also. It may be that you find a brand of ammo that you just can't or won't use. Fine. Possibly there are others who will use that ammo. A LGS near town recently traded me Federal Champions for Remington Golden Bullets. He said they could sell either one with no problem. I really prefer the Fed. Champ. It was a even swap. Cool.
As to the discussions... debates... and the blaming, I say forgetaboutit. I want to see the shooting sports grow and develop and thrive. I will do everything I can to encourage folks to go shooting. That means when I am at the range and I see a man w/ his children shooting .22 rifles or pistols, I'll see if there is some way I can put some ammo in his hands for the kids. I'll shoot reloads in my centerfire revolvers... just like I always have. And, when my daughters come down, I'll put tape on my thumb and load magazines while I watch them have fun sending rounds down range! JMHO. Sincerely. brucev.
