22 ammo in further decline?

[Harrison]

I am beginning to think one answer is to just put a case of 5000 on backorder with Midway or similar purveyor and wait it out till it comes in. two or three orders like that a year ought to keep the average shooting in ammo, figuring a usage rate of 1000-1500 rounds a month.

 

[Mountain-drew]

The last couple of months in the Ann Arbor, MI area I've had no problems finding ammo. Walmart has had CCI Mini-Mags about every other time I go there, which is about once a week for paper goods, cat food, etc... 9mm, 38 special, 45 ACP, 44 Mag, .223 seem to be always in stock.

Dunham's Sports and Dick's Sporting Goods have had Remington Thunderbolt/500bx and Golden Bullet/50bx pretty regular, surprisingly not much else besides shotgun shells and surplus Russian ammo.

Cabela's, about 15 minutes from me, has been stocked up for at least the last month, pretty much anything and as much as you want except of course 22. But then again, just like Walmart, about every other time I go there (about twice a month) they have in stock CCI Mini-Mags, go figure.

So it's out there, and getting easier to find. At least in this area.

 

[RichardF]

I travel the top third of Mississippi and frequent WM and sporting goods stores and the only 22lr ammo I have found has been a few shorts and blanks.

 

[Green Frog]

Any rimfire is still spotty here in Central VA. For a while it looked like the Wally World supply line was catching up, but that dried up a few weeks ago as well. I got into one of the three stores w/in 15 miles of me just as a shopping cart with the day's ammo came out and it contained one case each of Winchester 550 bulk boxes, Remington 225s, and CCI 22 Mag 100s. With a limit of 3 boxes per customer, I got two of the 550s and one 225 for a friend I had promised to supply... I should have just bought 3 of the 550s and pulled out what he needed, but I thought this was a sign that things were getting better, didn't realize what a rare opportunity it was. I'm down to about 3000 rounds of all types and brands, so I try to just shoot up the dribs and drabs until things get better or I get lucky again. Ever hopeful!

Froggie

 

[gregintenn]

It's been a year since I've seen a box or 22lr ammo for sale at a retail store.

 

[denden]

About a week ago the Walmart in Eureka, MO had a few boxes left of cci for 2.47/box of 50. They let me get 6 boxes. My wife came up and asked for the same and got them. Yea! Only the second time in over a year I found 22s at any Walmart. Got 3 boxes and wife 3 more at the same Walmart about 3 months ago.

Went to my LGS last week and bought a possibly unfired Ruger Single-Six.
The owner threw in a box of 100 Remington Target 22s and split the sales tax with me. Pretty good deal. Stopped earlier the same day at a new gun shop a few miles away and they were asking $10.95 per box of 50 of some Chinese ammo.

 

[canvsbk]

$11 for a box of 50? I wouldn't even drive thru his parking lot again. Never, ever. What a jerk.

 

[johnnymg]

It seems like the Walmart in my area has stopped receiving bulk boxes and only gets the small 50-100 rnd packs. No bulk boxes in a couple months. Anybody else seeing this?

Same here in Central Az. The two local WM's haven't had much (if any) bulk 22 for a couple months.

JohnG

 

[hkcavalier]

In W. WA I have not seen any .22LR at Wal-Mart since December 2012. I remember seeing some 50rnd boxes right after Sandy Hook for $3.69 and turned my nose up as I had just bought some 525 packs for less than $22 right after the election. Hindsight is 20/20.

At actual gun stores I've managed to pick up some CCI Mini Mags (375 and 100rnd boxes) both with a 1 box limit. This is the best ammo for my semis (along with Aguila Super Max) which naturally eat the most ammo.

Good luck out there! I tried the Sportsman's Warehouse for a month last spring, where you'd go at 11pm my time when the stock updated and try to snag some ammo, didn't work. I don't think they do that anymore...

 

[BobsSmith]

If everyone would stop paying the inflated prices for .22 LR, it might take care of itself.

Cheaper then Dirt, Armscore one brick $99.99!!! Anyone who pays that is out of their mind!

I have a few bricks in my safe, haven't fired .22 LR in a while, and that's OK.

Best

Bob

 

[ma deuce]

I got tired of the empty ammo cases at the local WMs. I've got plenty of .22 I've bought mostly from Cabela's for about the same as I'd pay at WM, and free shipping on most of it. Plus I'm backordered for 500 rounds of Mini-Mags due to ship around the end of the month. Just keep a close eye out and you can find .22 at fairly reasonable prices.

 

[shakyshoot]

I got tired of the empty ammo cases at the local WMs. I've got plenty of .22 I've bought mostly from Cabela's for about the same as I'd pay at WM, and free shipping on most of it. Plus I'm backordered for 500 rounds of Mini-Mags due to ship around the end of the month. Just keep a close eye out and you can find .22 at fairly reasonable prices.

I've been getting more from Cabela's than anywhere else. And I get free shipping on all of it, with store pickup. It's not so great that you can only buy 1 box, even if it's 50 ct, but i go there twice a month and have picked up 6 or more orders at a time, some of which are bricks. I've been using Cabela's gift cards I bought from cardcash.com at 11% off. (they have 9% off right now) Doesn't sound like that much, but 11% makes your effective cost on a $25 brick $22.25.

 

[Mr_9mm]

We have Bass Pro, Academy Sports, and Walmart in these parts. I've made it a point to get to know some of the clerks and they have mostly been forthcoming with general info about when they stock ammo and what days it arrives on.

I made it my hobby over the summer to locate 22LR and 9mm, and have been pleasantly surprised with how well it's gone.

I think part of the recent shortage may be due to the retailers hoarding hot items for Black Friday. It seems like the supply is starting to loosen up again, as I bought 600 rounds last week. However, I do agree that it's likely going to be months (at best) before any of us can regularly walk into a store and buy 1000 rounds of rimfire.

 

[ladyT]

I think that it will take at least 5 years from today to work through this mess. Why?

1. There is simply not enough production capacity to meet the demand and any new lines opened by the manufacturers will take time to get the equipment in, up and running.

2. We have the 2014 Congressional elections coming up and quickly followed by Presidential Elections in 2016. This will cause people to continue to stockpile ammo.

3. The continued growth of the shooting sports will continue to add new demand.


4.New shooters go instantly into accumulation mode in an effort to continue their new hobby.





My suggestion is to get what you can now be it factory ammo, brass, bullets, powder,primers, guns or anything else you need to continue shooting. Don't forget that we are about to enter primary season for Congressional seats and the increased political uncertainty will be hovering over us for the next few years causing many to enter super accumulation mode. Lets not forget the "Anti's" going after State Legislators in an effort to change things at a local level.

 

[the ringo kid]

I really don't believe "the scalpers" are buying most of the .22, at least not any more. Walmart price on a brick is around $25, and there's usually sales tax on that. Gunbroker price has dropped to around $45 on that brick, and there are fees on that. The numbers just don't make it worthwhile to line up before dawn at Walmart. Every one is buying .22 because every one owns a .22.

If the shortage continues for another 2 years or another 20 years, I'll be just fine (as long as it doesn't get any worse) I've been shooting around 700-800 rounds a month, and I can buy that without a lot of effort.

Believe it or not? its there and admittedly so by the folks I know at the WM and Academy stores I go in. Ill find more here and there and will get what I can when I can. After giving away three bricks to Nephews, I still have several left--so im not bad off or hurting for it. WM here sells bricks including tax title and license--total still under $20 a brick. Academy is a few bucks more.

I dont see the shortage lasting 2 more years, but ive been wrong in the past and will be in the future.

 

[the ringo kid]

One year ago I couldn't find any .22. Six months ago it was plentiful. Now I can't find any.

About the same here as where your at..

 

[Larry from Bend]

I got tired of the empty ammo cases at the local WMs. I've got plenty of .22 I've bought mostly from Cabela's for about the same as I'd pay at WM, and free shipping on most of it. Plus I'm backordered for 500 rounds of Mini-Mags due to ship around the end of the month. Just keep a close eye out and you can find .22 at fairly reasonable prices.

I don't see how you backorder @ Cabela's, when they only display in-stock items. Right now NO 22 LRs are displayed -- which I find to be usual for them.

 

[Stick895]

I've just taken to ordering whatever components/rounds online or randomly picking up stuff when I go by somewhere that has something. Ordered a brick of .22 and 200 .44-40 brass just before Christmas. Came in fine.