LVSteve
Member
It's when I read threads like this I regret that the forum does not offer a "flogging the dead horse" emoticon.
.22 Shortage
- Thread starter DOGBONE1
- Start date
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
22LR ammo used to be "stupid cheap" to shoot but not since 2008. All the panic people bought ammo at extremely inflated prices and let the manufacturers know how much some shooters would pay for 22 ammo. Now that brick of 22 ammo that used to cosr $8.99 went to $19.99, then $39.99 and if you're lucky you can find a brick for under $25 but don't hold your breath. Yes it's cheaper than centerfire ammo but it's no longer cheap. (thanks to the panic people)
Smitty357
Member
A wise man once said. If ever comes a time that u can no longer find .22lr ammo sitting on the shelf at any store. You better go home and clean all of ur guns.
NJM15
Member
Obsession?
I admit, I buy just for the feeling of finding and purchasing "Thrill of the hunt" I finally said this is going too far , tracking down ammo , waiting in line, calling the day before to ask what's on the manifest and the disappointment of being fourth when only three are available. I don't really need it, I have plenty I only shoot one 22 firearm. I think this may be more of a reason than most people are willing to admit! From now on I will buy only when necessary
I admit, I buy just for the feeling of finding and purchasing "Thrill of the hunt" I finally said this is going too far , tracking down ammo , waiting in line, calling the day before to ask what's on the manifest and the disappointment of being fourth when only three are available. I don't really need it, I have plenty I only shoot one 22 firearm. I think this may be more of a reason than most people are willing to admit! From now on I will buy only when necessary
Ohsheepdog
Member
Oh THAT'S why I can't find any 22s...NJM15 bought all of them! 
The recent events notwithstanding, even before December 2012, I noticed that there were always a dozen guys with their LegoArms AR's, all decked out like Christmas trees with lights and lasers, bipods and whatnot, spraying a brick downrange as fast as their little booger pickers can yank the trigger. Never mind that at 20 feet, their "pattern" resembled a screen door more than anything else; they were having a ball.
Meantime, I put a round into my Winchester 67, take careful aim, let fly, eject the round, and replace it with another.
There is more than one reason that 22's are in high demand.
Meantime, I put a round into my Winchester 67, take careful aim, let fly, eject the round, and replace it with another.
There is more than one reason that 22's are in high demand.
traderdell
Member
Thank you and I agree. The saddest part to me is that we have the numbers as gun owners to relegate our governor to a foot note but we are so busy chasing out tails and infighting that it likely won't happen.
Just plain fun to shoot.
Just about everybody and his brother has a .22 if they just shoot for fun. I can fire 20-30 rounds of center fire rifle cartridges per range trip as opposed to 50-100 rounds with a .22. Light with very little noise and no recoil. And if .22 has gotten expensive and scarce so has anything else. To shoot center fire I HAVE to reload. To shoot .22 I just open a box.
Also, think of how many military pattern rifles are actually chambered in .22lr.
Just about everybody and his brother has a .22 if they just shoot for fun. I can fire 20-30 rounds of center fire rifle cartridges per range trip as opposed to 50-100 rounds with a .22. Light with very little noise and no recoil. And if .22 has gotten expensive and scarce so has anything else. To shoot center fire I HAVE to reload. To shoot .22 I just open a box.
Also, think of how many military pattern rifles are actually chambered in .22lr.
cyphertext
US Veteran
Really? I have seen people already using it as a currency to trade for other goods and services. In another thread, one guy said he used 1500 rounds to pay for a brake job on his wife's car. Another poster traded .22lr for a scope.
Many folks have .22lr, and many of those folks have a stash of .22lr... but many don't. I never stashed away .22lr when I could go into any local sporting goods store and purchase any amount I wanted on the way to the range. Now that local stores can't keep it on their shelves, I buy it when I can to keep it on mine.
I won't pay the high prices. I can shoot 9mm Tulammo cheaper than 22lr. My son will get to shoot his bolt action and maybe his 15-22 with 10 round mag, until sanity is returned or our 22s run out. I won't be shooting any 22lr or buying anymore 22lr guns. After the craziness has ended, it will be my turn to stock up. At least a couple thousand rounds, but nothing crazy!
380acp seems to be just as difficult to get.
380acp seems to be just as difficult to get.
It's sad. .380 is hella hard to come by as well. It's one of those rounds I don't even own, but will pick up if I see because I know a buddy or two who will be forever grateful.
Dezfan
Member
Just one of the reasons I picked up a bolt action .22 for myself and my boy.
Reeeeeeeeealy slows down the rate of fire.
tectrry
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For CC83 and Kevin8503, if you're looking for 380 and don't mind factory reloads, freedom munitions has it right now for .34-.35 / round.
380-Auto
As for 22lr, I am part of the 20 million new gun owners and shooters in the past 14-15 months, and all I try to do is what I hear the rest of you have been doing for years and years - take the kids out and let them get used to shooting a bit without using up all of the 9mm, .40 & .223 that I have. So, I added a .22 to the stable and use a brick every month or two. At that rate, I'm going through about 8 bricks a year - if all 20 million new shooters are doing the same that will be 160 million bricks of 22lr just for the new shooters. Now add in the # millions of bricks per year that the established shooters were using and you can see that even if there were not hoarders and flippers, there is just a lot more demand.
380-Auto
As for 22lr, I am part of the 20 million new gun owners and shooters in the past 14-15 months, and all I try to do is what I hear the rest of you have been doing for years and years - take the kids out and let them get used to shooting a bit without using up all of the 9mm, .40 & .223 that I have. So, I added a .22 to the stable and use a brick every month or two. At that rate, I'm going through about 8 bricks a year - if all 20 million new shooters are doing the same that will be 160 million bricks of 22lr just for the new shooters. Now add in the # millions of bricks per year that the established shooters were using and you can see that even if there were not hoarders and flippers, there is just a lot more demand.
Smokin' Iron
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Wise words here.
I have joked about the same scenario with boxes of dog ****. Just create a bogus need for boxed dog **** and then tell people they can't have it. The line will form of people demanding boxes of dog **** and willing to pay stupid money to get it.
Ohsheepdog
Member
SmokinIron, remember Cabbage Patch dolls & Tickle Me Elmo? Or any new gun teased at product shows but not seen for months more than one or two at a time?
shil
Member
There must be a lot of shooters with alarms tied to their computers, the alarm sounding when a notification that a shipment of .22 is received. I'm on the notification list for .22LR at Midway; I get a notification; I respond immediately; Sold out. >sigh< .............. and I check my e-mail several times a day. Supposedly a one-brick limit, too. Maybe some day...............
the ringo kid
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Get a .45,they are easy to get these days. Case in point, I got mine this month for $25 over sellers cost.
Originally Posted by Dezfan:
"Tell people that hey CAN'T have it.
Then stand back and watch the insanity."
Reminds me of when +p+ ammo could not be purchased by "civilians"- I just had to have some!! When that became possible, I really stocked up- I'm still looking at my pile of it today!
Mike
"Tell people that hey CAN'T have it.
Then stand back and watch the insanity."
Reminds me of when +p+ ammo could not be purchased by "civilians"- I just had to have some!! When that became possible, I really stocked up- I'm still looking at my pile of it today!
Mike
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cmichini
Member
Just one of the reasons I picked up a bolt action .22 for myself and my boy.
Reeeeeeeeealy slows down the rate of fire.
This.
Fire discipline is the order of the day when ammo is in short supply.
I rarely load more than 5 rounds at a time anyway even before all this started.
I learned on a single shot bolt action so I am fully accustomed to making every shot count.
Re:Ammo shortage. I don't know how long it will work, but take at look at the post on the 15-22 forum regarding current .22 LR availability. Over the last several weeks I have been able to find Blazer, Winchester M-22, CCI Mini-Mags, CCI Velocitor, CCI Swamp People .22 LR ammunition on-line at Cabelas. The price has ranged from $ .061-.073/rd. delivered.
Before everything went crazy, the less expensive brands of ammo sold at Walmart for about $20/brick and Mini-Mags were $7.99/100rds. Give or take it cost $.04-.08/rd. before tax buying in local stores. I don't know what the prices were for on-line sources as there was no problem buying .22 LR when it was needed.
I would encourage those who need .22 LR ammunition to go to the last page of the referenced thread and click on the links available. You may have a number of days when nothing will come up. But save your money and be ready because sooner or later something will be available. For the last several days Win. M-22 has been available off and on at $49.99/1000rds. Yesterday Blazers were also available for $27.99/500rds. Ordering both at the same time ran out to $90.93 delivered. Both items were ordered on 2/25, shipped on 2/26 and are due to be delivered on 3/5... one day before my wife's birthday! Cool.
Please know that I do not at all mean the above post to be offensive or unkind to anyone. All last year I looked and looked for .22 LR ammunition in Walmart and local stores. Throughout the entire year I found the grand total of 4 boxes of Fed. Auto-Match at $17.99 (1,500 rds.), 2 boxes of Fiocchi at $37.99 (500 rds.), 1 box of CCI Standard Velocity at $29.99 (500 rds.), and 3 boxes of Remington Golden .22's at $5 (100 rds.). Total was 3,300 rds. at 192.84 w/ tax of 13.49 for a all in price of $206.33 total. That works out to $.0625/rd. purchased at Walmart and local stores. This past week I have been able to place two separate orders using the link to Cabelas to purchase Win. M-22 and Blazer ammo (2x1000 + 2x500 = 3,000 rds.) at $181.86 delivered. This works out to $.06062/rd. delivered. Until Walmart and local stores again have ammunition in stock and available for purchase, looking to places like Cabelas, etc. will allow you to hopefully find shootable quantities of ammunition at less than scalper prices and completely ignore and leave to themselves those who want to peddle bulk .22 LR ammo in zip lock bags at $12/100 rds.... plus tax.
Before everything went crazy, the less expensive brands of ammo sold at Walmart for about $20/brick and Mini-Mags were $7.99/100rds. Give or take it cost $.04-.08/rd. before tax buying in local stores. I don't know what the prices were for on-line sources as there was no problem buying .22 LR when it was needed.
I would encourage those who need .22 LR ammunition to go to the last page of the referenced thread and click on the links available. You may have a number of days when nothing will come up. But save your money and be ready because sooner or later something will be available. For the last several days Win. M-22 has been available off and on at $49.99/1000rds. Yesterday Blazers were also available for $27.99/500rds. Ordering both at the same time ran out to $90.93 delivered. Both items were ordered on 2/25, shipped on 2/26 and are due to be delivered on 3/5... one day before my wife's birthday! Cool.
Please know that I do not at all mean the above post to be offensive or unkind to anyone. All last year I looked and looked for .22 LR ammunition in Walmart and local stores. Throughout the entire year I found the grand total of 4 boxes of Fed. Auto-Match at $17.99 (1,500 rds.), 2 boxes of Fiocchi at $37.99 (500 rds.), 1 box of CCI Standard Velocity at $29.99 (500 rds.), and 3 boxes of Remington Golden .22's at $5 (100 rds.). Total was 3,300 rds. at 192.84 w/ tax of 13.49 for a all in price of $206.33 total. That works out to $.0625/rd. purchased at Walmart and local stores. This past week I have been able to place two separate orders using the link to Cabelas to purchase Win. M-22 and Blazer ammo (2x1000 + 2x500 = 3,000 rds.) at $181.86 delivered. This works out to $.06062/rd. delivered. Until Walmart and local stores again have ammunition in stock and available for purchase, looking to places like Cabelas, etc. will allow you to hopefully find shootable quantities of ammunition at less than scalper prices and completely ignore and leave to themselves those who want to peddle bulk .22 LR ammo in zip lock bags at $12/100 rds.... plus tax.
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ChattanoogaPhil
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Yup. I just picked up another two bricks of Winchester M22 for $25/brick using a link in the 1522 Ammo thread. Previous week I got two bricks of the new Federal 45gr copper plated Suppressor ammo. It's a heck of a good resource for in stock .22lr ammo.
I can't think of a better example of circular logic than what's happening with .22LR. The shortage was caused by the shortage. Pre-shortage I'd have a brick or two on hand, tops. Now I have a couple cases, because I buy it when I see it. Because there's a shortage. In the words of Pogo, we have met the enemy ... and he is us.
elpac3
Member
.22 ammo shortage
Stopped by Dick's Sporting Goods in Minneapolis on the way home from work last night and asked about .22 RF. Said they sold the last of their stock the week before thanksgiving and have been told not to expect any more before June
Stopped by Dick's Sporting Goods in Minneapolis on the way home from work last night and asked about .22 RF. Said they sold the last of their stock the week before thanksgiving and have been told not to expect any more before June
Every time I check the 22lr on the 15-22 thread either the page doesn't exist (errors on page) or the 22s cost more than 9mm. I'm surprised that anybody is even buying 22lr guns anymore.
I'm also considering cancelling my order for the new M&P Bodyguard as well. I haven't seen any 380acp around here for months.
I'm also considering cancelling my order for the new M&P Bodyguard as well. I haven't seen any 380acp around here for months.
Grayback
US Veteran
Perhaps another driver of this issue is the non-reloadable aspect of .22LR. I always seem to have a good stock of bullets, primers and powder available to me as I have seen the panic in components go up and down since the Clinton years. Since then, I have bought when the craze wasn't in full force and have managed to stay ahead of the demand. Now .223/9mm/308/45acp shortages don't cause me too much concern cause I can always "roll some more" if needed. 22LR is a slightly different animal as it is non-reloadable and we are all beholding to the manufacturers for any supply we have. We can't "make" more of it ourselves. Just a thought.
