Have the 22's lost some of their lustre?

[59Lover]

I have seen in recent years model 17, 18, 617 prices skyrocket.

I dont see it personally. I have no need for a 22 revolver. I dont see it as a training tool because of the difference between 22 and 38 ammo.

But now it seems with ammo prices so high for 22, there is even less of a reason to own/shoot the 22 guns. I see people trying to sell a brick for over $100, sorry, no thanks, I will pay a couple cents more and shoot 9mm or 38spl.

 

[fat tom]

The answer to your original question is an emphatic "No". You are,of course,entitled to your opinion.
f.t.

 

[kudzu3]

I can't imagine not owning at least two .22s, one for target and one for woods walking. The .22 is the best round (IMHO) for, learning, plinking, small game hunting and just all around fun. there is no better round/gun for family fun in the back yard.

 

[DR505]

This year I have purchased two Model 17's...both unfired and in their boxes: an 8 3/8" 17-4 from 1978 and a 4" 17-6 (non-underlug heavy barrel) from 1989. I like them! I don't own a 9mm and only have one .38 spl, a Model 67 (no dash). I prefer big bores.

 

[sophie]

I can't imagine not having my 22 pistols. I have several and enjoy them. I sold a Colt Diamondback .22 cal. 6" barrel 99% gun w/box over the weekend at the gun show here to a vendor for $1500.00 and he was glad to get it and admitted he had several. The lustre is not gone for the 22's as evidenced by the prices of the guns on the auction sites. The S&W 17, 18, 617, 63, 34 revolvers and the various semiautos and many more still bring huge sums of money. So therefore I rest my case. The price of the 22 ammo will even out here pretty soon and may still be higher than before but will become available.

 

[FPrice]

This is one of the great things about firearms ownership. YOU are free to like/dislike/own/not own/shoot/not shoot any particular firearm/cartridge or combination thereof which you want.

Many of us like and enjoy shooting .22s for a variety or reasons. It's still about the cheapest round out there (not saying much these days) and you can take your .22s out and just have fun.

I personally feel that starting a brand new shooter with a .22 is the best way to introduce them to the sport.

 

[CSG]

I have no interest in these high zoot .22 revolvers because of their price. I'd love to have one to shoot but not at the crazy prices they're selling for.

I have a number of .22 pistols and rifles and they are my most common caliber. I also have many thousands of rounds of .22 that I've accumulated over the years at regular prices and am still able to get a couple bricks now and then at normal prices due to some friendships with the right folks.

 

[JPriest]

I too thought I had no need to a .22 pistol. I love shooting my .44 magnum more than anything, but then I saw this really cool .22/.32 for sale at my LGS. So I bought it. I should be able to pick it up later this week. I'll post photos when I get it.

When I was a kid I started out on some old top-break .22 revolvers my uncle had at this farm. I loved those things. Haven't shot one of them in years. Really looking forward to getting the .22/.32.

Maybe the luster will return if you find that one really nice .22 that speaks to you.

 

[410bore]

From what I see, fine vintage rimfire revolvers are about as non-existent in the retail market as .22 LR ammo so NO they havent skipped a beat!

 

[fyimo]

Well I own all of the pistol calibers and the one I own the most guns in is 22LR so I guess I'm on the side of really liking them. I own (3) rifles and (7) S&W Revolvers and (2) semi auto pistols in 22LR. I also am a person that keeps a healty supply of 22LR ammo on hand so the current ammo situation hasn't bothered me.

 

[radar1972]

My wife and I have several larger caliber guns for SD/HD.

We also have lots of .22's for FUN!!

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

The .22 most certainly is a training tool, particularly for young shooters, but really for everyone. It IS possible to learn to shoot without a .22, but it is usually best to start out by removing a couple of variables from the slew of things that the new shooter must contend with.

The present price situation seems to be a pretty natural result of suddenly having a lot of new shooters who feel that they need to stock up while they can. The manufacturers have not noticeably increased prices. My local dealer still charges normal prices whenever he gets stuff in. The present situation will change within a year or so, barring significant additional scares. When it does, it will be quite clear that the .22LR still holds a significant price advantage, aside from its other training advantages.

I understand that some folks shoot food with .22LR that they would rather not shoot with a larger cartridge.

Some woodswalkers may actually like the idea of carrying 200-300 rounds of ammo in a small pocket or two with no noticeable weight, unlike 50 rounds of anything else.

My Model 43 probably weighs less than anything as useful that you can carry, unless you're carrying a pretty accurate Airweight or Airlite .38 Spl. But don't worry - I'm carrying one of those, too.

I reckon the .22LR will be around longer than you or I.

 

[Fishinfool]

It's funny how some people equate small caliber with "cheap", or "undesirable". The fact is a lot of rimfire handguns and rifles are just as well made as their centerfire cousins (The S&W model 17 and 41 series are good examples), and just as accurate, or more so, as well as cheaper to shoot. $100 a brick for .22's? You can get them cheaper. What would a case of 500 38 spl.'s cost? Savvy shooters know the value of a good .22

Larry

 

[Mike McLellan]

One thing that the recent shortage of .22LR ammo forced some of us to do, was to rethink the utility and fun of .22 longs and .22 shorts. It had been almost 50 years since I shot .22 shorts, and had forgotten how much fun they can be. Lost luster? I don't think so. More like, enhanced appreciation for things we once took for granted.

 

[fyimo]

I even have a full size AR in 22LR and I love shooting it as it's a S&W 15-22.

 

[Dave T]

l have nothing against 22 LRs as I own several (rifles and pistols) but I wonder what all the lovers of this cartridge and its guns are going to do when their current supply of ammunition runs out. I fear the rimfire is soon to be a thing of the past, just because there is no reasonable or reliable supply of ammunition.

I don't buy the line about the manufacturers working 24/7 to turn out products. Bull! Ammo would have to show up eventually. At 100 rounds per customer the one (1) case that came into a Sportsman's Warehouse recently didn't even make a dent in the line of people waiting for the doors to open.

I fear there's going to be a lot of 22s for sale a year or so from now. If you can't feed them they have no appeal.

Dave

 

[mc5aw]

Only an idiot would pay triple figures for a 500 round brick of .22 ...

.22 revolvers are still the best handgun shooting value irrespective of currently inflated ammo prices. How much is 100 rounds of any popular caliber vs. 100 rounds of .22? Yes, I know ammo is tough to find, but all calibers can be ferreted out if one looks hard enough, and not for gouger prices either.

I'd argue that .22 revolvers continue to grow in popularity and demand.

 

[Dave T]

...but all calibers can be ferreted out if one looks hard enough, and not for gouger prices either.

Well gee, after four months of searching for 22 LR I still haven't found any (except for Eley from England and Aguila from Mexico). Guess I'm just not trying "hard enough"!

Dave

 

[gdogs]

A 22lr revolver is like a hammer, every home should have at least one. Eventually the hoarders will have enough, production will catch up with demand and it will once again be on the shelves. The 22lr isn't going anywhere.

 

[fat tom]

If you can't feed them they have no appeal.

Dave

Well,yes and no. I have guns that are made for .22 WRF,.22 Win. Auto,.22 Rem. Special,.22 Rem. Jet and a few others chambered for obsolete,or very difficult to acquire,ammo. They all still appeal to me,and also to the guys who keep trying to buy 'em from me.
f.t.

 

[finesse_r]

Do Not Confuse a Temporary Swing for a Long Term Change

I have seen in recent years model 17, 18, 617 prices skyrocket.

I don't see it personally. I have no need for a 22 revolver. I don't see it as a training tool because of the difference between 22 and 38 ammo.

But now it seems with ammo prices so high for 22, there is even less of a reason to own/shoot the 22 guns. I see people trying to sell a brick for over $100, sorry, no thanks, I will pay a couple cents more and shoot 9mm or 38spl.

The .22 LR is one of the finest rounds ever conceived and it will never loose its luster. I cannot imagine a time that I would not own several handguns and several rifles chamber in 22LR.

The last bricks I bought were $15.50 for 550 rounds at Wal-Mart. I will not buy again until they are back at or near those prices.

The time to stock up on any commodity is when there is ample supple, not when the herd panics and decides to make purchases out of fear. The shortage of ammo is already showing signs of passing and in a few months the shelves should be fully stocked again, and prices back to normal. Like all markets from the stock market to the real estate market to the ammo market, unless there is government interference, there will be normal ups and downs in supply and demand. Government interference can create lasting changes or sharp ups or downs like the current one.

There is a lag between the time companies can ramp up production and get that product to market. There will also typically be a period when the ramped up production will exceed the demand. Then there is typically a period of over supply or saturation. Then come the sales and lowered prices to move the product. That is the time to stock up and to buy.

In other words the time to buy, especially to stock up, is when supply is plentiful and demand is low. Today we are still in the opposite situation. Today demand is high and supply is low. This is a time to sell off some excess stocks, not a time to buy.

This current market swing that temporarily caused a shortage of ammo and firearms, was artificially created by the Obama administration. This type of panic and attack on gun owners will likely occur again at some point in the future, as major elements of the federal government in Washington D. C. and powerful people mostly in the northeast and west coast, fully intend disarm the law abiding citizens of the USA and they will never stop trying.

So stocking up on ammo and firearms is a good plan, but this is not the time to do it. Certainly the most cost effective ammo to stock up on is .22 LR.

 

[59Lover]

I guess what I was getting at, is there seem to be 2 types of gun owners:

1. people who collect guns.
- They collect very high grade guns and shoot them infrequently, if ever.
- They have "shooter grade" guns which probably look better than most of our best guns and shoot them. Maybe.
2. people who shoot and dont care about how nice they look
- They may shoot a lot, they use guns as a tool, not as something to look at
- They care more about cost per shot
- They own a 22 because primarily it's cheaper to shoot

With prices the way they are now, the cost per shot for 22 has gone way up. That was one of my main points. You can get a model 10 or model 14 for $200-$300 unless you are a collector and snub your nose at a less than 98% gun. You cant touch a model 17 or model 18 for less than $600 realistically, in a lot of cases $800. That difference in cost buys a lot of ammo.

I have owned 17's and 18's in the past, I sold them in the not so recent past because I found myself lacking a justification for something I really dont care much to shoot.

Of course, this is all my opinion, I thought it would make for an excellent discourse, and it has. Thanks.

 

[DDDWho]

My most used round is the .22. I usually have a scoped Ruger 10/22 beside me on the porch ("I live back in the wood you see with a woman and the kids and the dogs and me") to kill the critters that tear up my yard... ground hogs and armadillos. I've owned at least one .22 caliber gun for 62 years. I still have my very first .22 rifle my Dad (Santa) gave me when I was 9 years old.

I had about 1000 rounds when the SHTF and have managed to accumulate a little more at relatively low prices since then.

I can not imagine my life without a .22

 

[shawn mccarver]

Many others, such as myself, feel the 22 is a great understudy. Even at today's prices, 22 is still less expensive than centerfire ammo. To each his own.

 

[perrazi]

my favorite gun is a 22. also known as a jet. finesse-r- good luck on the 15.50 price per brick.

 

[BigBill]

The 22caliber in shorts, longs, and long rifle will never lose its luster. I was shooting them in the beginning and put them away for a while but about 30 years later I'm more into them then ever collecting and shooting them. Most of us went from the semi auto 22cal rifle to the sks semi auto in 7,62x39 the big boys toy. It was still affordable for plunking at the time. As time went on thinking bigger is better as I got older with the new grandson being 3yo now I figured I'd get him some 22's to play with. My first 22 revolver is the s&w k22 masterpiece. Never owing a s&w gun before I wanted to get more once I realized the quality of them. I backed up my k22 with a k38 combat masterpiece and a k38 target masterpiece in 38 special. But I'm still after the 22caliber rifles and handguns to play with inbetween. I think everyone should own a k22 revolver too. If you like guns don't limit yourself to one caliber.
My last 5,000rd case of 22lr was $225 delivered.
When the ammo was affordable that was the time to stock up on it. The first ammo shortages should of taught us this. The next thing to take a hit is the reloading tools too. The cast bullets are hard to get now too. The supply of reloading presses have run out in some places too.

When I first purchased my bear rifle in 338win mag back in '94 I thought the 338 ammo was high at $24 a box. I grabbed a box every chance I could back then. Now it's $70 a box if you can find it.

Remember the gas guzzler muscle cars of the 60's and the 70's I figure if we could afford one we could afford to feed it. My point is if we can afford the gun we can afford to shoot it right?

 

[nedlate]

I have seen in recent years model 17, 18, 617 prices skyrocket.

I dont see it personally. I have no need for a 22 revolver. I dont see it as a training tool because of the difference between 22 and 38 ammo.

But now it seems with ammo prices so high for 22, there is even less of a reason to own/shoot the 22 guns. I see people trying to sell a brick for over $100, sorry, no thanks, I will pay a couple cents more and shoot 9mm or 38spl.

22s are just fun to shoot! Low noise, no recoil, kids really like just shooting them at cans, targets, ect. as compare to the loud recoiling centerfires. It is a gun they are able to handle and enjoy with no fear. Just like any of the guns, what's not to like.

It is too bad about the prices and supply though. Hopefully everything will settle down.
Ed

 

[GunguyDan]

IMO the 22 rimfire S@W revolver in 17. 18 or 617 hasn't lost any "luster" or desireability at all. Back in early 1972 I was able to purchase my first S@W 17 that showed up as a shipment of four at an LGS. The first one I had ever laid eyes on in my part of PA. I've purchased most of the ones that I could find, and afford, ever since that first one. Granted I have probably missed a few over the years, but not many. They just don't show up around my part of the Keystone state, either new or used, that often. Although I did run into a couple of 4" 617's at two different shops, both of which are now mine. Don't even get me started about the 98% M 18 I took too long to decide on that was marked at $400. They just don't show up that often............Dan. P.S. All those that you have no need for, you just pack them up carefully and ship them to me, I'll find a good home for them!!!!!

 

[Nobius]

I'd love to own a .22 revolver but damn they're expensive.

 

[Wee Hooker]

I have seen in recent years model 17, 18, 617 prices skyrocket.

I dont see it personally. I have no need for a 22 revolver. I dont see it as a training tool because of the difference between 22 and 38 ammo.

But now it seems with ammo prices so high for 22, there is even less of a reason to own/shoot the 22 guns. I see people trying to sell a brick for over $100, sorry, no thanks, I will pay a couple cents more and shoot 9mm or 38spl.

S&W .22 revolvers. You either love them for what they are or you don't. If you view the value of the gun solely on it's training abilities and/or how much it costs to feed, you're stuck firmly on the "don't" side.

p.s. Your missing out.