22 Ammo cannot find

[Potatohead]

Yeah, actually making 22 LR isn't an easy task. CCI and a few others have videos out showing the process. The lowly little 22 can be a complex round to actually manufacture, not a task you will do at your basement reloading bench anyway.

Ron

Gotcha. Took the time to click the link this time. Thanks for the link.
Looks to me like it shouldve been expensive from the get go after reading that article.

 

[CLP]

Rem 40g target 22LR in stock at Midway presently...at least for the next few minutes

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/16...nition-22-long-rifle-40-grain-lead-round-nose
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/16...nition-22-long-rifle-40-grain-lead-round-nose

 

[Hondo 60]

The local Wally had CCI Mini-mags on Thanksgiving day.
Got 300 rds
Then about a week later I checked again & they had 225 rd boxes of Remington.
Got 2 of those.

They've had 22 short for quite some time.
My revolver shoots them just as well as any 22lr.
Got 500 of those.

My Beretta Bobcat is quite a bit fussier.
I'd LOVE to get some Fiocchi 22 High Velocity.
Haven't seen any on a store shelf in over 2 years.
Still have 100 rds, but if I take out my Bobcat that won't last.

 

[JTHunter]

Mike1234567 said:

Oh crap, we're turning into Russia. First it's ammo... then shoes... then pots and pans.

Of course we are! That's why Dumbo's "minions" are called "czars"! It's all about "sharing". The problem is that what "they" want us to share is MISERY!!

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

It IS getting better. .22 seems to be lagging behind on recovery compared to other popular centerfire rounds, like 9mm and .45acp. But remember...earlier in the year these two centerfire rounds were about as scarce as real gold in a shopping mall teen bling shop.

I imagine that because .22 is so much cheaper than centerfire cartridges that people are still out there snatching it up when they can so that they won't be caught flat footed on such a high volume per unit price ammo again. For what it takes to stock up on a 1000 rounds of .45 acp, you can buy around 9000 rounds of .22 LR.

If I want .22 LR, I spend the time visiting some stores at the optimum times to see if they have any. If I cannot do this and I still need some, then I'll have a friend look into it for me. I will even work a deal with my boss if I have to, where I come in a couple hours late and stay a couple hours to make it up.

Lately, I've taken to picking up an extra couple boxes to have on hand just to support my friends if they need any. I'll happily sell it to them at cost...and if any of the other of us need something, they do the same, knowing what we all shoot.

If you can't do it alone, then do it as a group using people with different working hours and such. It's more efficient and less stressful on everybody. We all have our own stores of ammo we consider sufficient for our needs...and carry a box or two extra in some calibers as a buffer for our friends. Nobody feels the need to stock huge amounts or otherwise buy up everything we can find as a group.

 

[Mike1234567]

Since I went to my local WM early this morning and saw they had just finished stocking ammo I asked if they had any .22LR. The clerk said they had a few boxes of 225 rnd but they sold out immediately to the first three customers. So I asked if the same folks always buy the .22LR. She said, "Not this time. I've never seen those three guys before".

 

[jrdolall]

I was in WM yesterday afternoon and the shelves were filled with most pistol ammo. 9mm, 45, 40, 38, 44 were all available with some having multiple types. They had Tula 9mm for $10.57/50. There was no 22 or 380 to be found.

This Walmart has a great way of making sure they keep ammo on the shelf. They simply don't have an employee anywhere near the sporting goods section.

 

[Potatohead]

This Walmart has a great way of making sure they keep ammo on the shelf. They simply don't have an employee anywhere near the sporting goods section

That's hilarious I know what you mean. At Dicks I've actually gone behind the gun counter and got what I needed and took it up front to the register. No Dick employees as far as the eye could see.

 

[Sniper66]

Went to Cabela's in KC today. No 22LR, no powder, and few bullets, very frustrating!!

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

OK, all you haters...gird up thy loins and get ready to commence hating:

Just went to a Dick's in Chesapeake, VA for the second Friday in a row to check on ammunition, specifically .380 acp and .22 LR.

Picked up a bucket of 1400 rounds of .22 LR...for the second week in a row. $70.

Next week I'm going to check on them again for the same thing. If they have .22 LR, I'm going to pick up another bulk pack of whatever it is they have. I'll continue doing this every Friday that I'm not working first shift on.

I'll be keeping one bucket for myself and my family, which (combined with a couple other bulk packs of about 500 each) will last me for a few weeks at the rate we shoot.

The rest will be sold at cost to some of my buddies who are out of .22 LR and cannot get to the stores during the day to check.


Dick's hasn't seen .380 in weeks...but a buddy of mine has some that he's used to pay me for helping him do a little remodeling work in his house.


THAT'S what I meant in post #105 by working together as a group. Any single one of us will have a difficult enough time trying to get the various types of ammo we need. As a group, we spread the load out and make it much easier on us all. If you're getting frustrated trying to find something on your own for whatever reason (can't get off work, nobody locally carries it, etc), then start networking with your friends and family.


And yes...if I were to come across some stock that would be more than that needed by my little circle of friends, I'll be happy to help somebody out here on THR, provided they're reasonably close to me where I work (Hampton Roads, VA area), or where I travel (between Hampton Roads and Greenville, SC area, mostly up and down I-85).

 

[Ky Larry]

About 3 weeks ago, I was in WallyWorld and got 3 boxes ( the limit) of Fed Lightning for $2.49 a box. This was the first .22 ammo I've see in over a year. I've checked WallyWorld a couple times a week and haven't seen any since. I have plenty of Lightnng and American Eagle but I really need some MiniMags and Green Tags. I'll probably donate some Lightnings to the Boy Scouts so they can have a shoot.

 

[Mike1234567]

Chief... Why would ANYONE hate on that?? You're not contributing to the problem. Rather, you're helping your friends and neighbors at no charge. You're fighting right against wrong with the "flippers". That's a noble cause and offering!!

 

[jrdolall]

I got a bulk pack of 22 in today from Cabela's. Have picked up 2500 rounds in the past few weeks online. All at decent, not great, prices. Fortunately we don't shoot a lot of 22 during hunting season.

I haven't been able to find any 380 fmj locally at a decent price for a while other than reloads which are fine for just plinking.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Chief... Why would ANYONE hate on that?? You're not contributing to the problem. Rather, you're helping your friends and neighbors at no charge. You're fighting right against wrong with the "flippers". That's a noble cause and offering!!

It was said tongue-in-cheek...I suppose I coulda used a smiley face for that!



But it's amazing what people will hate. Hate people that pay lower taxes than they do (never mind that they can do the same thing if they bother to take advantage of long term investments over their lives). Hate people that wear hats sideways (never mind that they don't even take their own hats off indoors). Hate people crossing too slowly in front of their vehicles in the Walmart parking lot (never mind that they're sitting warm and dry in their car on a cold and blustery day).

And hate people who had the foresight to stock up aplenty before the crisis hit. Not that we haven't seen THAT on this site before!

 

[Ignition Override]

If the only regularly available .22LR will soon be yellow/green box Rem., or so-called Thunderbolt, no thank you. You guys & gals can have all of it and I'm happy for you.

Will continue stocking up on 7.62x39 as the primary plinking ammo. At least it's widely available at .25/rd. and can destroy a solid target.
Must feed the latest gun: the Yugo M59 (No launcher) rifle which has lots of character.

About three weeks ago, the new (only) Academy store near Memphis had every kind of ammo except the lower-priced .32 acp, .380, 9mm Luger or any .22LR.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

If the only regularly available .22LR will soon be yellow/green box Rem., or so-called Thunderbolt, no thank you. You guys & gals can have all of it and I'm happy for you.

Will continue stocking up on 7.62x39 as the primary plinking ammo. At least it's widely available at .25/rd. and can destroy a solid target.
Must feed the latest gun: the Yugo M59 (No launcher) rifle which has lots of character.

About three weeks ago, the new (only) Academy store near Memphis had every kind of ammo except the lower-priced .32 acp, .380, 9mm Luger or any .22LR.

Hey, no problem! Not counting the two buckets I've picked up the last couple Fridays, I've bought over 2,000 rounds of other Remington in the smaller bulk packs. And my family and I have gone through almost every round of that with absolutely no misfires and it's as accurate as I could hope for out of our rifles.

Send all of that undesirable Remington our way that you wish!

 

[jcwit]

And my family and I have gone through almost every round of that with absolutely no misfires and it's as accurate as I could hope for out of our rifles.

You mean maybe, just maybe Remington finally figured out how to make .22's?

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

You mean maybe, just maybe Remington finally figured out how to make .22's?

Could be. In which case people would do well to consider investing in a box or two for a second chance trial. Good ammo is good ammo, prior prejudices aside, no matter how well justified they may be.


I dug out my old stash of Remington earlier this year when looking for .22 LR for my wife's new rifle. Didn't have a problem with it, either.

Perhaps there were a few years between the old batch and the stuff I've been buying this year which were problematic?

 

[RussB]

The 22LR situation is dire here in CT. Even when a shop gets some, there are strict limits...I have to drive 100+ mile round trip to Cabela's and the Hartford area in hopes of scoring a couple bricks. It brings the cost up to almost unbearable levels for us.

My son and I have been shooting steel indoors every other week. We burn 1k+ a month of 22's. At this rate, we'll have to stop shooting in 3 or so months because we just can't replenish the supply. It really sucks!

It's frustrating to hear how many rounds folks have stashed away sometimes...and how little they actually shoot

 

[hi-tower]

was at WM yesterday on a whim on the way home from work just to see if they had any 22lr. They had about 12 sleeves of cci minimags so I get my 3 sleeves. Was able to do the same a few weeks earlier. Sportsman's guide had silver bear 45acp yesterday so I grabbed some of that as they had free shipping. It is the best price 45 I have found. steel case is fine by me. I don't reload so the best price always wins and my guns love it anyway.

 

[Mike1234567]

I went to my local WM again and spoke to the clerk who stocks the ammo. She said she received a LOT of .22LR this morning and it was all gone by 9:00 AM... they're not allowed to sell until 7:00 AM. A friend and I are going there at 6:50 tomorrow to buy what we can (limit three boxes). I asked her, again, who "usually buys" the .22LR. She said, "The same few half dozen guys"... almost every single morning. Yesterday was a fluke.

I won't (usually) be making special trips to buy ammo because I don't need to but I'm curious as to whether or not I can even get some .22LR. If I can then I'll make a habit of doing my regular shopping early in the AM so I can check availability.

 

[RussB]

"The same few half dozen guys"... almost every single morning.

Disgusting, isn't it? So much for camaraderie among shooters

 

[Mike1234567]

Russ... If we kicked their lousy A's instead of lining their pockets with cash, by buying from the scumbag flippers, then they'd stop. Wouldn't they?

 

[benEzra]

I really hope that .22 production ramps up and it becomes available again so that these price gouging hoarders get stuck with ammo that they will have to sell at cost or hopefully for a loss Its sad seeing a father have to tell his kid they cant go shooting because they cannot even find a single round of .22 anywhere.

The sad thing is, I don't think production is going to ramp up too much because wholesale prices haven't risen enough to fund it. In a time of high demand, you can have higher wholesale and retail prices, or you can have shortages, rationing, and scalping. Americans like the latter.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

The ONLY way ammunition production of ANY kind will ramp up any further is if the demographics show that the current demands are, in fact, establishing a new "normal" level of demand.

Ammunition manufacturers, like any other company which produces some tangible good(s), have their production lines set up to meet the market demand, with some excess designed into this in order to accomodate market fluctuations as well as maintenance and repairs.

When the market demand spikes, production goes up as far as the maximum design capacity of their full production facilities. If market demand still outstrips production, then the result is a shortage of product availability.

However, companies do NOT rush right out and start building new production lines because there are a lot of problems with doing so, both in the short term and the long term.

In the short term, even if they have the facilities in which to physically expand into, they have to design the new production lines, build them, hire and train new personel to operate and maintain them, and fund the increase in raw supplies to build the product.

This takes time and money to do. For short term market spikes, they'll end up spending tons of money for equipment that will no longer be required by the time it's ready to go into production.

In the long term, excess production facilities lie fallow when the market demand drops back to normal levels. People get laid off and the company still has to maintain the unused equipment if they don't want it to suffer through neglect/unuse, and the new facilities still have insurance and lease payments to make good on.


So ammunition companies aren't going to "ramp up" their production any more than they already have simply because they're likely already at maximum. It's just not physically possible for them to produce more.

When this current spike in the market is over, the companies evaluate the history and the new market levels of ammunition salews in order to make wise, long-term decision with respect to their production capabilities.