... & people keep buying 22's

I'm with Clone on this. I haven't bought .22lr ammo in years. Been shooting off my grandpa's stash lol. He filled up a deep freezer in the 80's of Winchester Wildcats, Eley, and some Remingtons. I'll buy all of your .22 rifles and pistols right now!!
 
II don’t know why ya’ll are complaining, In Oz over here, $8 for a box of 50 is a steal, I pay anywhere between $9.50 up to $16.50 (For target ammo)
We do have an abundance of it over here though, Buy it by the case for $700 - $800 at a time, That’ll last a good 4 - 5 years, 10 years if you only shoot 100 every saturday.
 
During the 2005 year I shot a little more than 2000 prairie dogs using a 17 HM2 and a 17 HMR rifles. So I ordered a two year supply of 17 RF ammo in the 06 year and some Winchester 22 LR HP PP ammo. Later some Eley 17 HM2 ammo come up for sale for $ 3 something per box so I order a case. Because of poison and plague reduced the prairie dog population my shooting has ben reduced a bunch since the 05 year. I only use the rim fire ammo for hunting so I am well stocked. Should a rim fire rifle come up for sale that I like , I ll get it.
 
--On a tangent of rifle types....Generally, for me, I see the following .22 rifles pointless: Anything with a barrel over 16"; anything heavy-barreled or heavy generally; semi-auto .22s; Anything with a detachable mag. But the following I love and see as anything BUT pointless: Short, light .22s which are SBRs or 16", and have one of the following actions: single shot, or repeaters in pump, lever, or turnbolt, provided there is no detachable mag (tube mag or internal blind/box mag). The only semi-auto .22 I see as having a use, for me, is an AR15 with dedicated .22lr upper, in SBR 10" format, with a "Slide-Fire" doodad, dedicated to Stingers or Velocitors to make that Slide-Fire run.
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I disagree with most of this, I think. For me, a 22 should have a barrel minimum of 18". Detachable mags come in very handy when walking through the field or woods, if they are 10 round mags. I don't see much sense in any less capacity. I don't like the 25 round mags for the 10/22 because they stick down too far. I have a 10/22, but don't really care that much for it. The wife loves it and that is mostly why I have it. She does not spray and pray like a lot of people that shoot semi-autos. She shoots accurately but doesn't like "having to load it every time." It is not "tacticooled" out, standard wood stock. The "tactical" or AR platform is the most useless platform for a 22, IMO. If you want to shoot an AR shoot centerfire, a real AR. :D My $.02.
 
I sorta figure that balance and swing on running bunnies are what make barrels of 18" to 22" good things. Nothing against 16" if the "shootability" is there, but there's no "One size fits all" with so many different intents as to use.
 
I continue to selectively purchase .22 handguns and rifles (classics) if the prices are right.
The value of what I buy are appreciating more than an AR or a synthetic modern bolt action.
.22 may not return to prior price levels but it is still less than any manufactured rifle round today. I can find non plated round nose at 6-7 cents per round at the local Gander regularly. Price tracker.

http://www.gunbot.net/ammo/rimfire/22lr/







 
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I am so glad I stocked up on 22LR before the ammo shortage. I have 3 kinds that I stocked up on. Eley Subsonic HP, CCI Stingers and Federal Bulk. A few months back I had a guy offer me $12.50 per box of 50 on the stingers. I felt so bad for the guy (a Neighbor) I gave him 500 rounds for free. He now invites me over to some land in southern Idaho for Squirrel hunting. He brings the Food I bring the ammo. Im happy with the deal!
 
When I stopped for coffee I also went into in a little store Flatwater Arms 1-308-262-7045 that has 17 and 22 rim fire ammo. The store hours are 9 AM-6 PM MDT Monday-Saturday. I was looking for fishing lures. Don't need ammo.
 
Yes, .22 is still difficult to find at reasonable prices, so I have been shooting a lot more center fire as I reload, and was able to get components throughout the panic. Now, I am having a hard time finding pistol powders. It seems these are the next in the food chain for people to buy up for whatever reason.
 
the last guy in line will have to wait in line for 3 years, 4 months, 20 days, 9 hours, and 36 minutes.
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And 45 seconds. (LOLOLOL)

Franken I loved that post, as an old retired accountant that struck home for me.

The old 22 LR was such an under rated caliber that most of us just took it for granted and didn't appreciate it's versatility and the major place it played in our lives. To most of us it was how we learned how to shoot, our first rifle or pistol, how we got into hunting. I would not be surprised to find out it has taken more tree rats that all the other calibers put together.

We all wanted more people to become shooters and gun owners to help protect our 2nd amendment rights and I guess that old saying "be careful what you ask for" has come true with all the new shooters online that need ammo. (LOL)

I remember when gas was 30 cents a gallon and smokes 25 cents a pack (LOL), I don't think we will ever see those days again, so 10 cents a round might be up a bit from a half cent to one cent a round, I don't think we will see those days again either. But it is still better than paying 50 cents to one dollar a round for 223.

Well maybe the lowly 22 LR will gain a little more respect than it had before and it will still put meat on the table and let us practice our skills cheaper than other calibers would. As the saying goes:

"These are interesting times."
Jim
 
I'm a new shooter and don't own a 22lr gun yet but plan on buying a bolt action 22lr rifle soon. Even at gouger prices, it's still cheaper to shoot a 22 than my 9mm or 12 gauge. Unfortunately, I don't have a stockpile like some and will have to buy a relatively expensive batch of ammo to start out.

I don't plan on shooting it often, but no need to chastise those of us getting into shooting for having to pay higher prices to enjoy our new hobby. I'd love to be able to hold off and not encourage the gougers, but I'd also rather not have a gun sitting around useless when the ammo is still half the price of my 9mm.
 
BigBL87, the deal seems to be to check with a WalMart as to when their ammo comes in, and what time of day it is put on the shelf. Most stores have a three-box limit and the prices are not onerous. So, show up a tad early and buy your limit. Do this a few times and you'll be in good shape for all but the spray-and-pray style of shooting.
 
Well first of all the number of 22 related threads have gone way down. Either you only recently started viewing the rifle boards or you have a very short memory. Once upon a time when the semi rifle forum was still young on the interweb there were as many threads about the 1022 and m60 as there were for aks sks and ar15s. Now notice the overwhelmingly ar centric nature of these boards. 22 sales have gone way down. Also the lack of ammo was caused by a spending bubble. Do you really expect ammo manufacturers to expand their facilities and workforce to increase production just so that when they catch back up with demand they can fire everyone and shut down all that shiny new equipment? I understand where you're coming from but your rant is nothing more than a self entitled fit to feed a need for instant gratification. Don't blame the ammo companies. Blame the ignorant masses and greedy hoarders that created the bubble in the first place.
 
tahunua001... whom are you responding to...

if you are personally attacking me with those comments...

I understand where you're coming from but your rant is nothing more than a self entitled fit to feed a need for instant gratification.
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the mods better delete your post, or lock this thread, as that was totally uncalled for, & as that is not who I am at all...

edited trying to regain my composure
 
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I apologize if I offended you, but apparently I snapped this morning when I read the OP because I have read a steady stream of complaints such as yours for the last year and a half. people think that it is as easy as flipping a switch and ammo makers can instantly double their production, this is not the case. I live in the same city as the ATK pistol plant and they manufacture all 22LR for federal, CCI, and american eagle. they have been running around the clock, constantly hiring new bodies, and done everything short of buying more property and putting in a second ammo plant and they are still as far behind as they were this time last year. right now there is no supply because demand suddenly skyrocketed last year and although, yes there are more 22s out there than ever but not nearly enough to justify the investment in adding to ammo manufacturers facilities and workforce and once people stop snatching up every box they can find simply because they don't know when they'll see it again, the supply is going to fill up again and once those shelves are stocked there will no longer be a need for the equipment and workforce that were brought on just to play catch up.

people want ammo now and it's just not in the cards. people said I was stupid for buying 10 bricks of 22 ammo at $17 each in october of 2012. december of 2012 was the last time anyone saw that many bricks in one place. I've found it's easier to stockpile when supply was high than to complain that I can't find it when there isn't any supply.

again, sorry if I offended you.
 
OK... if you re-read my 1st post, I don't blame the ammo companies ( at least that wasn't my intent ) & I'm not looking for 22 ammo right now, ( but I would be if I had bought that Henry back when I started this thread ) & I will go back & buy that Henry, when things get caught up rather than putting additional stress on the market, & myself looking for ammo for a new 22... better to buy another gun in a different caliber for right now... I'm content shooting something else, to take some of the pressure off, I was wishing more would do the same...

... I do however feel that there is more actual use of 22 ammo than there used to be ( so, IMO current use also contributes to the shortage, as well as preppers ) bolt action 22's used to be popular, but now the most popular would seem to be the "look a like" milsurp style semi auto 22's with high capacity magazines... I'm betting more ammo gets consumed by a larger portion of the shooting population, than it did 10 years ago ( for example )... that doesn't mean there weren't big users of 22 back 10 years ago... I used to have a couple dueling trees, & my buddies & I would go through 500 - 1000 rounds of ammo each in a weekend, back about 10 years ago... I just think more of the shooting population falls into ( or would, if they could get as much ammo as they wanted ) into that high use class today... so IMO, I don't think ammo producers have increased production, at the same rate as the use has increased, couple that with everyone wanting several bricks on the shelf, puts us in the situation we're in...

again... the purpose of my post was to suggest people shoot something else, until the pressure loosens a little

... & BTW... if you read the quote I pulled from your post... how could I not take offense to that ???
 
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I went out this morning and blew off a bunch of 22 ammo. 40 rounds of 22lr and 27 rounds of 22 short. Had to get in some practice with my new pump action Henry. Also shot my SKS, GP100, and Sig SP2022. Less than 50 rounds of each, but I am good for a couple of weeks anyway. I can't see blasting hundreds of rounds in one range trip, but that's me. Do as you will. I don't have a huge stash of ammo, but considering the amount I shoot per trip I will have enough that I can shoot for a couple of years even if I don't buy anymore. It is a good thing to be conservative sometimes.
 
I have managed to scrounge 22 one way or another.

A friend gave me some Federal years back that shoots pretty good in the CZ.

Another friend passed and had a brick of Nobel, did not shoot good until I ran some 22 lr bulk Federal through it and then it got as good as the best stuff.

Thats some RW (RWS?) my brother picked up a a gun show. Expensive but I shoot it when I want to feel good on my groups and how good the CZ really shoots good ammo.

I had 22 golden Remington from years back and some odd stuff.

Another outfit in town takes names and calls and they called today, so another brick there.

Cabellas opened and I got two boxes of 22 Federal Bulk, Not super accurate but its does not wander, it shoots average nicely around a spot and it set up the rifle for the Nobel, interesting. It would be good hunting ammo as it would either hit dead center or 1/4 inch or so away form that in a circle at 50 yards.

So, no 22 lr rich but a good amount built up for the kind of shooting I do and some to get to my brothers if they need any (bulk only of course, I wouldn't waste the good stuff on them!)
 
I fortunately have all the 22 firearms I need or want along with all the ammo I need for the foreseeable future. I can find various 22 ammo at my LGS for $6 @ box of 50. However I don't buy it just to increase just in case.
I don't even look for it at the big box stores in any caliber.
On rare occasion I will sell a gun on armslist. I've noticed there's now more people wanting to trade me 22lr guns more than ever
 
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