.22lr Ammunition

Hi everyone,

I ended up sending my P22 into Walther last week & talked to a rep there about my gun not shooting right. He told me they would test it with all different ammunition, but all they really had on stock was the high velocity stuff (none of the cheaper stuff). He told me it is hard for even them to get any .22 ammunition because the military buys it all up. He gave me some huge number that .22 is being made at a daily rate but that less than 1% of it goes to the civilian market (including Walther) the rest goes to the military and other gov. agencies

thoughts and opinions? Any truth or merit to this claim? It just seemed ridiculous that even Walther has a hard time getting ammunition for testing.

 

The military buying all the .22 ammo story is just that. A story. Isn't a really good one either.
Anyway, as with any .22, pistol, revolver or rifle, you have to try a box of as many brands as you can to find the ammo your pistol will both shoot well and cycle the action. The price of it means nothing.

 

The truth is much closer to - the manufacturers are not producing enough to meet a hugely increased demand - because there is no profit in it compared to centerfire ammunition. Traditionally people would learn to shoot with a rimfire handgun and then progress to centerfire caliber handguns. Now they just go straight for a .40 cal. Glock pistol and stuff it with the most deadly hollow point ammunition they can buy and shoot targets at 5 yards and post pics of their targets on internet forums........

 

I've had no problems getting .22 ammo lately, I've actually bought quite a lot of it.

 

That story is the same stuff that comes out the south end of a north bound bull.

The military MIGHT use some .22 LR but I never did while serving.

All the manufacturers are running at full production right now. Several million rounds a day all total. ATK group is producing around 7-8 million rounds per day.

To put that into perspective that would be 8000 100 round boxes. There are about 3500 Walmart Super Center stores in the US.

So daily production would give each Walmart just over two boxes per day.

Stop and think about that for a minute. Two 100 round boxes per Walmart per day. 16 100 round boxes per week.

That's just Walmart stores. Doesn't include any other stores.

The supply line on .22 LR was never very long. At most there's about a months worth available in the supply chain when everything is perfect.

It takes 2-3 years to get a rimfire ammo line up and running. Then it takes 7-10 years before that line makes a profit. It's understandable why companies are reluctant to invest in more production.

A rimfire line can't be used for anything but rimfire. It's a pretty specialized setup. Also many people are unaware of how much manual labor is involved. All the cases are primed by hand. If you've never seen how it's done it's worthwhile to Google it and watch some videos.

 

So this bozo at Walther is telling you than 99+% of all .22LR ammo in the USA is being bought by the military? That is a steaming pile of BS. What would the US military even do with all that .22LR ammo if this was true?

Hopefully this dolt at Walther won't be the one servicing your pistol.

If your Walther continues to suck, get a Ruger SR22, much better pistol.

 

In past the "military" did use some .22 lr. Local city had indoor range, conversion kits for m16. So they could fire inside. Boy Scouts, others allowed at certain times to shoot as well. Locked in semi only. This was back in 2000 area.
Guy who was on military pistol team shot .22 as well as 1911.

So they do shoot some. Or used to. Likely not near enough to matter.

 

that would be 8000 100 round boxes

Uh 8000x100 = 800,000

8 million is 80,000 hundred round boxes.
Twenty a day per store is still not a lot.


The most logical explanation for shortages of .22 LR is that
1. Everybody has multiple automatics and an outing is typically a "brick" of 500 if not two, whereas I used to think a box of 50 was plenty in my bolt or even lever action.
and
2. In the political panics of the first and second Obama terms, people hurried to either "stock up" for hoarding, or to get into financial speculation with increasing prices of ammo.

 

I suspected that wasn't the case, but I don't really follow stuff like that so I was just curious. I rarely go to Walmart, but when I do I just check the ammo stock .22lr is always out sadly. I have plenty of aguila super extra/remington thunderbolt, and another brand which I can't remember right now. Problem is I apparently need CCI mini mags. My gf my just sell the p22 for something less picky. cheers

 

" Several million rounds a day all total. ATK group is producing around 7-8 million rounds per day.

To put that into perspective that would be 8000 100 round boxes."

...Looks like you are off by a factor of 10. But what's nought between friends?

 

Some stores I frequent put the .22LR out in the morning. It is gone of course by the time I swing through in the evening. If I really needed some I could go in the morning a pick some up, $37 for a brick recently. No real choice on type available, limit two per customer.


A co-worker ordered up a case online (free shipping if you purchase a case) and just yesterday we divided up the order to all get a few bricks. Supply has really improved in my part of the country.

Think about the .22lr demand. I have two single-shot rifles, two semi-auto rifles, and a semi-auto pistol. Who doesn't have at least one or two firearms in .22LR?

This is a consumer supply chain issue as stated above. I have enough for my needs. Only one of my firearms is fussy about the ammunition, the early model Rem 597.

 

The Gov`t has standing contracts with ammo makers.

Still available in my area . See it offered in "fliers" all the time.

 

That's what happens when you do math in your head after you take your afternoon dose of pain control meds.

 

People are buying .22 ammo and not shooting it. They just want to have it! If everyone who shoots .22 would just purchase the amount that they shoot there would be plenty. Go ahead, maintain a "reasonable supply" just buy what you need. I know people who don't even shoot it stocking up with 10,000 rounds and more.

Lafitte

 

10,000 rounds is a decent start on a stockpile. Some of us neckbeards MIGHT have more than that.

 

It's definitely more available around here now than before. I can find it at my LGS any day of the week. Still haven't even seen a box on the shelf at any Walmart for a few years now. Price still hasn't dropped to where it was, but I doubt that it ever will. People will obviously pay what it's going for now (but who knows how long they will..)

 

I can walk into Academy, Bass Pro, Cabela's and most any gun store and find .22 LR in stock. Walmart is hit or miss. Walmart generally has the lowest prices.

To be fair most of the stuff available is stuff that Walmart doesn't carry. That being said Academy almost always has Mini Mags or CCI SV in stock.

 

I've noticed about the same as cannibal in the last year. Usually academy has plenty of cheaper stuff and Walmart is always dry. I'm sure it varies slightly by area.

 

Don't forget, that ammo they use has to have cool packaging, a tough sounding name and evil looking so it makes them appear even more tactical. :roll eyes:

Sadly, you're spot on. Too many I honestly believe that starting with the 22lr is beneath them as they see it as a kids chambering.


As to the whole 22lr availability...it's been available all along if you took time to look. Locally, the shelves have been fully stocked for months now and at very reasonable prices.
Funny how ppl will gladly pay X¢ per round for the cheap bulk fodder yet pass up the good stuff for the same or maybe pennies more.

Rather than settling on whatever is cheapest, spend a bit more and buy what shoots best and shoots without issues. Amazing how ppl want all the performance and reliability yet will only buy the cheap, cheap stuff.

 

Lafitte/fellow enthusiasts: quite true that the next panics can be a strong motivation. But for many of us, that is only one of two objectives.

Seldom do people mention stocking up for retirement, i.e. in March '17. For my five 7.62x39 rifles, I only have approx. 12,000 rds.

Keep in mind that some of the irrational anti Sec. Amendment people want to make ammo much more expensive and bought via an extremely tight quota system. Maybe CA will be Only the First state to do so, even with .22 LR?

 

This may not directly answer your question, but I too once had Walter P22. I never did find any ammo that it would run well. I gave up on it. Sold it. Bought a Ruger. No more 22 ammo problems.

 

I don't have a Walther P22, but I do have a Sig Mosquito. Sig is quite clear up front with this pistol needing CCI MIni-Mags to run well. Many, many threads exists on the heartburn suffered by owners due to this. Sadly there are some that can't even shoot Mini-Mags cleanly, but mine works flawlessly with them. Personally, I just stock up on Mini-Mags when I can and then go shoot without worry.

The point being if you want to hold on to that pistol, go test your Walther with as many brands and their various offerings as it takes until you find the right combination. If it's one of those that just won't shoot cleanly even after that, then move on from it.

 

A conspiracy theory long ago debunked by people who actually looked at the government's purchases of ammunition. You can get the contracts yourself by simply filing a FOIA request.

Between the military and law enforcement, the federal government is a huge purchaser of ammunition, but the amounts being purchased are consistent with the range time that solders and LEOs need to put in to maintain their skills.

 

I bought my P-22 10 years ago. Prior to the sale my local shop was up front about it being picky on ammo. They recommended anything over 1400 FPS which really limits your choices for plinking and range use. Never had a hiccup with CCI Mini Mags, Stingers or Velociters. Aguila Interceptors and Winchester Varmint High Energy work well also but I only see those at gun shows usually at a much higher price.