Best Ways To Buy 22 Ammo

[Harve Curry]

I'd like to buy 22lr and even some 22short in quanities. So asking for input for places to get best prices.

Is there any advantage/savings to group buys here on THR for 22 ammo?

Or just go direct to mail order suppliers?

What about CMP issued ammo; requirements, price, are there ways to buy that?

Or is Wal Mart the answer?

thanks in advance,

 

[hksw]

If you are looking for mid to high end ammo, Champion Shooters has some of the best prices. If you are looking for low end bulk, Wal*Mart seems to be the best if you factor in shipping from what I've seen. Occasionally, Dicks, MC, Dunham's, and other major sporting goods chains have sales that are pretty good.

As per CMP,

TO PURCHASE MILITARY SURPLUS PART:5
OR AMMUNITION FROM THE CMP
A PURCHASER MUST:
1. Be a U.S. citizen and be a member of a CMP affiliated organization. You must provide a copy
of your current membership card or other proof. This requirement cannot be waived.
2. Complete the Order Form and sign the Liability Agreement.
3. Mail order form to CMP. Parts, ammunition and memorabilia orders may also be faxed to the CMP at 256-241-0436.

 

[garlicguy]

We've seen some vendors at gunshows (in Montana) that beat everyone else's prices considerably, including Wal-Mart and the larger specialty stores. This seems to be more so since shipping prices are rapidly climbing.

BTW - These prices only apply to the CASE, not the brick...

 

[El Tejon]

What kind of .22 ammo do you want?

Target, plinking, hunting, combination thereof?

Say what you will about Wal-Mart, but where I live I can get Federal .22 for $10 for 550. 3 weeks ago I found some still marked at $8.88 and bought two cases.

There's not something about a .50 ammo can filled with gleaming .22 that brings a smile to my face.

 

[IllHunter]

My cheapest rim-fire prices

are sale prices at major sporting goods stores, like Dicks, Cabelas and BassPro. Watch the sale flyers they put in the local papers. Sometimes ammo will be used as "loss Leaders" an item priced at or below the retailers cost to entice you in to the store with the expectation/hope you'll spend more on something with a higher markup. Don't expect to find these in the front of the store. They'll make you work for it. Also don't be surprised if they limit quantities and are "out of stock" when you get there. They may issue "rain checks" to get you back. Watch the start date of the "sale" in the flyer and be there early. I record the prices of ammo I buy and can attest to the rise in priceover the last 2+ years. Metals prices and transport of heavy ammo (oil) is climbing madly. Try the online site, Cheapasdirt.com or other online providers and see what shipping to your locale will add to the online price.

 

[Cueball]

I've found the local gun shows to be my best bet. I buy almost all my ammo for all calibers at the shows. When buying in case quantity, they beat local retailer sale prices plus you don't have to pay the high costs of shipping of the heavy items that you have when ordering online. So, if you have any gun shows within a reasonable distance to you, I would try there.

 

[memphisjim]

walmart

 

[Nhsport]

I am not a big fan of the "bulk" ammo , just doesn't seem to shoot very good in many of my guns .
Chanpions Choice is a class act if you want some of the target grade ammo that they sell . Aim Surplus has had some ok prices in the past . The last outfit I used (at least a year back) was "The Armory" for some Aguilla rimfire.
Some of this Aguilla rimfire (when got by the case) is not a huge step up in price from the bulk wall mart stuff and a huge step up in accuracy and reliability. The CMP rimfire is Aguilla and is a great price with a fairly high shipping rate-check it against other sources for your location.
This choice is of course something to be worked out by each shooter but be cautious as some mail order joints seem to have decent prices but they rape you with shipping twice as high as the other places.
Rimfire (like other ammo) won't go down in price and a 5000 round case takes little storage space, get a couple of cases and it = a whole lot of shooting

 

[pharmer]

walmart

Go to above named store. Ask for 10 boxes of Federal 550 rd "bulk pack". @ $12.88 each, you should have 5500 rds for around $140. That equals 110 50 rd cardboard boxes for slightly less than $1.30 each. Nobody beating that. Joe

 

[22-rimfire]

I have been known to buy by the case (5,000 rounds). You save money, but that is a lot of ammo and you better want it. You need to know that it shoots okay in your guns first or take a chance.

For what they sell, Walmart has the cheapest prices. My choice of the stuff they offer are the Federal Champion 510's packaged in 50 round boxes. ($1.28 each) You will be hard pressed to get much cheaper even in case lots.

CCI 100 round boxes are good too if you like to shoot them. They are just a bit more expensive (like 3x).

If you haven't, try out all of the cheaper stuff that Walmart offers in your guns. See how it does and take notes. When stuff goes on sale, buy a bunch of the stuff that your guns like.

For general shooting (ie plinking) I use whatever is cheap and deal with the fail to fires and so forth. Target shooting is another matter and competition is a completely different matter.

In general, standard velocity 22 ammo will perform better for target shooting than hi velocity stuff. In general, the more expensive target ammo will out perform lesser priced ammo, but you pay for that 0.1 or 0.2" reduction in group size. Just depends on what it is worth to you.

Places to shop online: Champion Shooters Supply, Cheaper than Dirt, Midway, Natchez, Sportsman's Guide. There are others, but those are the ones I check first.

 

[jnyork]

I just recently bought 2 cases (10,000 rounds) of Federal 510 at Wallyworld for $128 a case. The sporting goods manager ordered it in for me, took about a month but he got it.

 

[rcmodel]

If you want the best price, there are several mail-order places & Wally-world.

If you want the best ammo for your gun, go to a big store like Cabala's that stock many brands, and buy one box of every brand & type they sell.

Then test it in your gun.

Once you find out which works best and is most accurate in your gun:

Go back and buy all they have of the same lot number.

IMHO: Ordering 5,000 - 10,000 rounds of any .22 ammo based on price alone, without being able to test it, is a crap-shoot you don't want to loose!

rcmodel

 

[Harve Curry]

Mostly for plinking, informal target shooting with my Rossi pump 16".
It seems to like :
CCI std vel target, 5 into 3/4" @ 50'
Federal Hi-power (from a old plastic amber box} 5 into 3/4" @ 50'
and 22 shorts Win Western Super X , also 5 into 3/4" @ 50',
the Federal bulk pack 36gr HP from WalMart shoots OK, 10 into 1.250" @ 50'. All using the NRA 50' small bore target and a Marbles tang sight. Not a match gun but it's a fun shooter.
Thanks for the input,

 

[Harve Curry]

I found this on the CMP web site:
Item ID: 419ASVSE
Description: .22LR Standard Velocity SP CENTURION
Manufactured by Aguila - Case 5000 rnds. 40 gr., lead proj-
ectile, 1135 fps. at muzzle - standard velocity. Brass
cases of max resistance, manuf for perfect feeding in any
type .22 rimfire weapon. Technically designed bullets which
provide max accuracy & due to their lubrication do not foul
the barrel. Clean combustion gunpowder and high velocities
at low pressure. ELEY prime process providing reliable
ignition. $189.00 per case - $19.95 S&H per case -
Continental US - $39.95 S&H to Alaska or Hawaii.

So $209 shipped would be $2.09 per 50 round box, in lower 48 states.
and these :
Item ID: 419ASVGE
Description: .22LR Target Golden Eagle CENTURION
Manufactured by Aguila - 5000 rnds per case. 40 gr., lead
projectile, 1200 fps. at muzzle - standard velocity. Brass
cases of max resistance, manuf for perfect feeding in any
type of .22 rimfire weapon. Technically designed bullets
which provide maximum accuracy and due to their lubrication
do not foul the barrel. Clean combustion gunpowder and high
velocities at low pressures. ELEY prime process providing
reliable ignition.
$229.95 per case. $19.95 S&H per case - continental US
$39.95 S&H per case to Alaska or Hawaii

 

[CDignition]

Get a C&R and then look at Midway..

 

[Geno]

My most recent 5,000 round case of Remington Thunderbolt from Dunhams cost me $99.00! Love those Thunderbolts. At 15 yards, I can easily keep 1" groups with my Ruger Mark II 50th Anniversary pistol. Great ammo at a great price. When rabbit and squirrel seasons are open, I may just have to try it out for hunting. CMP is also a great place to get target-quality .22LR, but you are looking at $189.00 to $229.00 for 5,000 rounds.

 

[hksw]

Remington Thunderbolt... Great ammo.

Ooof, now there's a contradiction. I did a little dance when I finally got rid of all of my Rem Thunderbolts. Back then, they were going for $8/brick and I purchased 10 bricks just so I could get the 64 oz Gander Mountain mugs they came in (2 bricks per mug). (I like to drink a lot of soda.)