Is this how it's going to be for .22LR owners?

[Zeeemu]

.22 wrf

CCI .22 WRF is also in short supply. I wouldn't have thought there would be that much interest in this old cartridge. Are rifles in this caliber still being manufactured?

 

[Bama Drifter]

And now maybe you're wondering why I've got a scanned receipt from 2006?

What can I say? I'm a pack rat. I keep receipts that were for gun purchases, and a few years back, when I realized they were fading, I scanned them. Sometimes they had other purchases on them.

Sorry berettaprof... you are mostly right, but I'm gonna add that in 2006 we were midway through Bush, Jr's second term. By 2009 the Obama effect on guns and ammo was in full swing and prices were up to about $12/ brick ON SALE. Working in a big gun shop from 2010 to present I saw the .22LR and pistol ammo surge when Obama was re-elected then again this Great .22LR Depression has been going on since Jan 2013 (following Sandy Hook). B/w the last two game changing events "normal pricing" floated from $15.99 up to $20. I refuse to purchase any brick priced over $25 and have had no trouble staying stocked up.

very likely:

...twenty years or thirty years from now there will be a lot of 2012-2015 production era 22LR available at estate auctions

& another fine truism from Basicblur:

The scalpers are hanging on by the skin of their teeth - they know the bottom is about to fall out, but they're hoping some panic will hit so they can unload what they're sitting on.

 

[Captcurt]

It's coming.

I see more 22lr every week. Bought a 5000 round case of Federal for $399 + shipping. Grabbed a brick of Federal Gold Medal Match for $100. Saw an email yesterday with CCI 22 Mag for 12.99 a box of 50. They were bringing $20-$25 a box at the last gun show.

If you Google, it is out there.

 

[Bama Drifter]

new signature

...thanks to this thread! Kudos Berettaprofessor and Basicblur. Sorry I couldn't figure out how to cite individually, so I merged and centered your two excellent sentiments

 

[Bama Drifter]

I recently stocked up on 300 rounds of the fun to shoot .22WRF; my favorite shop in Culver City had 8 boxes of it on the shelf. To answer Zeemu, I shoot it in a Winchester 1890 octagon bbl pump. I don't think many guns were produced in this caliber following WWI. Maybe ceased production in mid-20s? It is a great cartridge and platform. Parent case to the .22mag (stretched out case kinda like the .357mag is a stretched .38spl).

 

[yugorpk]

I WAS an active .22 shooter. I'd blow through at least a thousand 22 shells a week. More if I was camping. I had several .22's and dedicated silenced guns etc. . Now I can't buy the stuff so my 22 shooting has dropped down to almost nothing. I wont pay $35 for 500 rounds of crap federal .22 at Cabelas. $8 for 100 minimags sure.
I have sold almost all except one Buckmark and a 22 kit for the G21. I might shoot 50 rounds a month now and I shoot a lot of .223 and 300 BLK. I would rather be shooting .22 but until the ammo situation improves thats not going to happen.

 

[Zeeemu]

My rifle is also an octagon barreled Winchester pump. It was my first rifle. Unfortunately I ran out of Winchester ammo decades ago. Your find is encouraging. I'll keep looking.

 

[susieqz]

i pay close attention to 22lr as that's all i shoot.
here's a fact. premium ammo is normalizing fast.
bulk isn't moving much but if you can buy quality ammo for less than inconsistant bulk, who's gonna buy it?
that will drive bulk prices down soon.
i need both premium for serious work n bulk for plinking so i'm waiting eagerly.

 

[TruthTellers]

ETA: Does anyone have any experience with the Armscor?

Heres a case of 5k at 419.99.

http://www.ammofast.com/products/armscor-precision-22lr-copper-coated-hv-hp-36-gr-5000-round-case
Caliber: .22LR HV
Grain Weight: 36
Bullet Type: JHP
Muzzle Velocity: 1260 fps
Muzzle Energy: 127 ft/lbs

I bought a brick of it last year, haven't shot any yet. From what reviews I find online, it can be hit or miss .22 ammo, no pun intended.

I would suggest buying 100 rounds and trying it first.

EDIT: seeing that website, they have a brick which after shipping will be about $50. However, they also have Sellier and Bellot for a $1 per box. I'd just get the S&B, it is most likely of better quality.

 

[jlr1962]

I've never bought ammo online before, but have been thinking maybe I should if that's the only way to get certain types, and maybe the best prices on much of it. Since .22LR is still absent from store shelves around me in a city of 65,000 people, I thought I'd give the online world a try. Here's what I found. A 50 count box going for $10, even for generics stuff like American Eagle. Sure, there's one for $8, but I remember only a year or so ago I could get a brick of 500 for $10 before it (gasp!) doubled to $20. Now it's $100. http://www.bulkammo.com/rimfire/bulk-.22-lr-ammo?p=1

If this is how it is and how it's going to be for .22LR, I'd be willing to sell the 1,000 rounds I currently have for the price I bought my rifle for.

Does anyone see the situation getting better? Worse? Having a .22 used to mean cheap, fun shooting. But at these prices, the "cheap" part just isn't there anymore. Makes me wonder if people will see much of a reason to buy a .22 firearm anymore.

Sure, buy online. I guess your area does not have a problem with packages being stolen off of your front porch. FedEx can hold at a distribution center. I am not sure if FedEx can ship ammo though. I buy my ammo at Academy and Walmart for the most part.

I didn't read the thread. KC and Denver are playing.

 

[The Alaskan]

I think what we're witnessing is a permanent revision of the 22LR market. To answer a question once posed the great Merle Haggard, yes, the good times really are over for good.

While the prospect of "2012-2015 production 22LR" being dumped at estate sales is valid, and I'm sure we'll see some of that...30 plus years from now, I think you'll see it gobbled up by the same "hoarder" mentality that permeates the culture today. That mentality is not going to just go away. So it's a moot point.

The prospect of a "gun safe" administration (if such a thing even exists) in the very near future is real. (Of course, the opposite is also true.) However, someone posted the comment about what people will feel is a "safe level." Everyone, myself included, has modified their firearm and related shopping habits. (Indeed, ALL my shopping habits.) Even with the coming of a "gun safe" administration, people will remember and will believe that they are only one election cycle away from everything going back to "the way it was." They aren't going to stop buying ammo just because some guy with an "R" after his name is in office. (In fact, I predict that the gun industry will ride this cycle now, driven by consumer paranoia, every time a "D" gets into office.-This is the new normal.)

Lastly, the shooting public has proven, beyond all doubt, that we're stupid enough to pay scalper prices for 22LR (and other) ammo. Simple laws of economics state that when prices are too high, you stop buying. We didn't stop. The manufacturers know this. If, as some hope, the craze dies down and prices per round plummet...all that is needed is a reduction in production rates to keep the prices up. (Ammo is a commodity, same as oil. Price per barrel/per round goes down, stop producing, watch price rise.)

So, for any number or related and unrelated reasons, you can completely forget about ever seeing affordable 22LR ammo again. And we did it to ourselves.

 

[jmorris]

I guess it's because I don't need it but I have seen .22 at 3 local stores.

 

[The Alaskan]

On a related note, I keep waiting for the other foot to drop. The collapse of demand for 22LR firearms. IMHO, you'd have to be a fool, or a fanatic, (or both) to even consider buying anything in 22LR. If yo owned one prior to this, yo're stuck with it, sort of. But why buy anymore?

As someone suggested, 9mm is the net best thing. (I tend to think 38 special, but you get the idea.) I'm surprised we haven't heard of 9mm/38 guns disappearing off shelves and increased demand for those calibers.

I'm surprised we haven't seen 22LR firearms for sale online at fire sale prices.

I don't even bother with 22LR ammo anymore, and I won't buy anymore guns in that caliber. When my ammo runs out, the guns go on Craigslist. Done. In my view, buying/owning a 22LR gun is like buying a junk bond.

Why would someone buy a 22LR firearm when, for the cost of a modest supply of ammo, say 5-6 bricks (1-2 yrs' worth perhaps) one can pick up a small caliber centerfire firearm and have an accessible supply of ammo? Or better yet, for the cost of 3-4 bricks, one can buy a quality air rifle and a zillion pellets.

It amazes me how little gun owners understand of economics.

 

[Alec]

The Alaskan, Because the .22 LR is useful for many more reasons besides (what used to be) low cost per round:

Subsonic loads work well for suppressed firearms.
They are just right for taking small game without damaging too much meat.
They aren't necked so they can be used in both revolvers and semiautos.
They can be fired from absurdly small firearms with relative manageability
In larger firearms, the recoil is manageable enough for any shooter, even the young, weak, infirm.
Just about every ammo store decides to purchase it to keep as stock
Blowback actions are still lightweight enough to be practical

 

[R.W.Dale]

On a related note, I keep waiting for the other foot to drop. The collapse of demand for 22LR firearms. IMHO, you'd have to be a fool, or a fanatic, (or both) to even consider buying anything in 22LR. If yo owned one prior to this, yo're stuck with it, sort of. But why buy anymore?

As someone suggested, 9mm is the net best thing. (I tend to think 38 special, but you get the idea.) I'm surprised we haven't heard of 9mm/38 guns disappearing off shelves and increased demand for those calibers.

I'm surprised we haven't seen 22LR firearms for sale online at fire sale prices.

I don't even bother with 22LR ammo anymore, and I won't buy anymore guns in that caliber. When my ammo runs out, the guns go on Craigslist. Done. In my view, buying/owning a 22LR gun is like buying a junk bond.

Why would someone buy a 22LR firearm when, for the cost of a modest supply of ammo, say 5-6 bricks (1-2 yrs' worth perhaps) one can pick up a small caliber centerfire firearm and have an accessible supply of ammo? Or better yet, for the cost of 3-4 bricks, one can buy a quality air rifle and a zillion pellets.

It amazes me how little gun owners understand of economics.

There's another component at work here just waiting in the wings.

It's only time until the sale of lead is controlled by the federal government or at the very least it's banned from sporting uses.

Without lead 22lr ceases to ever be economically viable EVER again

 

[TruthTellers]

I think what we're witnessing is a permanent revision of the 22LR market. To answer a question once posed the great Merle Haggard, yes, the good times really are over for good.

While the prospect of "2012-2015 production 22LR" being dumped at estate sales is valid, and I'm sure we'll see some of that...30 plus years from now, I think you'll see it gobbled up by the same "hoarder" mentality that permeates the culture today. That mentality is not going to just go away. So it's a moot point.

The prospect of a "gun safe" administration (if such a thing even exists) in the very near future is real. (Of course, the opposite is also true.) However, someone posted the comment about what people will feel is a "safe level." Everyone, myself included, has modified their firearm and related shopping habits. (Indeed, ALL my shopping habits.) Even with the coming of a "gun safe" administration, people will remember and will believe that they are only one election cycle away from everything going back to "the way it was." They aren't going to stop buying ammo just because some guy with an "R" after his name is in office. (In fact, I predict that the gun industry will ride this cycle now, driven by consumer paranoia, every time a "D" gets into office.-This is the new normal.)

Lastly, the shooting public has proven, beyond all doubt, that we're stupid enough to pay scalper prices for 22LR (and other) ammo. Simple laws of economics state that when prices are too high, you stop buying. We didn't stop. The manufacturers know this. If, as some hope, the craze dies down and prices per round plummet...all that is needed is a reduction in production rates to keep the prices up. (Ammo is a commodity, same as oil. Price per barrel/per round goes down, stop producing, watch price rise.)

So, for any number or related and unrelated reasons, you can completely forget about ever seeing affordable 22LR ammo again. And we did it to ourselves.

I believe that for the .22 LR market, what we are currently going through is the new normal; if you see good quality .22 for a good price, buy it because if you don't, someone else will.

I don't think we have to worry about any administration passing a federal law dealing with gun control. It's too hot button of an issue and for the past few years, gun supporters have been winning the argument. Nationally, I don't believe we have to worry about legislation, but state and local is the current battle.

States like Oregon and Washington are in the liberal zone of influence and if enough D's get into state legislatures and there's a D governor, Washington, Oregon, and Virginia can kiss their "hi capacity mags and assault weapons" goodbye.

It's important people stay active in their states when it comes to gun rights.

 

[acdodd]

Bi Mart has .22 for .055 a round.
Still 100 round limit per day but 3 of us shopping I can get what I need.
They sell out of multi round boxes pretty fast but there is still .22 available.

 

[BK]

Bi Mart has .22 for .055 a round.
Still 100 round limit per day but 3 of us shopping I can get what I need.
They sell out of multi round boxes pretty fast but there is still .22 available.

What's sad is that all the cry babies in this thread will not come back to read, learn, nor challenge your truth. They don't actually try to acquire the product that they complain about not having.

They think hoarders are the problem. But their lax effort is their real problem.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Bi Mart has .22 for .055 a round.

Still 100 round limit per day but 3 of us shopping I can get what I need.

They sell out of multi round boxes pretty fast but there is still .22 available.

You mean you can get all the 22ammo you need!

All you need to do is be waiting in line a 7:45 on Tuesday mornings with three buddies


No.... there's no problem that's absurd (sarcasm)

 

[danez71]

I think "Debbie Downer" is still available for a screen name


Seriously though... availability is getting better and they haven't mandated using some else for wheel weights so maybe it's a bit premature to declare the 22lr on the verge of extinction.

 

[TruthTellers]

On a related note, I keep waiting for the other foot to drop. The collapse of demand for 22LR firearms. IMHO, you'd have to be a fool, or a fanatic, (or both) to even consider buying anything in 22LR. If yo owned one prior to this, yo're stuck with it, sort of. But why buy anymore?

As someone suggested, 9mm is the net best thing. (I tend to think 38 special, but you get the idea.) I'm surprised we haven't heard of 9mm/38 guns disappearing off shelves and increased demand for those calibers.

I'm surprised we haven't seen 22LR firearms for sale online at fire sale prices.

I don't even bother with 22LR ammo anymore, and I won't buy anymore guns in that caliber. When my ammo runs out, the guns go on Craigslist. Done. In my view, buying/owning a 22LR gun is like buying a junk bond.

Why would someone buy a 22LR firearm when, for the cost of a modest supply of ammo, say 5-6 bricks (1-2 yrs' worth perhaps) one can pick up a small caliber centerfire firearm and have an accessible supply of ammo? Or better yet, for the cost of 3-4 bricks, one can buy a quality air rifle and a zillion pellets.

It amazes me how little gun owners understand of economics.

The reason people will still buy into .22 is because there will be people who share your opinion and sell their .22 guns and not bother anymore. As people exit the .22 market, the supply will go up and the prices will recede.

Do I think shooters should look into other cartridges for shooting pleasure? Yup. The ammunition market with .22 is too volitile and another problem with .22 is you can't reload it. Were it possible to reload, I'm sure it wouldn't be as much of an issue today.

I think if enough people get fed up with the shortage, there may be a point where black powder guns, especially revolvers, will start to become popular and replace the .22 rifles as plinking guns. Looking at it cost wise, it's about $50/1000 caps and $20 for a pound of powder. You can make your own wads and cast your own bullets and bring the price down to something near $0.15 a shot.

Of course, there will be the mess of black powder and that may turn enough people off and just decide to get into reloading 9mm. Whatever they choose, the point of ditching .22 isn't just for cost, it's also for plain ability to shoot something.

 

[yugorpk]

On a related note, I keep waiting for the other foot to drop. The collapse of demand for 22LR firearms. IMHO, you'd have to be a fool, or a fanatic, (or both) to even consider buying anything in 22LR. If yo owned one prior to this, yo're stuck with it, sort of. But why buy anymore?

As someone suggested, 9mm is the net best thing. (I tend to think 38 special, but you get the idea.) I'm surprised we haven't heard of 9mm/38 guns disappearing off shelves and increased demand for those calibers.

I'm surprised we haven't seen 22LR firearms for sale online at fire sale prices.

I don't even bother with 22LR ammo anymore, and I won't buy anymore guns in that caliber. When my ammo runs out, the guns go on Craigslist. Done. In my view, buying/owning a 22LR gun is like buying a junk bond.

Why would someone buy a 22LR firearm when, for the cost of a modest supply of ammo, say 5-6 bricks (1-2 yrs' worth perhaps) one can pick up a small caliber centerfire firearm and have an accessible supply of ammo? Or better yet, for the cost of 3-4 bricks, one can buy a quality air rifle and a zillion pellets.

It amazes me how little gun owners understand of economics.

A guy at work who has about 1/2 Million rounds in his basement explained it to me this way...."When the government collapses .22LR will be like currency"...

As in seriously?

I researched it a bit and thats when I sold off my .22 guns and essentially gave up on the caliber. It has nothing to do with supply and demand or .22 shooters buying up the stock. Its into the realm of the looney's and you can't fight that without stooping to their level. People are buying this stuff up who have no intention of ever using it as ammunition and they will buy all they can afford to buy.

 

[FROGO207]

The attractive thing with .22 is you can grab a firearm and 1K of ammo in one hand and head off to the range and just shoot it all afternoon. Try doing that with 9MM or 38 Spl. It weighs a butt load more. Easy/compact to store easy to transport wins the day so the .22 will be around for the long haul. You guys also forget that there are a pile of people who have nearly forgotten .22 firearms that belonged to say gramps that now they feel the need to get a couple of bricks for "just in case". That will suck up a few million more rounds for sure. Yeah the gun community is it's own worst enemy for sure.:banghead:

Another topic.
The .22 WRF mentioned above has a limited run of production every year or so in vintage looking tan and red boxes. It costs about the same as low end .22 MAG ammo costs. I buy a half dozen boxes whenever it reappears. I use it in my .22 Mag revolvers for low power duties. Kind of like using .22 short in a LR chamber. Then I do not have to change the cylinder to .22 LR. As well as a couple are .22 Mag only. Look on gunbot or ammoseek.com

 

[Bama Drifter]

IMHO we have about 2 yrs left before mfg. get caught up on rimfire ammo. My reason for that prognostication is twofold.
#1 There are MORE new shooters now than ever before, many who bought a pistol or AR after Sandy Hook, then decided a 10/22 or Model 60 was the next best thing to shoot when they couldn't find .223 ammo. All these THOUSANDS of NEW SHOOTERS, women and children especially, are buying and shooting .22LR as much as Regular Joes like us have been doing since we were knee high to a grasshopper. That's the demand side of our equation.

#2 An industry rep (Olin Corp.) who my gun shop has dealt with many times in the past mentioned to me last year during our Fall Hunting Classic, that they were working as FAST as POSSIBLE to get caught up. How fast? Three shifts, seven days a week. That's the supply side. When at that rate did he figure they'd meet demand? He said three years at current demand... so in TWO YEARS this will be just another funny memory.

 

[JSH1]

On a related note, I keep waiting for the other foot to drop. The collapse of demand for 22LR firearms. IMHO, you'd have to be a fool, or a fanatic, (or both) to even consider buying anything in 22LR. If yo owned one prior to this, yo're stuck with it, sort of. But why buy anymore?

As I noted above, I just bought my first 22 rifle a month ago. Within a week I bought 2000 rounds of ammo with very little effort.

It amazes me how little gun owners understand of economics.

22 LR is still by far the cheapest round you can commercially buy and shoot in a rifle. That is simple economics.