.22 rimfire - is the drought over?

[The Heretic]

Most of the offers online are now "no limit" for bulk ammo, sometimes even for slightly "premium" ammo (e.g., CCI mini mag) - have been for a while. Many are with free shipping above a certain amount.

I have stopped buying such ammo out of reflex and I am guessing maybe others are/will as well, which will probably decrease backed up demand and increase product in the pipeline.

It will take a while for some to catch on - like retail stores and private sellers here (I haven't seen one here for quite a while that wasn't asking more than I could have it shipped to my door), but when they do I think we will see demand go down some more as the people who don't buy online fill up on what is offered FTF.

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[etrain16]

Not sure if it's over just yet, but it does seem to be getting better. I have yet to walk into any store and see bricks for sale - maybe I'm just hitting the wrong days, but I'm not seeing them at all. Everything else I've been finding has been 50-round boxes, usually over-priced.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Up here where I live , the supply has gotten better.
I tend to see it more on the shelf ... But some stores still have limits
Plus word gets out and folks flock to buy.
So I'm still in the if I see it and have the cash , I'll buy it mode.

As for price it can vary ... But I also understand that its not 1970 something any more.
That being said there are guys who are "selling" at blackmail prices at gunshows around here.
Andy

 

[etrain16]

Just saw this listing too - $19.99 for Federal 325 round packs - that's .061/round - good price. If you buy $99 or more, you can get $5 shipping. And, NO LIMIT:

Federal .22 LR 36 Gr. HP Value Pack 325 Rounds - $19.99 (NO LIMIT)

Edit - this is Cabela's, so you can save on shipping if you are close enough to have it ship to store. Looks like it's still in stock too.

 

[The Heretic]

Beyond liking to cruise gun shops, why bother shopping retail when you can get it shipped to your door for much less??

 

[etrain16]

Beyond liking to cruise gun shops, why bother shopping retail when you can get it shipped to your door for much less??

Well I just ordered 3 boxes (budget limit at the moment), so I didn't qualify for the lower shipping. In my case, I've got a Cabela's not far away, so I'll just pick it up there when it comes in. But yeah, if I bought more, it would be nice to just have it shipped home.

 

[Alexx1401]

Most of the offers online are now "no limit" for bulk ammo, sometimes even for slightly "premium" ammo (e.g., CCI mini mag) - have been for a while. Many are with free shipping above a certain amount.

I have stopped buying such ammo out of reflex and I am guessing maybe others are/will as well, which will probably decrease backed up demand and increase product in the pipeline.

It will take a while for some to catch on - like retail stores and private sellers here (I haven't seen one here for quite a while that wasn't asking more than I could have it shipped to my door), but when they do I think we will see demand go down some more as the people who don't buy online fill up on what is offered FTF.

It's over for buying on line at least. I finally stopped buying for myself as I now have so much there was no place to put it. I still have to search for some of the "specialty" ammo. I was buying for several people I work with as I had net access all night and could jump on stuff as it came in. They are all buying on their own now as the stuff lasts days instead of minutes. Have not been to any of the large stores in a while so don't know if it's stacked up there yet. There is all you want on line now.
I do hope more people will remember this one though. There was a LOT of weeping and crying when this one hit. When it did I was sitting on 10K. A LOT of people had only a couple hundred and of course were pissed. The stuff is cheap and easy to store. I always tell people slowly build up as much as you figure you would need for at least one year. Then as you use it buy more. Does not take much to set off another panic.

 

[The Heretic]

I thought I had 5 to 10K and wasn't worried until I actually tried to find it. I think it is still out there somewhere packed away in a box with the rest of the stuff I didn't unpack when I moved.

So I bought and bought and bought some more, but never at more than 8 cents per round and usually a bit less - now I have between 20 and 30K, and I am just keeping my eyes open for premium and other non-mainstream types (shorts, subsonic, match, etc.).

 

[308]

I'm waiting for the day BiMart is flush with CCI Velocitors and Stingers, however, that probably won't happen until all the retired baby boomer enthusiasts become immobile and haven't the strength to pilfer the shelves anymore.

 

[Crohnos01]

Just saw this listing too - $19.99 for Federal 325 round packs - that's .061/round - good price. If you buy $99 or more, you can get $5 shipping. And, NO LIMIT:

Federal .22 LR 36 Gr. HP Value Pack 325 Rounds - $19.99 (NO LIMIT)

Edit - this is Cabela's, so you can save on shipping if you are close enough to have it ship to store. Looks like it's still in stock too.

Thanks for that. I just ordered 5 boxes to get the flat rate.... I have been shooting my stockpile down and that's a good price. I mostly have bolt actions and wheel guns so cheap stuff is good.

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

.22LR has got to be theeeee most popular caliber and the planet...

The supplies may be up but .22LR is still over priced; probably not going to come down-much either.

 

[The Heretic]

.22LR has got to be theeeee most popular caliber and the planet...

The supplies may be up but .22LR is still over priced; probably not going to come down-much either.

But you can pretty much buy as much as you want at 6 to 7 cents per round.

I don't think it will every go back to 2 cents per round, maybe never below 5 cents per round.

 

[Tilos]

I believe many shooters turned away from 22 because of availability and took up reloading center fire in pistol calibers.
I suspect many will not return, I haven't...yet

 

[WAYNO]

I believe it's gotten far better. But...

I'm on auto pilot when I enter Bi Mart, and I head straight for the ammo counter. More times than not, they are still void of .22 rimfire ammo.

 

[AMT]

This past gun show at the Portland EXPO center there were your "arm and leg" prices for it. BUT, there was one table selling the Federal 325 round boxes for $19. No limit. I saw another table had the same thing for $20 per box.

Of course there were a bunch of tables that had it for $35 per box!

I do agree they are becoming a little more available. And seeing the prices at the show, I believe the prices are coming down a little (a lot!) too.

It is all about supply and demand. I think once supply catches up with demand, it may get to the 4-5 cents per round.

I also feel the days of 2 cents per round are gone too.

Then again, a gallon of gas isn't $1 anymore either.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I'm waiting for the day BiMart is flush with CCI Velocitors and Stingers, however, that probably won't happen until all the retired baby boomer enthusiasts become immobile and haven't the strength to pilfer the shelves anymore.

Lol. Yea, when gas hits $6/ga their vulturistic puttering will be limited to the garage..

 

[HB of CJ]

Capitalism. I think the .22 rim fire outrage will end when you can go into any big box store and buy a brick of 500 of good ammo for about 10 bucks. Maybe 15 bucks. For excellent match ammo maybe 20 bucks. No more. Until then it is all about profit which is good for them but not for us. Just saying.

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

I believe many shooters turned away from 22 because of availability and took up reloading center fire in pistol calibers.
I suspect many will not return, I haven't...yet

X2

Some people broken-down and got into 17 HMR; also known as the Sage Rat eviscerator.

 

[WAYNO]

I also think it's a pipe dream that rimfire ammo will return to 1970 prices. I'm not asking for that, nor do I expect that. I just look forward to a time when the ammo is instantly available, for todays prices, including todays inflation. Inflation will not be erased.

I always knew I had to pay a premium for Mini Mag ammo. 7-to-8 cents a round, even before the shortage. So 5-to-6 cents for cheaper ammo is not unreasonable. When minimum wage was 2-bucks an hour, .22 ammo was 2-cents a round. Now minimun wage is more than 4-times this amount, so it's not unreasonable to expect the prices of ammo to multiply 4-times.

WAYNO.

 

[WAYNO]

And speaking of .17 rimfire. I found it remaining on the shelves long after the .22 shortage. But I also saw prices of 14+ bucks per 50 rounds. I like the .17 rimfire. But at those prices, I will not replace my .22's with it.

Very recently, I saw .17 HMR for 10-bucks per fifty. That's a better price improvement than I will ever expect to see with .22 rimfire.


WAYNO.