Times they are a' changin! .22 on the shelf-

[Just Jim]

Good analogy. So using that assume that the 22LR corn is perennial and takes 7-10 years to pay off the seeds.

The seed cost is like the investment in a new production line. A short term bubble won't pay off the production if sales drop once again to pre madness levels. If you have made the decision to gear up/staff up, you'll have to drop prices just to cover overhead and your profits will go down.

Look I'm with you, I'm not sure demand will ever go down based on all of this madness. If it doesn't, I'm sure quite a few ammo manufacturers will be kicking themselves.

Odds are demand will do nothing but go up for 22lr but notice we don't even have imports to help with the demand. Lots of countries make 22lr but it's not getting to us so in my thinking this shortage of 22lr is not due to market forces but to some regulation or oversite. Who knows? Any way I am done with conversation and it has been pleasant talking to you.

 

[IronMonster]

http://www.outdoorhub.com/stories/2...ever-wondered-how-rimfire-ammunition-is-made/

Ok so it's 4 million rounds a day, and that is just one manufacture. 8 thousand bricks a day seems significant to me

I weighed a brick, it's about 4 pounds. So 32,000 pounds a day. 224,000 pounds a week. Around 5800 tons, over 11 million pounds of .22 shells a year. That is one facility.

 

[IronMonster]

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2014/05/how-22-lr-ammunition-is-made-must-see-video/

Wrong link

 

[Flopsweat]

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2014/05/how-22-lr-ammunition-is-made-must-see-video/

Wrong link

Looks copies of that video are being taken down due to copyright issues. I can't find a working link to it anymore.

 

[BillGabby1]

Just a thought, we know the panic was brought about by fear mongering. We all got the same story and reacted to it by grabbing all we could get our hands on and the panic hasn't quite stopped yet. People are still trying to stock up because they are still afraid 22 ammo will disappear and they don't want to be left with nothing to shoot thru their favorite pea shooter, I was caught up in this artificial shortage just as everyone else was. Many saw a chance to make a profit from the shortage by buying everything in sight, then turning around and peddling it through forums such as this or even from their tailgate on the corner for huge markups!
Now factor in the increase in people buying guns and have to buy something to shoot thru them. Rimfire is the only ammo that you can't feasibly reload, so you HAVE to buy it, much like gasoline. The market is growing and eventually the producers will have to expand production to satisfy demand That's why they are in business in the first place. To supply a need! But I'm sure they are being cautious for reasons posted earlier by others. Will we see more ammo on the shelves? Maybe so, will the prices come down, maybe so? it all depends on the buying public getting out of the panic mode and waiting for production to catch up I have my little cach and am waiting, I will shoot a few now and then to keep my eye in and have a little fun, but I'm not going to pay $5 for a box of 50 anymore! Unless and until I see there isn't any choice.
So be patient folks this too shall pass!
Gabby

 

[Truenorth]

Renewed my membership at Outdoor Emporium yesterday.
Why?

They've had some sort or another of .22 LR in stock every time I've been in there since December.

Yeah it's still 2 boxes of each kind per customer per day but that's more than I shoot.
Good news is, regular price and plenty on hand. No price gouging or hording.
325 rd box of cheapo federal, $13. Copper plated 100 rd CCi Mini-mag, $6. Eley target $5/50 rd.

Eventually all the hoarders selling overpriced .22 bricks on Gunbroker will run out of desperate buyers and the stock levels in stores across the US will get back to normal.

 

[BillGabby1]

Renewed my membership at Outdoor Emporium yesterday.
Why?


Eventually all the hoarders selling overpriced .22 bricks on Gunbroker will run out of desperate buyers and the stock levels in stores across the US will get back to normal.

When the retailers have plenty of stock and their prices are lower than the gougers, the gougers will be out of business. Looking forward to seeing a bunch of ammo at bargain prices from those tailgate sellers. Serves them right!
Gabby

Saw one set up in town today and strolled over and checked him out and just about fell on my face he was charging over $30 for one of those 325 boxes of Federal bulk. No way! Of course he told me people are still buying it at that price and I said not me! Same price for 9mm FMJ 50 round box practice ammo what a rip off! The most I've paid was $19.95 a while back for FMJ because I needed more brass.

 

[razormanxx]

Yup there's a great deal in the ammo section right now has 22 bricks and 12 buckets.

 

[Joe13]

 

[bakersman345]

That's not the case in the Vancouver portland area...

Check out mill plain WalMart-- I've been getting 225 round boxes for 11 bucks. Seems pretty consistent (not after I post this message it won't be)

 

[Oregon Rob]

Come on guys… There was an artificial shortage that lead to panic that lead to hoarding. What's the natural result? Typical response is for manufactures to increase production, the hoarders end up with more than they need and everything eventually calms down. All of you thinking you are all that and a bag of chips sitting on a mountain of ammo that you paid too much for may have buyers remorse when the market drops. But I know that most will find another way to convince themselves that it really was a good idea to spend thousands at $40 a brickJ



Just like any other bubble… Housing, gas…..

Or I could be wrong but i doubt it

 

[IronMonster]

More than I need? Hey man I have a legitimate need for 40 + bricks, but I paid more like $14/brick for mine. I don't NEED any at $40/brick

 

[Oregon Rob]

The way we should have reacted as soon as the "shortage" started was to boycott. Too bad for that old human nature thing…

 

[phathom]

I would be amazed to find ANY 22lr on the shelf. I just stopped by Sportsman's in Vancouver. They just got a shipment in this morning. They are completely out.
I have gone in there every shipment day for the last two months, as early as 10AM, they open at 9, and all have been sold.

The problem isn't the production, it's those scumbags who bring extra people to up their limit and buy every box they can, then turn around and put it on here or gunbroker for $75-100/box.
They are the ones making the shortage continue. We need to discourage this behavior by not buying from them. If it's not profitable for them, they won't have any reason to continue and the ammo will get back on the shelves.

I bought a 10/22 for myself this Christmas and don't even want to shoot it because I can't find ammo. The last time I saw any on the shelf I bought it, it was 2 225ct boxes of Golden Bullets at Wal-Mart at the end of 2012.

 

[Joe13]

I would be amazed to find ANY 22lr on the shelf. I just stopped by Sportsman's in Vancouver. They just got a shipment in this morning. They are completely out.
I have gone in there every shipment day for the last two months, as early as 10AM, they open at 9, and all have been sold.

The problem isn't the production, it's those scumbags who bring extra people to up their limit and buy every box they can, then turn around and put it on here or gunbroker for $75-100/box.
They are the ones making the shortage continue. We need to discourage this behavior by not buying from them. If it's not profitable for them, they won't have any reason to continue and the ammo will get back on the shelves.

I bought a 10/22 for myself this Christmas and don't even want to shoot it because I can't find ammo. The last time I saw any on the shelf I bought it, it was 2 225ct boxes of Golden Bullets at Wal-Mart at the end of 2012.

2 things:

1 - I was in SW this morning at 9am and there wasn't a single box of .22. I happened to be in the area with time to burn at 11am and there were 6 bricks of .22lr and 4 boxes of .22wmr. They have been for awhile puting it out at odd hours of the day just to keep people from bringing in a group and buying it all up. All you have to do is talk to the counter folks at any sports store to find out what the store policy and delivery days and times are.

2 - Im curious what drove you to buy a 10/22 for Xmas of 2014 when the last time you personally were able to find ammo for it was in 2012...

 

[OcelotZ3]

Hey, I've picked up a few 22's recently but the last time I was able to buy 22lr ammunition for a reasonable price was in 2012 or even further ago... I can't remember. Haven't seen any on the shelf at either of our Bi-Marts here in town, nor Big 5, for 2-3 years now... But I do still have a stash since I would just buy some when it went on sale.

 

[Joe13]

Hey, I've picked up a few 22's recently but the last time I was able to buy 22lr ammunition for a reasonable price was in 2012 or even further ago... I can't remember. Haven't seen any on the shelf at either of our Bi-Marts here in town, nor Big 5, for 2-3 years now... But I do still have a stash since I would just buy some when it went on sale.

.22's are showing up slowly at the Van bimarts. Call and ask when the delivery days are. Unfortunatly, they put it out at 9am so you would have to be at one when they open to get some.

 

[IronMonster]

There has never been a shortage of .22LR. What there has been a shortage of is CHEAP .22LR. A self induced and self reinforcing spiral not caused by not enough ammo, but caused by panic and fear. I hope this is a lesson to folks and when things normalize they simply buy a case or two and put it up. If you would have spent $300 for two cases before the panic you would have went in to it with enough ammo to ride it out without worry (most folks anyway, 20 bricks would last a couple years. Instead we had everybody panic and paying scalpers double and triple what it cost before to have a few boxes. Quit paying for ammo on the secondary market and soon plenty of ammo will be on the shelf

 

[mcfoto]

Quit paying for ammo on the secondary market and soon plenty of ammo will be on the shelf

This is a lesson I've recently learned. I'm a new shooter who also got myself a 10/22 for Christmas. My son-in-law gave me a 525 box of Remington economy. While I was working through that starter box, I started developing my own circuit of stores, buying when ever it was available at quantities they would allow. Never bought from private parties on Armslist but embarrassed to admit that I've paid up to $20 a 50 box for some boutique range stuff. Through some good luck and timing, involving having days off and being available to go during business hours, I've now got a reasonable stash (about a year's supply at current consumption rate). Recently at Cabela's I actually did NOT buy some more of the high-priced stuff when it was on the shelf. However, the psychology of hoarding is strong and it took some willpower. I did come across some Thunderbolt at the usual $3 a box yesterday and readily got my wallet out.

 

[Joe13]

Just walked out of Bimart with a 333 brick of Winchester HP.