.22 ammo bubble about to burst?

[jnyork]

Maybe not bursting yet, but cracking a little. The madness appears to be on the wane over at Gunbroker, sellers still listing at scalper prices, but almost nobody buying, most are "no sale". Hope they choke on it.

[plowboy 45]

+ 1

[Rusty]

+2 AMEN!

[mikld]

Yeah, starting to see some 22s around here. I'm lucky that I had some on hand prior to the madness. I'd rather not shoot my rimfires than pay some scalper's (A-hole) crazy prices...

[J Miller]

Prior to this fiasco I or my wife would buy a box or three when ever we could. Usually a bulk pack a month or so.

I've got a small reserve and will buy more when I can. But the finances have not permitted us to buy at scalpers prices. Last we bought was a couple 50 rd boxes of shorts at WalMart a year or so ago.

Joe

[Chuck 100 yd]

Local gun show prices are down close to 50% from 6 mo. ago. Hard to find any in stores due to scalpers still trying to clean house with them. I to hope they choke on them.

[Sixgun]

Mr JNYORK ,
Look here, as I'm not trying to brag. In reality, I am just a peon forklift driver who happens to know "people in the know".

I claimed right here several months ago that the shortage was due to the fiscal year, taxes, and other things way over my peon brain and that the ammo was going to be released this fall, or words to that effect.

Targetmaster, my bud who owns the place and is one of the best connected people in the country has every kind of .22 ammo for sale, including CCI MIni-Mags.

These things always start in the East, with buddies who are connected first, and will work their way to you guys out West.--------6

[Ysabel Kid]

At the last gun show, back in August, saw some scalpers still trying to sell bulk boxes for north of $65, but fortunately no takers. Like others, I hope they choke on these too!

Mind you, I have no problem with supply and demand setting prices. But part of the reason why there is no supply to us regular folks is that the scalpers were buying up everything and trying to make a quick buck. Timing is everything - and hopefully they get burned!

[3leggedturtle]

i never realized there was an ammo shortage! Hope they have to will them to their family.

[Streetstar]

I dont shoot much .22 --- i bought about 12 bulk pack boxes in 2009 -- still have most of it-- although i admit , part of the reason i havent shot much of it is the worry about not being able to replace what i shoot

[1894cfan]

Was over at the local Big 5 in Milpitas, Calif. yesterday and, surprise, they had about 5 boxes of Win 555 ammo for about $60 each. I'll pass on those prices!

[mikld]

Not bragging! but, Every time I'd go to the local big-box store I'd cruise through the sporting goods dept. and if the 22 bulk stuff was on sale, I'd pick up a brick. Not hoarding, not prepping, just saw some and bought some. I still have 9 or 10 bricks of assorted 22 lr. and several 100 rd. packs of CCI Green Tag, and mebbe 8, 100 rd. packs of .17 HMR. Whenever I got a new rimfire I'd buy at least two 50 rd. boxes of every kind of .22 lr. I could find (mostly from on line vendors) to see which ammo my gun liked the best, and I still have mebbe a dozen of partial boxes of widely assorted .22 ammo.

Perhaps my purchases were keeping me "connected" with my shooting even for a few minutes at the store?

[Idahoser]

Just like anything else people buy as an investment hoping it will go up. Either it will or it won't. They can ask anything they like, as long as I'm not being forced to buy it (see "insurance").

I once had the idea that I would buy generators and start a business selling them for 20x what I paid. Of course I'd never sell a one.

.
.
.
until the power goes out.
Does that make me a "scalper"?
What do I care what you call me? My investment paid off.
Don't like it, don't buy it. Should'a beat me to it so you can sell yours cheap.

[Glenn]

Was in Wally World last week and asked the guy in the sporting goods department (this store does not have guns!) about 22 ammo. He said the manager was going to bring two 1000 round cartons out in the AM and there would be two fellows there waiting to snatch them up and re-sell them at the gun show. He was trying to get other folks to beat them into the line. I have to work for a living, couldn't help. Still $65 for 500 at the gun show last weekend. One guy wanted $90 for Win Wildcats!!
Glenn

[Ray Newman]

Do not know if it is about to burst or not.

Have often thought if there is a .22 ammunition "dump" on the market, what is to keep those who do not have any or very little from buying it all in hopes of living through the next powder-primer-ammunition shortage or run on components??....

[kaschi]

Just out of curiosity, how is the supply of 22 ammo in other countries? Maybe some of our international friends can give us an update.

[2LT Van Cott]

Do not know if it is about to burst or not.

Have often thought if there is a .22 ammunition "dump" on the market, what is to keep those who do not have any or very little from buying it all in hopes of living through the next powder-primer-ammunition shortage or run on components??....

I am going to be one who buys all I can afford/store because there WILL be another "shortage".

[firefuzz]

Back before any ammo "shortage", I'm talking about 1980 thru 2000, I used to buy a brick of .22 LR and 2 boxes of each 12ga buck and slugs every payday, every other week. Cost.....about $20. During the fall when shotshells were on sale I'd buy at least a case each of 12ga and 20ga, sometimes 2 each, even in the years I knew I wouldn't get to go bird hunting, but it was not uncommon for me and the kids to burn up a brick of .22's or half a case of shotshells on a weekend we got to go shooting, which there weren't near enough of those after my first divorce. About every month I'd buy .223 and 9mm by the 1,000rd case back when it was way under $200 , but I've shot quite a bit of than in my own training and teaching my family the use of the AR15's and Glocks I've built and bought for each of them. But even allowing for that I've still got a few bricks and cases stuck back. I never bought any of it with the intent to do anything but shoot it, and I like to keep some on hand...just in case. When people ask me how much ammo I have on hand I have a stock answer.....not enough, same with magazines.

About two and a-half years ago a couple of my buddies and I set up at a local gun show and along with several guns I brought out, thinning the herd, I brought along some of the ammo, not really caring if I sold it or not. I sold or traded of 6 bricks of .22 LR, a 1,000rd case of 9mm, a 250rd case of buckshot, and a 1,000rd case of .223.....questioning my sanity at every transaction. Did I sell or trade it at a higher price than I had paid for it? Yes...considerably. When it was all over I had several cases of new MRE's to supplement my food storage, a new set of tires for my daughter's car which she desperately needed, a new bullet-proof vest for my son who moonlights as a armed security guard, and a few other items for my end of days kit.

Did I do anything wrong? Not in my mind. I put the goods on the table with a price, which was cheaper than anyone else's there, and if someone wanted it for that they bought it, I never held a gun on anyone forcing them to. In essence, IMHO at least, I traded goods that I had legally procured for other items that I needed at the time and couldn't have otherwise readily afforded to purchase.

I guess I fit into the group of people I recently overheard being called ammo whore's in a local gun shop, but I don't buy it with the intent of selling it for a profit, I buy to meet my own future needs for shooting or to use as trade-bait for other items I need. If the prices of ammo come back down to a reasonable level will I buy more? You bet...."How much ammo do you have?" "Not enough."

Rob

[Streetstar]

Was in Wally World last week and asked the guy in the sporting goods department (this store does not have guns!) about 22 ammo. He said the manager was going to bring two 1000 round cartons out in the AM and there would be two fellows there waiting to snatch them up and re-sell them at the gun show. He was trying to get other folks to beat them into the line. I have to work for a living, couldn't help. Still $65 for 500 at the gun show last weekend. One guy wanted $90 for Win Wildcats!!
Glenn

Our store enacted a 3 or 4 box total daily limit to keep pecker heads like that at bay


Then again, like firefuzz said ---- if at a show, nobody is forcing anyone to buy .22's at escalated prices. It would be far more insidious if it was something like food or water, but for most, its items used in a recreational capacity

[JB]

Was in Wally World last week and asked the guy in the sporting goods department (this store does not have guns!) about 22 ammo. He said the manager was going to bring two 1000 round cartons out in the AM and there would be two fellows there waiting to snatch them up and re-sell them at the gun show. He was trying to get other folks to beat them into the line. I have to work for a living, couldn't help. Still $65 for 500 at the gun show last weekend. One guy wanted $90 for Win Wildcats!!
Glenn

I'm starting to see more 22LR ammo show up, but around here the scaplers are still buying up every bit they can find. They're lined up every morning at Walmart to buy it up for resale. A local FFL told me he's starting to get some in, but he's also still scalping it. He said several months ago that his last gun show table cost, $40.00, was paid for with the profit from one brick of 22LR. Now that's a profit margin!

[Blaine]

[quote="mikld"DA. eah, starting to see some 22s around here. I'm lucky that I had some on hand prior to the madness. I'd rather not shoot my rimfires than pay some scalper's (A-hole) crazy prices...[/quote]
+ 1000........Da Buggas

[JohndeFresno]

http://gun-deals.com/list/ammo/.22+LR
Sorting the deals by the last column, "Total CPR" (Total cost per round, w/ shipping),
you can find one current deal for 11.1 cents per round for .22 LR's online.

[vancelw]

The other day Cabelas had 500 rounds for 34.99 in stock at the store.
Didn't NEED it, but I bought a brick.

Got even with the Facebook hoarders by selling 6, 20 year old boxes of 50 federal lightning for 35 today.
Sooooo tempted to tell them what I just did........

[BobM]

I was at a Wal-mart in SW Ohio this morning that had Remington Target 22 in 50 rd boxes (limit 3). No one was lined up for it like they used to be.
I later went to Bass Pro in Cincinnati where they had CCI Mini mags, either solid, or HP, limit one. Other than that I haven't seen 22 LR on shelves in quite a while.

[H_Talon]

about three weeks ago I was in Walmart @ 0100hrs and lucked into 3 100rnd boxes of CCI mini mags
wife bought 3 also @ 7.80ish each. a couple of days later saw the same ammo at a local gun store
for 42.00 each. he said he buys them from other guys (scalpers) and has to mark them up to make
a profit. (nope didn't buy any from him nor will I buy any thing else either).

at the local gun show saw a table with all the brands sold by walmart @ 4X the price. so no bubble
bursting here !!!!!

glad I had several bricks on hand before the madness, 9mm is almost cheaper these days (well sort of

[vancelw]

glad I had several bricks on hand before the madness, 9mm is almost cheaper these days (well sort of

Just about. If you don't mind steel case I see it for $9.95 and brass for $11.00 already. That would make 500 rounds 50-55 dollars.
This hoarding/panic pricing has gone on so long, that even if the bubble burst instantly, the scaplers have made a tidy profit.
I don't mind a guy selling what he already had at the current price if it benefits him....but these guys scarfing it all up solely to drive the price up
One of our local pawn shops has two or three guys camp out at WM every morning to buy up all the 22 LR at 3 boxes each time they get back in line. Then makes it up from $21.99 to $75.00 I haven't set foot in there in 2 years and probably won't again.

[Canuck Bob]

Supply here in alberta was never as bad as reported in the United States. Recently shelves dipped some but ammo has always been available at reasonable prices considering the times. I don't shop for it a lot but it seems CCI is getting rare. I'm hoping to see some CCI Quiet stuff but never pops up where I browse.

[JohndeFresno]

All of the above is why, almost always, I ended up buying what .22 LR ammo I needed in large lots from reputable online sources who forego the shipping charges. Some do it all or most of the time, some have specials. Using a "bot" - an automated search engine as noted above - saves you a lot of time.

I studied the reloading option shortly after President Clinton took office, seeing the handwriting on the wall (not a political argument; but a documentable series of facts).

Even if components get more expensive, they are still easier to obtain than the loaded ammo. Posted here, many times: Reloading is a great hobby which allows for less expensive, readily available loads. As a bonus, the advanced, careful practitioner can create highly customized loads. For a single caliber shooter with limited means, there is always the ultra portable, super inexpensive Lee Handloader and scores of cast bullet suppliers.

The kit below is available online for $29.99 at one site, at least:


And these last several years, handloading has allowed several of us to stay supplied with practice or hunting rounds - whichever is one's choice - when the sources have dried up for other shooters, or at least skyrocketed in price. That "temporary" drought of ammo under this current Administration, as predicted by so many "experts" in the trade, has proven to be a long epidemic of far reaching shortages. "Panic purchasing?" "War demands?" "Hoarding and scalping?" "Conspiracies?" - Who cares? The reality is that it is "still here."

Frankly, I think we will see many shortages for several more months, if not made permanent by certain factions.