22LR cost

[GMFan]

I'm starting to find .22LR pretty regularly on Saturday mornings. I have been lucky stopping in Saturday mornings and they have some boxes of .22LR left. Not surprisingly it does sell out pretty fast though. A few weeks ago I bought a brick of Federal .22 and I think I paid something like $22 for it. That was the only time I found a bulk box, otherwise it was a 2 or 3 box limit of 50 CCI (which is usually what they have).

The best folks can do is never buy from scalpers. Refuse to pay ridiculous prices on the .22 ammo and the scalpers will stop going through the effort of raiding the stores.

Since .22LR is becoming somewhat available around here hopefully it collapses the sellers market and things can get back to normal that much faster.

 

[L_Sludger]

Bulkammo.com is charging full neckbeard prices for .22LR. $7.50 for 50 rounds bad.

 

[jhs914]

Originally Posted By: Panzerman
The funny thing. they use the same type brass rim fire shells for nail guns at work and the price for that ammo hasn't gone up, so either the ammo makers are taking advantage of morons or lead has now become a precious metal.


The EPA just forced the closing of the last lead smelting plant in the USA. It had been operating continuously for over 100 years in Missouri. Now all lead will have to be imported. Without lead there can be no bullets (except all copper, $$$$). No bullets = no ammo, no ammo and a gun is just a club. All of this is not an accident. Remember this when you go to vote this November and remember which party supports all of this and vote your conscience.

 

[Astro14]

I don't know that the lead smelting plant closure is an issue. All of the big manufacturers have said that it doesn't affect their capacity. "American Rifleman" (to which I get a free subscription as a member of the NRA) had a good article on this a while back. Simply: consumer demand has spiked. Manufacturers are running 3 shifts at their plants and updating equipment.

But that demand is from us. DHS and DOD orders are actually down...and aside from 22LR, ammo prices have dropped considerably in the last few months. I can get 1000 rnds of Federal 9mm for $299 at my LGS for example, and I picked up 500 rnds of 5.56mm XM193 (Federal) for $199 recently at my LGS. The reason that 22LR hasn't dropped is that demand has stayed high. We buy that stuff, not the feds (they buy lots of ammo, but none of it is 22LR)...and we're the source of the demand. Ammo like 22LR doesn't use the same tooling as centerfire, so production capacity can't be shifted

That said, I recommend signing up for notifications from Midway... I recently bought 500 rnds of CCI 36 GR 22 LR Minimag for $7.19/box of 100 for example. I gave a few boxes to friends who haven't been able to get any. I also bought a brick of 22LR for $21/500....and a box of 500 rnds of new production 30-06 for an M1 for $359 from Midway as well...but I digress...

I would strongly encourage you to take advantage of the relatively low prices on your favorite calibers and stock up. I personally avoid dealing with suppliers who charged well above reasonable prices during the last demand spike (you know who you are, CTD...).

22LR demand will drop at some point...and then I plan to stock up on that as well. My guess is that statements from certain politicians will continue to drive demand in episodic spikes...and I don't want to be caught in one of those spikes again, unable to find what I want except at scalper prices...

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: 2cool
I saw this addressed in an article somewhere online. Part of the reason for the smaller supply is that given the choice between centerfire and rimfire, more profit is in centerfire cartridges. Second is that the cost to produce 22LR is higher, and more painstaking too. Until the buying frenzy stops, they will naturally go where the profit is greatest. This is regardless of the party in power, and only partially influenced by the trade deficit.


This is not correct. The manufactures have brought on extra shifts, hired extra staff, bought extra machines, now working three shifts instead of two and running the machines 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to keep up with demand. Simply put, they are manufacturing as much 22LR ammo as they possibly can. They have brought on more manufacturing machines, but it is a fine balance. Buy too many expensive machines, demand dies down, and now you are stuck with expensive machines that sit unused.

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Buy too many expensive machines, demand dies down, and now you are stuck with expensive machines that sit unused.
they've been hollering that for the past few years but now that point is really ringing hollow. Make .22LR and they will come. There are more enthusiasts and shooters in the game now than before. demand will remain robust.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Originally Posted By: 2cool
I saw this addressed in an article somewhere online. Part of the reason for the smaller supply is that given the choice between centerfire and rimfire, more profit is in centerfire cartridges. Second is that the cost to produce 22LR is higher, and more painstaking too. Until the buying frenzy stops, they will naturally go where the profit is greatest. This is regardless of the party in power, and only partially influenced by the trade deficit.


This is not correct. The manufactures have brought on extra shifts, hired extra staff, bought extra machines, now working three shifts instead of two and running the machines 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to keep up with demand. Simply put, they are manufacturing as much 22LR ammo as they possibly can. They have brought on more manufacturing machines, but it is a fine balance. Buy too many expensive machines, demand dies down, and now you are stuck with expensive machines that sit unused.


And they still can't keep up with the hoarders and scalpers demands? And this has been going on for now about 2 years? Who's buying all this ammo? Crazy.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Buy too many expensive machines, demand dies down, and now you are stuck with expensive machines that sit unused.
they've been hollering that for the past few years but now that point is really ringing hollow. Make .22LR and they will come. There are more enthusiasts and shooters in the game now than before. demand will remain robust.


It's a business decision. Like airlines leasing jets and expanding when they're flush with cash flow....only to get hit with plummeting demand (Arab oil embargo, 9-11, SARS, Volcano, whatever, history is replete with examples), the loss of revenue and now, they can't make payments on capital equipment that they planned to amortize over 20 years. I would only very cautiously invest in capital equipment, were I them. And I would keep production high by running 3 shifts, maximizing the use of that capital equipment, and selling all the ammo I can make, which is exactly what they're doing.

Demand on 5.56 has returned to normal, you see it in the prices. It will follow in the boutique calibers, like 45-70, which I can't seem to find anywhere....or in the calibers that require unique production lines, like rimfires....

I share your frustration, believe me, but I think patience is called for on this one, you'll see prices come back down when everyone stops buying to hoard. In the meantime, stock up on your favorites while prices have returned to normal.

And take a look at buying a new AR...prices on those have returned to normal too....

I dollar cost average in the stock market, and I buy individual stocks when they're underpriced. I've been doing the same with ammo.

I just wish gasoline had a shelf life like ammo...I would be buying it too!!

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
And take a look at buying a new AR...prices on those have returned to normal too....


Historic lows!! You can get a new AR-15 these days for $450.

 

[jhs914]

I sympathize with people who are unable to buy .22 LR ammo and are not able to enjoy shooting for a reasonable cost. The shortage has not affected me because starting in 2007, based on the apparent looming political situation, I anticipated an anti-gun political agenda coming down the pike. I began to order .22 LR and reloading supplies online and would purchase a 500 round bulk pack of my favorite plinking .22 LR ammo every time I went to WalMart. When the shortage/panic hit I no longer needed to worry. I did not buy in order to sell later at a profit, I bought to have enough ammo to continue my target shooting hobby when the inevitable panic occurred after the anti-gun politicians were elected. I have achieved that goal.

This entire shortage/panic is based on the political climate regarding guns in this country. It started with the political reaction to mentally ill persons using guns to act out their deranged fantasies. The political reaction was to target guns/ammo rather than the mentally ill individuals who are still allowed to walk the streets. The effect, which I do not believe was unintended, is to restrict the availability of guns and ammo to law abiding citizens. Criminals, by the very definition of criminal, don't care what the law is and do not obey the law. The laws only have the effect of restraining those who abide by the law as a matter of civic duty or fear of prosecution.

The public reacted logically and anticipated that certain politicians would make both guns and ammo harder and more expensive to obtain, and began to buy both guns and ammo while they were available and before restrictive laws were passed. The panic will subside only when threat of anti-gun laws and regulations has ended. And that will happen only when those politicians that support these restrictions have been removed from office.

Your vote or your failure to vote in elections has a direct impact on whether or not the political climate regarding guns and ammo changes. If this issue matters to you, vote accordingly.

 

[2cool]

Bubbatime, I AM correct in that the machinery is more precise and that it IS more difficult to make 22LR than centerfire ammo. The fact that more machinery and staff are being added do not make my information incorrect. The fact is that there is less profit in a 22LR round. Of course it will be made; but as others have noted, demand must drop to have prices drop.

 

[jcwit]

I'll bet if the politics changed in this country the shortage of .22 ammo would be over in 1 to 2 months.

 

[Sonic]

Back in the last quarter or 2013 22lr was starting to make a small comeback in my area. Now, it's nowhere to be found. I did see a few bricks at my LGS a few weeks ago but it was up to $40. About a year ago it was down to $28 a brick (from about $50). So the price has actually crept back up.
The sporting goods stores never have any and neither does Walmart. I ask and they say the same thing, they just don't get any in anymore. So where is it? They aren't selling out of what they don't have. If 22lr is really being made 24/7 where is it going?

Glad I don't really need any but this is frustrating. What is the huge need for 22 anyhow? The ammo I've been stocking up on is the aluminum case Federal 9mm, 40, and 45acp. $9.97 for the 9 and $15 for the 45 & 40. I can afford to go burn up a few hundred rounds of that stuff and not take too much of a hit in the wallet.

 

[2cool]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
I'll bet if the politics changed in this country the shortage of .22 ammo would be over in 1 to 2 months.


Please expand, I can't figure out how the one affects the other.

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: 2cool
Originally Posted By: jcwit
I'll bet if the politics changed in this country the shortage of .22 ammo would be over in 1 to 2 months.


Please expand, I can't figure out how the one affects the other.

Round up the neckbeards who get their cousins to stand in line to buy every last box of ammo to resell at a profit, and then incarcerate them until supply gradually comes back.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: 2cool
Originally Posted By: jcwit
I'll bet if the politics changed in this country the shortage of .22 ammo would be over in 1 to 2 months.


Please expand, I can't figure out how the one affects the other.


The political situation clearly drives demand of certain firearms and ammunition. Look at the spike in demand for ARs every time the President has mentioned "getting guns off our streets". Look at the sales figures following his election. Politics, and the perception that politicians will change gun laws, most certainly drives demand.

22LR just happens to be the last area of demand to return to normal after the last spike (which was December 2012)...partly because 22LR production capacity can't be easily created, you can't shift other lines of operation in ammo production into 22LR as you can with, say, centerfire rifle calibers.