Why is .22 still nuts?

[Unit74]

WM never has it out here either.

[tophatjones]

Short answer: .22 is still nuts because people are willing to buy it at current prices.

Speculation on why:
1) There have been record number of gun sales the past couple years. Of course, some of those are sold to guys like us, who have already owned guns for years. However, there are new guys getting into guns, and they'll want their share of .22lr to go with .22 cal guns they've bought.

2) .22lr conversions and .22lr guns in general have always been popular; they are good training tools and are fun. They are also great for introducing people to shooting. There's always demand for it.

3) The economy hasn't been great the past few years. In order to shoot at high volumes, people look for inexpensive ammo. .22lr, even at bloated prices, is still relatively cheap.

4) Preppers stockpile .22lr because it's cheap and you can store more rounds for the same amount of space compared to larger calibers.

5) Flippers

6) .22lr is not reloadable (AFAIK)

[audiophil2]

22 went up a little due to inflation. Dealer cost is now a little higher.


I was just offered as many pallets of .22 hi velocity ammo from one of my distributors at distributor cost that I want. Problem is it is not the cheapskate plinking bulk box ammo that was $24 or so back in 2007. It is very similar to CCI standard or HV.

I was going to buy a pallet and sell it at SAR show but lugging that much ammo for such low margin is not worth it.

I considered offering a group buy and driving it into CA (shipping is what really makes it bad) but I think there are hazmat restrictions when hauling more than a few cases.

[Deadon]

22 went up a little due to inflation. Dealer cost is now a little higher.


I was just offered as many pallets of .22 hi velocity ammo from one of my distributors at distributor cost that I want. Problem is it is not the cheapskate plinking bulk box ammo that was $24 or so back in 2007. It is very similar to CCI standard or HV.

I was going to buy a pallet and sell it at SAR show but lugging that much ammo for such low margin is not worth it.

I considered offering a group buy and driving it into CA (shipping is what really makes it bad) but I think there are hazmat restrictions when hauling more than a few cases.

What kind of numbers are we talking about? Can you pm me? I might be looking to invest.

[Flyron]

Why is .22 still nuts?

I'd never pass it up at Walmart, I haven't seen .22lr on the Walmart shelves since 2011. Down to under 1k rounds and I don't shoot my .22s just so my son can shoot longer. Pretty bad when I'm considering a .223 for him because .22lr is too hard to find.

Depending on shipping delivery day, most Wal-Marts have packs of Win 36gr. HP 222 rds. for $17

[freonr22]

How many rounds can be stored /residential/commercial / magazine size?

[Devon]

you guys check online

I have had no problem buying bricks online from Brownells for something like $50 or so. Get over that fact that it will not be $30 like before the panic. It is still cheap considering. Go look at how expensive air rifle pellets are now.

I think it is more a matter of changing your perspective about it and realizing that it is still cheap in the big picture. Or you could be resentful that it costs so much, not buy any, and then pay even more later when it goes up yet again.

[shooting4life]

I stopped shooting rim fire since I can never find 22lr at a price I find acceptable. When I can shoot 9mm and 223 for 2.5 times the cost.

I'll probably try and sell my spikes 22lr upper since it never gets used anymore. I even have over 10k round of 22lr. I would rather sell the 22lr and use that money for other ammo as it was all bought pre panic at $18 per 550.

[TMB 1]

I have had no problem buying bricks online from Brownells for something like $50 or so. Get over that fact that it will not be $30 like before the panic. It is still cheap considering. Go look at how expensive air rifle pellets are now.

I think it is more a matter of changing your perspective about it and realizing that it is still cheap in the big picture. Or you could be resentful that it costs so much, not buy any, and then pay even more later when it goes up yet again.

$30 before the panic? Before the Panic it was $15 to $25, now it's $25 to $35, or are you saying it was $30 at Brownells before the panic?

[SonofWWIIDI]

Manufacturers realized that with a smaller supply they could change more and maintain an equal profit margin with less output.

Once everybody gets completely used to paying .10 per round, they'll ramp production up again and still keep the price at .10. .08 for Black Friday and "special" deal sales, increasing profit dramatically.

I miss the days of <.03 per round.

[Flyron]

Me too, I remember buying 50rds Rem HP for $1.29 each @ local hardware. [emoji818]️

[low67vdubinnocal]

Seen quite a bit of it at my local walmart last few months. I post the finds in the local walmart Sacramento thread in the NorCal section when ever I find it for other members. I don't use .22 anymore so might as well pass it on to other local members. It does not last long.

[G-Man WC]

It's for the children.
-g

[CaliforniaLiberal]

Ok we all know the prices pre panic and it was never hard to get it. I understood it at first but why has it stayed so high? I have 7k rounds left and havent bought any pre panic and Ive passed it up at Walmart.

With other ammo prices coming back down to pre panic why is .22 still nuts? I have a hard time believing people are shooting that much more 22 then before the panic. When will it come back and balance out? I know guys are stacking it but when does that end?

Many of the millions of purchases by new gun owners the last 5 years have been .22LR. Half of all new guns maybe? Big, big increase in .22LR demand.

As other calibers price went out of sight, old gun owners started shooting their .22s more and the others less. More increase in demand.

For a hundred years most gun owners have kept a couple hundred rounds of .22LR on hand at home. Then the Gun/Ammo buying frenzy hit and suddenly they can't buy .22LR the morning they are going out plinking. Now, they want to keep a couple thousand rounds of .22LR on hand at home. And you know what that means, increase in .22LR demand.

Today there are still millions of gun owners who don't have enough of .22LR in stock at home to feel comfortable. That comfort level has shifted considerably. They are still buying it up when ever they see it on the shelf.

Ammo manufacturers have been slow to invest in the million dollar equipment to economically produce millions of rounds of .22LR. Production has increased slowly, cautiously. They don't want to be caught by the floor suddenly dropping out of .22LR demand and be stuck with .22LR production equipment they can't run profitably.

I believe that production capacity is slowly increasing. Demand by crazed gun owners will gradually lessen as more and more feel they have enough stashed in the closet. Prices are slowly coming down.

I would like to buy a case or two once the price gets below $0.05/round. Is that going to take a couple of years? Are there millions like me waiting to fire up a couple of mini-buying frenzies as the price comes down?

This is my story and I think it's a good one. Anyone have concrete information to support or disprove my story?

Stay tuned.

[cdtx2001]

Because people know when it's coming in and are there that morning to rush it as soon as the store opens.

Yup, see it all the time when I stop in at the local WallyWorlds near me when I'm coming home from a midnight shift. Guys with their still-sleepy-eyed-and in-their-PJs-cause-they-got-dragged-outta-bed-for-this-s*** wife right next to them to buy all the 22 they are allowed to. I've seen guys get into arguments over who bought up all the ammo. Next time I'll get my phone out and get a video of these guys. Yes I know, remember landscape.

I'm certain they have employees at Walmart on payroll providing the information. It's the only thing that makes sense to me with the .22 at Walmart.

That's no hunch, that's a fact. The clerks at WM are informants to the hoarders. I've been within earshot as they are calling their guys, "Hey Ted, yeah those new fishing poles will be in here in the morning. Remember, you're limited to 3 fishing poles per person." I also see those guys getting a few bucks from those hoarders out in the parking lot during their lunch break.