.22 ammo shortage Sierra weighs in

[Maverick]

"Why Can’t I Find .22 LR Ammunition"

Sierra weighs in:
Hoarders
Gougers
Demand

"We all just have to trust that it will get better, do not buy more than we need and wait it out. It will not get better overnight. It will start out with a box here and there and then a few and then slowly the shelves will get back to having all the supply and selection we picky consumers are accustom to and will certainly appreciate much more than we ever did before……if only for a little while"

http://sierrabullets.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/why-cant-i-find-22-lr-ammunition/

 

[Clyde]

"Why Can’t I Find .22 LR Ammunition"

Sierra weighs in:
Hoarders
Gougers
Demand

"We all just have to trust that it will get better, do not buy more than we need and wait it out. It will not get better overnight. It will start out with a box here and there and then a few and then slowly the shelves will get back to having all the supply and selection we picky consumers are accustom to and will certainly appreciate much more than we ever did before……if only for a little while"

http://sierrabullets.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/why-cant-i-find-22-lr-ammunition/

It also doesn't help when the last lead smelting plant in the USA was closed down, and the government continues to place enormous orders.

 

[Brent S]

Hell, I thought it would have eased two years ago! I have a decent supply, but will buy it anytime I ever see it. I know one thing, if you want to start a business, making 22lr would be awesome. You are guaranteed to sell as much as you can produce. My local Wally World will get some about once a week, and are sold out in twenty minutes.

 

[Maverick]

Bullet manufactures haven't used lead from the smelter in years and years, they are using recycled lead in 99 to 100% of bullet processing, Doe Run will be back using different processing in the way lead is processed anyway known as wet chemical electrowinning process, the trouble isn't with recycled lead but the separation of raw material after mining besides, bullet manufacturers have been moving away from lead in favor of copper for some time and Hornady already stated its bullets will be lead free in a couple of years

Though, it doesn't change the fact that the EPA still sucks!

 

[Brent S]

Bullet manufactures haven't used lead from the smelter in years and years, they are using recycled lead in 99 to 100% of bullet processing, Doe Run will be back using different processing in the way lead is processed anyway known as wet chemical electrowinning process, the trouble isn't with recycled lead but the separation of raw material after mining besides, bullet manufacturers have been moving away from lead in favor of copper for some time and Hornady already stated its bullets will be lead free in a couple of years

Though, it doesn't change the fact that the EPA still sucks!

There you go, come up with a cheap alternative to lead and copper, and you could have a heck of a business. I think a hard plastic that's flammable would be awesome, it would be a hard ball of flame coming at you!

 

[Potter County Man]

The problem was that .22 ammo was too cheap.
These wannabe looser that wanted to act like Rambo would buy semi automatic and automatic firing weapons that would shoot it faster then you could load it in the gun.
The shooters and the hoarders bought it all up like pigs and now people are so scared that it is going to disappear that they are buying it in bulk, as opposed to those that bought it a box or two every couple of years - for shooting varmints and things that it was designed for - like occasional target practice.

I have a simple 22 revolver and a single shot .22 rifle and a couple of bricks of ammo.
I bought Remington Thunderduds when they were less than $9 a brick.
That had to have been almost 18 years ago - yet I still have most of them still in the box.
Not only are people hoarding ammo, but they are very particular which brand and model they buy. The cheap stuff they will turn up their noses at, while the expensive stuff - if sold cheap enough, they will make pigs out of themselves.

If someone gave me $40 a brick for .22 LR ammo - I would sell all I have in inventory.

 

[psalm 7]

I suggest if you see a box of ammo you want get it . This shortage aint going away . But Obamma did say his team would change the way Americans view Firearm's . If they manage that then demand would go down . I dont see that happening . I'm a ammo hoarder have been for decades . All the old school survivalist suggested this years ago . One of the best ideas I've heard is on this thread from Brent S but I don't see myself starting a rimfire ammo plant . In the mean time I'll keep a eye out for ammo deals and try to make good decisions . There are more gun owners in the U S than ever when some realize they are not shooters their stuff may get dumped on the market .

 

[Gazrok]

They've had over a YEAR to get production up, so has to be something else at play here. Just not buying this line of BS from the manufacturers anymore. I think they're conspiring to keep demand and prices high, so they can get more profit from less goods (i.e. and less cost)

 

[Maverick]

I don't know Gazrok, the local merchant I've been dealing with for years never seen the buying frenzy like this regarding .22s prior to 2009 he would sell 80 to a 100 bricks a year, he would keep about 150 on hand at any given time but in 2010 he sold half his stock in less then two months in the following month the remainder of his stock was almost depleted, he ordered additional 60 bricks and those was gone in a month and a half, towards the end of 2010 he was selling 60 bricks a month, in 2011 he couldn't keep up with it, today he no longer has a waiting list it's first come first serve, he would get 40 bricks in and gone in two days, imagining that happening nation wide. Remember most of these companies operated with one or two shifts and now they are having to train 2 or 3 additional shifts just to maximize dated equipment output.

Much of the equipment being used is old and set for demands of the past, the process is small and for each change such as bullet weight and powdered used the equipment needs to be retooled, these are not brand new production lines but very dated, I'm not seeing any major price hikes locally, I still can get 500rnd brick for 11.99 when available, on the internet is a different story.

 

[Brent S]

I don't know Gazrok, the local merchant I've been dealing with for years never seen the buying frenzy like this regarding .22s prior to 2009 he would sell 80 to a 100 bricks a year, he would keep about 150 on hand at any given time but in 2010 he sold half his stock in less then two months in the following month the remainder of his stock was almost depleted, he ordered additional 60 bricks and those was gone in a month and a half, towards the end of 2010 he was selling 60 bricks a month, in 2011 he couldn't keep up with it, today he no longer has a waiting list it's first come first serve, he would get 40 bricks in and gone in two days, imagining that happening nation wide. Remember most of these companies operated with one or two shifts and now they are having to train 2 or 3 additional shifts just to maximize dated equipment output.

Much of the equipment being used is old and set for demands of the past, the process is small and for each change such as bullet weight and powdered used the equipment needs to be retooled, these are not brand new production lines but very dated, I'm not seeing any major price hikes locally, I still can get 500rnd brick for 11.99 when available, on the internet is a different story.

11.99, sign me up! I've see it here for 40. Wall Mart had it for 27 and I got the last one. Hell, forget manufacturing, you could have a good business just reselling the stuff! Be well.

 

[Maverick]

big difference! walmart here when they do have them @ 1 box per purchase is a little over $16, bi-mart a local co-op had them less then walmart, a lot of price gouging going on in a good portion of the country, too many middle men and merchants taking advantage of the demand then we have the scalper's, in fact bi-mart had federal bulk packs (525 count) @ $16.97 a couple of weeks ago, Ive seen this same .22 ammo go for $80 online, the fella I deal with makes less then a buck per sale, certainly not from the manufactures that causing wide spread price discrepancy.

 

[Gazrok]

Thanks Maverick, that helps explain it a bit more than even the articles I've read on it. Still hard to see it though, when my local WalMart seems to be out of it EVERY time I'm in there. Pretty much there or the shooting range (at a jacked up price) are the only close places to buy (and I only buy ammo with cash). So just sucks lately.

 

[Maverick]

the manufactures are in the process of reviewing their sales and to whom, there was a bulk buyer that purchased over 1 million rounds, after they was audited it was found that the buyer was warehousing the ammo (setting on it) there is a new breed of bulk buyers trying to create a superficial shortage, how wide spread is this? I don't know. It does sound if we have brokers buying ammo and setting on it hopefully these folks will be taken out, as it stands now we have to many people between the manufactures and end point sales.

 

[Brent S]

I have almost stopped looking for it, as it's really rare here. We, too, have a 1 box limit. Oh well, at least I have some. I've never heard of anyone reloading a 22 before, but it may come to that one day.

 

[psalm 7]

I read a article one time about reloading rim fire ammo using the white tip of wood match heads as a primer . I never tried it and don't intend to but I will see if I still have that info . If the Broker story is true and I would say it probly is I hope that is stopped . Kind of a sticky situation between free market and regulation . The free market will win out look at the retailers looking every where for ammo to sale at the best price . They are getting ammo from Russia , Czech , Serbia , Turkey , Isreail .

 

[DrHenley]

There's plenty of 22 LR ammo...at $75-$100 a brick:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Rifle-Ammunition/BI.aspx?ca=5000011

I'm not going to pay that though, I'm not that desperate. I still have a brick and a half left from when it was $15-$20 per brick and I'm just going through it slow. I'll eek by until the gougers stop.

BTW, the local gun shop has had 22 LR in stock the whole time. Not always the brand you want, and higher than it used to be, but they have it and have been getting somewhat regular shipments all along. One box per customer per day, period.

 

[psalm 7]

I've not bought any at gouger prices . I find it once in a while at the big box retailers and pay maby $2.00 more than pre shortage price . I have .22 ammo that i bought 30 years ago . Part of my survivalist mentality .

 

[Gazrok]

I'm not going to pay that though, I'm not that desperate. I still have a brick and a half left from when it was $15-$20 per brick and I'm just going through it slow. I'll eek by until the gougers stop.

I don't even mind paying about $40 a brick, but $50 or more is just not going to happen. I too have enough left, it just keeps me from using it for plinking. I'm not trying to stock an armory, I just want to have some to keep my skills up, without worrying about restocking.

 

[Trapper]

I am currently not in any need of 22lr. I am sitting rather well in that area. I purchased a case about 10 years ago for $12/brick. Since I added a little at a time when ever I felt the need and it was at a good price. I can shoot almost 50 rounds a month for the next 25 years, that's unless my son or grandkids find it all and go crazy at the range. If that happens all bets are off...LOL.
I have no regrets buying when no one else looked much at 22lr ammo. I don't consider myself a hoarder....just prepared!