Got Ammo ?

[Leadslingingdaddy]

Shhhhhhhhh

[Maxwelhse]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

Here's the part on the ammo I don't get. Why .22LR's? Why is that particular round now so expensive and hard to get? Got to be the most widely used, and cheap to manufacture. Not saying that the bigger rounds aren't out of control on cost.... but you can reload a center-fire primer style. Can you reload a rim-fire cartridge?

The common theories on the .22LR shortage are:

1 - Practically everyone that owns a firearm owns a .22LR making it the most popular round in the country. Demand is fairly high during normal times.

2 - The firearms ownership rate is exploding and lots of those new shooters are buying .22LR weapons further stressing supply. Many new shooters also aren't aware of normal costs for ammunition so they're buying up even the really expensive stuff thinking its normal.

3 - NO ONE expected a .22LR shortage, ever. Even in our darkest times of supply .22LR was always around in the past. So even the people that like to have 10k rounds or more of every caliber on hand never bothered to stock pile .22LR. Now they've become hoarders and are buying literally everything they can find.

4 - Assorted conspiracy theories...

Rim-fire is just about impossible to reload because you can't "un-strike" (?) the rim the way you can simply push a used primer out of a center fire. I would imagine you'd have to cast your own bullets too since they are probably not manufactured in excess numbers vs. brass like something like .223 or .45acp is. The primer compound is also unique and unavailable.

Here's a really cool video of of the CCI factory making .22LR if you want to see how the pros do it. It's not really a practical DIY situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5qMsmucXhI

[Nitro]

I don't have a .22, I have a 25-20. Slightly more difficult.

[CubDieselFan]

We have a local store that has plenty of ammo. You are just only allowed 1-2 boxes of each a day. 22lr is 8.99 for 100. That is the cheapest per round. I do not think they ship, but it is Larry's Pistol and pawn.

[larry03061976]

Another tough to find round is 35. Bought a new one in march and paid 38 bucks for a box of ammo! YEESH!!!!!

[green 4 acres]

I actually have quite a bit of 22 LR but it is from the early 70's 79 cents a box , I am still shooting it with 5% dud rate .
I bought a box of 50 HP for $3 in 2012 at wally world
and have enough 9mm if I give up practice it can be spotty too.

[Maxwelhse]

Originally Posted by green 4 acres

I actually have quite a bit of 22 LR but it is from the early 70's 79 cents a box , I am still shooting it with 5% dud rate .
I bought a box of 50 HP for $3 in 2012 at wally world
and have enough 9mm if I give up practice it can be spotty too.

I bought my first 9 last fall and it took me 2 months to find decent quality FMJ. Once I did, it seemed like I was finding it all the time! At least I found it at decent prices... Most of it was $15 or less for 50.

Out of curiosity. how have you been storing that .22 from the 70s? Just in cardboard boxes on a shelf somewhere?

[DoubleO7]

Originally Posted by Maxwelhse

I bought my first 9 last fall and it took me 2 months to find decent quality FMJ. Once I did, it seemed like I was finding it all the time! At least I found it at decent prices... Most of it was $15 or less for 50.

Out of curiosity. how have you been storing that .22 from the 70s? Just in cardboard boxes on a shelf somewhere?

I store all my ammo in old surplus military steel ammo boxes.
And my family saves all those desiccant packets that come in various food and electronic products.
I toss a few of those into each ammo box.

[Maxwelhse]

Same thing I'm doing then (I buy new desiccant though). Hopefully anything I have in 40 years will still be good!

[Shotgun Wedding]

So last Saturday I bought the last box of Winchester Accubond in 270WSM at $32.00. They ordered me 3 more boxes as I have a new scope for the Sako to sight in for long range, just got the call today that they are $59.00 for the box of 20. Holy smokes.

So I guess it's gonna be the same up here too. Darn.