Probably because if they can't find it at Wally-World then it must not exist.

 

That.................

 

Good for you. Some of us like popping into a local store, including Walmart, and being able to buy a box now and then.

Ordering online was not the norm for a great many of us.

 

Maybe it should be. Would rather order anything on line rather than fight off the throngs and stand in line while the checker struggles to make change. NO!! Not my idea of a fun time. I hate to go shopping anywhere, except on line. No trouble parking either. :

 

Purchasing bullets through the mail is expensive. It is also not anonymous like going into wallie world and paying cash.

 

I bought ammo in Walmart a few days ago and they asked for my driver's license. I'm turning 60 this year and there's no question of my age for buying rifle ammunition. I asked whey they wanted it and the clerk said "To make sure you're really who you say you are."

My response was, "of course I am me. I am right here and you can see that I am me. So, try again. Why do you need my ID to purchase ammunition?"

"Well, that's our policy. We have to make sure your ID matches."

"Why? Are you going to record my ID and personal information as part of this transaction or has Walmart made a deal with the police to make sure people don't have fake ID? I don't understand why you care if my ID matches me or not. Since there's no requirement to show ID why do you need my ID? Let's get a manager up here."

The clerk backed down and sold me the ammo without my ID... and I promptly paid with my credit card...

 

Because it still is hard to find in many areas across the country.

 

It can still be found, but it's not nearly as available as it was a few years ago, thus making it "hard to find".

 

Maybe its a regional problem?

Here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, you simply cannot find .22 long rifle ammunition at stores. Bi-Mart, Big 5, Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse, etc... do not have .22 ammunition on their shelves; in fact, often times the employees at these stores advise that when a shipment comes in, the same "hoarders" come in and buy it all up. However, on www.armslist.com, one can purchase .22 ammo for about $50/brick from someone that goes and trolls retail stores' shipments (10 cents a shot).

To me, the problem is that .22 ammo is something you pickup, whenever you have time, so that the kids can learn to shoot. I grew up shooting a .22 and this is how I have learned to support the 2nd Amendment.

Yeah, I suppose I could order off the internet and wait a few weeks... and pay some high price. To me, the problem is much more complex than internet availability. The issues, in Oregon anyways, include:

(a) Price (.22 ammo shouldn't be in the same ball park as 9mm ammo). Last time I was at Walmart, 9mm ammo was $10/50... 22 ammo should be 1/4 of that and shouldn't cost more than $2.50/50.

(b) Immediate availability, when the kids feel like shooting.

(c) People hoarding something that is going to ensure the next generations supporting our rights.

We live in a free market and you can hoard/buy/sell/inflate the price of kid's ammo... but please don't go crying when you lose the right to own your guns in 20 years when people lose interest in a right that only hoarders have the time to support.

 

Good points but shooting sports are growing in USA



You make some excellent points and I share your sentiments but there is a lot of evidence that despite the increasing obstacles to the shooting sports there has actually been an increase in interest among young people even by those from families that are opposed to firearms. Read this article. Then take some kids to a shooting range near you, or hunting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/gun-industrys-helping-hand-triggers-a-surge-in-college-shooting-clubs/2015/03/14/6bc31f4e-c8cd-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.html

 

I guess it's the difference between being able to buy something, which I was thinking of b/c it's available to anyone with a mailing address, and being able to buy it in from a certain vendor (LGS or Walmart), which is what folks are thinking when they say it's hard to get.

The anonymity thing makes sense...applies to anything ordered online. Lots of things are harder to get if you want it anonymously. I like to buy from local stores when I can too, to build a relationship...that's missing from online retailers. But I'm not going to give up shooting over it. To each his own.

Prices still haven't dropped to what they were below Newtown like they have (roughly) for other calibers, and that sucks.

 

Is that many ARE uneasy about buying online, especially ammunition.

 

While it may be available online its way over priced in many cases and most people refuse to pay that much for it so they'd rather buy it locally if possible. Really one shouldn't be paying no more than 5-8 cents a round and thats with the shipping included.

 

I'm guessing because the stores they go to doesn't have any. :

 

These days, it can be sheer luck or being at the right place at the right time to score some 22 ammo.

Also 22 ammo is not hard to find, availability is better than it was in 2013. It's that most people are reluctant to pay the current prices at shops/retailers, but that hasn't stopped others from buying it up

 

I continue to label around a dime per round in hand as "unavailable".

- OS

 

Primers are cheaper than 22 rimfire?
Since when did my world change so drastically?!?
:whip:

 

If the general public cant find it at WalMart then they say its "rare" or "hard to find" !

 

Every time I check, .22LR in stock at several places online. It seems to be readily available for anyone who wants to buy it. So why do people say it's hard to find?

Because it's hard to find....

....AT A NON-INFLATED PRICE AS FUELED BY IDIOTS BUYING ONLINE AT $50-$60 A BRICK

Note...producers haven't raised prices...only the retailers.

They do it because idiots will pay it.

So thanks, fellas.

 

Thank you. These people are the reason pre-panic prices will never be seen again.

The second link the thread starter posted had bricks for $90. At .18c a round, it is clearly a good deal. 😒

I'm stocked for years to come and paid generally no more than .05 - .07/round. You just have to be looking. Cabela's still has reasonable prices when you can find it in stock.

 

I don't know about y'all, but the last .22LR ammo I bought in any quantity (larger than 100 ) was in 325 round packs, for 6.1¢ a round. It was local only. Would I have liked cheaper ? Yes. But when you get a deal like that, the first question is "how much can I afford this time 'round ? "

From my experience, some of those that say that they cannot find .22LR, well, it's because they are not really looking; some want it to be waiting for them sitting on the wally world shelves, at 10 AM on Saturday as they head out for their semi-annual trip out to the range, and then are upset because it was not available at that moment. And then there's the other crowd, those that insist that they are waiting for .22LR to be priced the same as it was 3 years ago; something that may never happen.

 

When you can load .223 for $0.23 a round and marginal quality .22lr is $0.13 a round in 500 round bricks something is wrong

 

Regional, State laws, tax perhaps? And some people's obsession with big box stores.

Personally I appreciate the folks in TX, OK, Louisiana. Also independently owned gun shops who will text message or email me when .22LR and shotgun loading powder etc is in stock. This saves me time and gas money they also carry quality at the best price and great advice. BTW if Sam Walton knew what those folks are doing with his business he would crawl out of the grave and shoot them all back in the HQ in AR. Just saying.

 

Hard to find for a price I'm willing to pay. Big box stores is where it can be had for a fair price and this is where it is hard to find.

BTW even though I hate D***s couldn't pass it up when a friend of mine called me and said they had 1400 round buckets last weekend for $69. At $0.05 a round had to go pick me up a couple. Going to have to try and change my attitude about them...

What I see happening is that people, definitely not me but other people, are stockpiling to a certain minimum level and then they will shoot what they obtain on top of that. This way they can weather the next shortage.

 

Shoot your Ammo if you live in TX

even though I hate D***s

LOL

I assume you are a male ha ha ha

That sport's store should really change its name!

Since folks have been "stocking up" on ammo ever since the multiple "mass shootings." I wonder when and where these folks are shooting all these rounds. 100-1000 rounds a month or even each weekend is not unreasonable so I think a lot of people are just shooting them. I certainly do but what the heck I live in Texas not freaking NYC.

Just heard Speaker Boehner interviewed on CNN say his job was to "Keep 218 frogs in a wheel barrel long enough to pass a bill." he is one slick speaker as well. LOL

Then he said his first race was against a guy with the last name "Kindness" and his name sounds like… OMG I nearly fell off my chair laughing. This guy is hilarious, he should run for President and there would never be any shortages of ammo in any corner of the USA!

 

I havent seen any 22 at wal mart in a while. Where I live its the same couple people waiting every morning when it comes in. Are they selling it or hoarding, no way to know. But they buy every round that comes off the truck.

But lately I have been able to walk into the LGS around the corner and have my pick of 22lr to buy, at non inflated prices. Vendors at the gunshows still seem to think theres a shortage with the prices they try to get, try being the operative word, I dont see much of it moving at inflated prices.

 

Because it is, at a reasonable price.

 

And sometimes, it's just not available. There are four stores in my area that carry ammo. For a while, you could visit every store, every day, for months and not find any 22lr--unless you were there a just the right time. If you weren't, it was all gone. Because, where I live, there are lots and lots of gun owners, all looking for the same thing. My next option is to drive an hour and hope to find some.

So yeah, sometimes it is hard to find.

 

Walmart and others created fake shortage?

Just a theory I have limited evidence to support it, but common sense and some evidence suggest that while Wal-Mart has made a lot money selling ammo and firearms they make far more on other items such as groceries and many Americans don't own firearms.

So my theory is that Wal-Mart self regulates or limiteds the volume of ammo it sells to keep the number artificially low. Also just my personal opinion but most of the firearms they offer appeal to the bottom tiers of the market. That could be said for much of the rest of their merchandise so a "no duh" I guess.

Here is one of probably a hundred articles on the general topic, not a "smoking gun" (pun intended) just evidence W-M does not want bad press as America's #1 arms & ammo dealer lest Bloomberg and friends get all up in their face.

http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/walmart-guns-background-checks/2014/11/23/id/605485/

What do y'all think am I just making whole cloth out of nothing?

 

Obviously I'm misunderstanding something. What am I missing?

Because for lots of people it is hard to find and most people don't buy 22rf ammo online,myself or nobody I know that shoots 22 ammo of any type do. Around here most LGS's and big box stores like Wally World carried 22 rf and 22 Mag. ammo and had plenty of it at decent prices at one time.

For at least three years and probably longer there hasn't been any 22 ammo of any type to be had locally or in my travel circle for any price. Wally World and Academy Sport and a few LGS's have had some but it been hit and miss and that has only been recently. In the big box stores you have to ask for it as they don't keep it on the shelf and if you don't know when a shipment is coming in you want get any anyways unless you know somebody behind the counter that will let you know or that works for the company.

At the LGS's if they have any the prices are ridiculous about as expensive as surplus centerfire ammo,I guess if you want it you just have to bite the bullet so to speak. Personally I can wait it out as I stashed back about 5K of various brands for my rimfire rifles like years before the shortage/panic buying hit. I haven't shot much of it maybe 100 rds. and gave my brother-in-law some last fall for his boys so they could do some squirrel hunting and dispatch a few critter when needed on the trap lines. It's much cheaper and easier for me to just cast some lightweight bullets from scrap lead and use fast burning pistol and shotgun powders and load low velocity ammo for all my centerfire rifle than it is to chase down overpriced 22 ammo.

The problem with 22 ammo is that demand is still high be it due to the real numbers of individuals shooting 22 ammo or artificially created by current political or social events or individuals who buy up all they can find and sell it to the highest bidder. I have no problem with either as I've planned ahead for such instances and for those trying to make a profit on the situation well they can just sit on there high priced ammo I don't have to participate.

Mfg. are running at full capacity,it's very expensive to add a new lines to produce the various brands or 22 ammo and well as to train individuals to run those lines. No company in there right mind is going to invest a billion dollars on a plant,equipment and manpower for a problem that in general they have no idea how long it will last.

This is nothing new at least in the past 10 years,it's just mainly 22 rf ammo this time around which happens to be one of the most popular rds. people shoot. Many of us in the reloading community are dealing with the same issues as far as various piston and shotgun powders and we have had to deal with brass,bullet and primer shortages as well over the years. If you planned ahead you were ok if not you did without or paid higher than normal prices when components did show up at least till product outweighed demand. It will probably be the same with 22 ammo.

Like anything in life especially in this day and age you can't take anything for granted like it will always be there when you want it at the price you can afford if it's even available. For those just starting out things are getting somewhat better but there may be a ways to go yet before supply outweighs demand and prices drop somewhat,things never get cheaper. It's a good time to put your disposable income towards other things that you may find yourself or family at some point needing. When 22 ammo's do become more available remember these past few years buy a box to shoot and buy a box an stick it back for a rainy day.

 

alternative to firearms for victims of B.O. ;-)

There are of coarse many other alternatives if you are unfortunate enough to live in an region or country where firearm ammo is difficult to purchase or load bullets due to supplies being scarce for whatever reasons. (i.e. B.O.) :

For competitive target practice (or just backyard plinking) and even small game hunting high powered air guns are very useful and there are many sources for them. They can be about the same weight or more and the same or higher priced for about the same velocity. Precharged Pneumatic (“PCP”) offers good performance in many different calibers. (Not sold at WM.)

Many good websites for advice, info and comparisons such as: thebestairrifle dot com and many places to buy online such as: pyramydair dot com

Also competitive shooting at local jROTC, Universities, NRA, all branches of Military,... and more advanced competitions such as ISSF:
http://www.issf-sports.org/competitions.ashx

But if you really like things that go bang and have maximum Muzzle Velocity move to Texas.

In Texas serious hunters don't buy their ammo from a Grocery store HQed in some town in AR. LOL joking I will buy from wherever I can if I am running low and out in some remote area.