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I'm finding 9mm online for less than $200 for a case of 1000. Meanwhile, 2 bricks of .22 (1000) are still right around $90-$120. Won't be too long before 9mm is cheaper than .22....

I'll have to take inventory. I may have a bit more than 3k but, as has been said, I can reload for about as cheap as the 22 is costing now. I have been building inventory in the other calibers so when it warms up I can shoot more.

Just .22 LR?

Yeah, that's just .22 rimfire (mostly lr, but several hundred shorts). I have a couple k for most other common calibers (7.62x39, .223/5.56, 5.45, 30.06, 9mm, 40s&w, 45acp, 38/357, 12ga, 20ga). I"ve always just bought stuff when I see it under the assumption that it will never depreciate (true so far), it doesn't go stale (I've shot all kinds of ammo from the 40's, including .22lr), and someone around here will always have a use for it. Not to toot my own horn, but I saw this coming years ago when .22 went from 9.97 to 11.97 to 13.97 for Fed bulk packs in the span of about three months. I started buying a couple boxes every time I went into a Walmart. i still grab it like a fiend when I get the chance. I guess this whole shortage boils down to me.

Actually, some ammo does depreciate....9mm comes to mind. Back in 2009 when you couldn't find anything on the shelf because of the Obama scare, I found some Federal 9mm at Fleet Farm for $14.99 a box...bought 10 ten boxes. Now I see it on sale at Cabela's fairly regularly at $11.99 to $12.99. Same with .45. On the other hand, you can't find .375 Winchester to save your life at any price, so I'm glad I picked up a few boxes 2 years ago at what I thought was an outrageous price of $49.99 a box of 20. Can't even find .375 brass! Although there are some people selling that ammo and brass as antique ammo (it came out in the 1980's NOT 1880's) on Gunbrokers for sky high prices ($90 for ONE box). Further research has told me that Winchester is the ONLY company making that round and they ONLY produce a limited run ONCE a year....supposedly. Which explains why all the Winchester Big Bore model 94's for sale are in such great shape...they've barely been shot!

Federal AutoMatch .22LR up at Midway, $16.29/325,with a limit of 3 boxes.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/193520 ... uctFinding

After the shipping is added, it comes out to just about $22.00 a box. Not a real good deal.

ranger wrote:Federal AutoMatch .22LR up at Midway, $16.29/325,with a limit of 3 boxes.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/193520 ... uctFinding

That's been in stock since yesterday morning. Unusual...

usnret wrote:After the shipping is added, it comes out to just about $22.00 a box. Not a real good deal.

If you add a "cheap" free shipping item, your shipping cost will be reduced.

ranger wrote:

usnret wrote:After the shipping is added, it comes out to just about $22.00 a box. Not a real good deal.

If you add a "cheap" free shipping item, your shipping cost will be reduced.

He's right. By adding this http://www.midwayusa.com/product/918263/coghlans-12-in-1-scissors-steel, it dropped my shipping down to $9. Now I realize this doesn't save a bunch of money, but it gives you a pretty slick gadget for nothing. I already have a couple and for the money they are pretty well made.

So $64 with NRA contribution, minus $5 for the scissors, comes in at under $20 per box delivered. Better than I've done locally in almost 3 years.

Grayskies wrote:

bensdad wrote:

Define a "pretty good supply" please.

It really is a matter of perception. If I dip below 20,000 rds I start to exibit flu-like symptoms. currently at about 30. Don't think I've ever sold any. if I did, it was to one of you folks. given 3-4 thousand to friends during the shortage.

Just .22 LR?

<--- Impressed!

I went into this whole ******* mess with well over 10K and I can tell you now that it was not enough to practice as much as I would have liked to the last year or so. Once I got down to a few thousand the .22's pretty much turned into dust collectors.

I found a couple thousand rounds of (less than $0.06 per round) .22lr over maybe a 3-week period a couple months ago...more than I found in all of 2012 and 2013 combined. So I figured the .22 crunch was well over the hump where I could find decent price .22lr regularly enough to keep me shooting...bought 2 new guns chambered in .22lr, I haven't seen .22lr on the shelf since.

CCI .22LR Mini-Mag Swamp People HP's now up at Cabela's.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/CCI-Swam ... T.tsrc=AFF

ranger wrote:CCI .22LR Mini-Mag Swamp People HP's now up at Cabela's.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/CCI-Swam ... T.tsrc=AFF

Limit one and over 8 cents a round. Ouch. Thanks but no thanks.

Aren't Mini-Mags 7-8 cents normally (in plastic 100-count boxes)? Sure you're getting screwed out of the nice plastic box at that price, but I don't see that as a horrible price... It's not 4 cent bulk plinking ammo with plain lead bullets, 3% fail-to-fire, and inconsistent loadings (some work, some don't in Walther P-22 et-al., poor groups in rifles, etc.) and it's not the least reliable/least consistent 4.5 cent ultra cheap ammo being sold by scalpers at 12 cents plus...

If ya need .22lr or just like to hear "bang" 8.3 cents is cheaper than any centerfire you're going to find. Do I wish it was 3-4 cents? Sure, but as long as it's considerably cheaper than bulk or reloaded centerfire I'll take what I can get (without paying scalpers 'cuz they are mostly responsible for this whole "shortage" to begin with).

DON'T FEED THE BEAST!!!

If you're looking for a training alternative, or a way to conserve your scarce stash of .22 LR ammo, airgun pellets run $6-10 per 500, a decent break action (1000 FPS) rifle can be had for $70-$100. There are also a variety of airsoft (battery, CO2 or green gas powered) products that are licensed copies with the same heft/controls as their full size rifle and pistol equivalents that can make very effective practice or training tools at shorter ranges (and can be used in your backyard or basement, not just the range).