.22 LR Ammo Shortage - Update

 Price Update  - .22 LR - 550 Round Brick = $65-$120

Why the Shortage

Anyone looking at the usual places right now for .22 LR ammo must know it is gone and nowhere to be found.  I've visited Wally World for the past two plus months and haven't seen  any at any time.  Rumors abound that it goes right from the delivery truck into the hands of professional watchers that know the schedule of deliveries from employees.  Who knows.  I've been told by some employees when the trucks arrive but I can't plan my days around waiting for ammo to arrive, at least not yet.

What are the reasons for this shortage.  Well, we're in a nationwide ammo shortage so .22 is just another part of the picture, but because so many people shoot .22 it is even more acute.  Additionally, with prices up on everything else shooting a .22 is a great alternative for many people to take to the range.  I have noticed a huge number of AR15 style .22 rifles going out the door for the past few years and now the volume has increased dramatically.  It is clear that demand has just outstripped supply as people scramble to find this ammo for hoarding, profit, and use.

Current Pricing

I talked to a few acquaintances and friends regarding the .22 ammo prices.  Here is what I am getting from them in the Mid- Atlantic corridor of the US for pricing.  One just sold three boxes to friends at work for $65 each while another I met a a range in my travels sold 7 bricks for $75 each.  I'm now thinking they gave up the goods too cheaply for the moment.  The current market price is at least $100 per brick which is more than 5 times what it was selling for 4 months ago.

I spoke to an ammo dealer I know from Pennsylvania and he now sells a 550 round brick of .22LR for $100 each when he can get them.  I watched three go out the door at that price at a recent gun show while I talked to him at his tables.  Speaking to a heavy ammo user at that same show who has a massive collection of ammo for his weekly habit of 700 rounds downrange he said that he had offers for $110 per .22 brick and he finally relented and sold a number of them at that price.  An online auction/ brokerage site confirms these prices with current auctions showing even Blazer .22 bricks with buy-it-now prices around $120 and closing prices at around $110.

Where to Find .22 Ammo 

Gunbot .22 ammo finder

Slickguns.com .22 ammo

Wholesalehunter.com .22 ammo

At this point if you can find a brick of .22 at a gun show you're still better off paying that $100 price than the higher price for the target .22 ammo.  If you get lucky enough to find a brick at the chain store you might even get it for less that $30.  Good luck on that for now.

Long Term Outlook

Even when the actual physical supply increases I expect shortages to remain for a long time as many people begin to hoard for any future shortages.  This will probably extend the time where supply appears minimal but in truth the demand will remain high  as people stock up based on recent experience.  Imagine if you were one of the people that paid $100 for a brick of .22 and then saw it in the store for $30 or $25 per brick.  You'd buy all they would allow you to buy probably.  I expect that I would in that circumstance.  Hopefully prices will come back down at the retail level closer to the $18-$20 range that we had prior to the beginning of the year.  It is possible though that we have a new pricing paradigm just like after the 2008 election.  Prior to that .22 bricks were $12 or less and after that election induced shortage subsided the new price was closer to $20.  I hope we don't see a new permanent price of $30 per brick or higher but it is possible.

What To Do

The only other advice that I can give you regarding this is that if and when the supply does come back around and prices drop back somewhat, begin a regular buying habit to build a supply that will last you for a while.  This can be called hoarding by some, but I just call it good common sense.  If everyone made it  a habit to pick up some regularly rather than go into panic mode the manufacturers would likely increase production if they saw a consistent long term increase in demand.

Until then, take out your BB, paintball, air-soft, or pellet guns for some low cost and currently available practice supplies.  Even dry firing with a laser trainer is a decent substitute.

My Prediction

BB and Co2 shortage looming.  Just kidding and I hope not.


What others Say

The shortage is not likely to last.

Pricing is based on demand and demand is high.

Hoarders are to blame.

Side Door and Down the Chimney Gun Registration

The sellout has begun.

Forget the back door.  These guys are coming in through the side door and roof.

I appears some weak kneed Rhino Republicans will give in to the Big Government types in the Democrat party that want gun registration.  They will accomplish this by getting universal background checks and using regulations to start a registry.  Holder can do this by regulation alone.

BATF is photocopying form 4472 records from gun shops.

Missouri gives list of concealed permit holders to federal government despite their own laws preventing such disclosure.

The Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act.  (Newspeak effort at misdirection and deception.)

Senators Toomey and Manchin have found a way to assuage their consciences by calling their betrayal of gun owners something other than gun control.  Using the Orwellian or should I say Clintonian doublethink  and doublespeak they have convinced themselves and hope to convince second amendment advocates that they aren't selling them out to the gun control advocates.  Anatomy of a betrayal.

Euphemism on Parade - "Second Amendment Rights Protection Act."  Do they really think anyone paying attention believes this when the objective has been stated clearly by the ruling class to eliminate private ownership of guns.

This is the kind of fool we are dealing with when it comes to discussion of the Second Amendment. 

The Administration has more planned on the gun control front. 

Bishops get in on the act.

Government media complex gets thanks for their propaganda effort to support gun control. 

Can U.N. be used to ban U.S. guns by the left. 

So, will the sellout work or will if fail.  Here is the GOA take on this situation. 

Reid goes Freudian and mentions anti-gun bill.

Blowback on Gun Bans in Northeastern States
Perry Tweets Come on Down to Texas

"If Babies had Guns, they wouldn't be aborted." Rep. Stockman

Shock - Some gun groups sign onto the bill.

In Honor of Margaret Thatcher

She has been missed on the public stage for decades now.  The world has lost a lady of Iron who had deep commitment to liberty.  I never thought I could feel such sadness for a leader from another country, but clearly she was an example for all of us.

One of a Kind

How Many Gun Magazines Do you Need

This question has many owners wondering if they ever have enough and in the current high demand climate due to the possible risk of a magazine capacity limit the question must be qualified.

Pistol Magazine Requirements

Pistols are not expected to be sustained fire weapons though capable of such usage.  On that basis, if you are in a firefight and you have to expend more than one or two magazines from a pistol it really puts the question out there, shouldn't you be using a rifle or shotgun at this point.

The surveys have been done for this and most owners have no more than 5 magazines for their handguns though a small percentage own 6 or more and some even go for more than a dozen.  I have been guilty of that myself though with the skyrocketing prices I have been willing to pare down my total just to pay for my habit.  This has had the effect paying off my investment in my remaining magazines once I can get down to my magic number of six.

Now if you plan to compete with a gun I might own more but six gives you 3 range mags and  3 for defense purposes.  What I would do is store a good supply of replacement springs and if you can find them, followers.

Rifle Magazine Requirements

Rifles fit a different category depending on your purpose.  If you own a magazine fed auto-loading rifle  for the intention of sustained usage such as in self defense I would own twenty or more.  I consider six the minimum combat load and would prefer to have a full back-up supply of magazines.  In the case of the AR-15 I'd get as many as I could afford.  Right now at $30 each that may not be many but if the panic slows down and prices drop back you might be able to get them at $10- $15 each.

So here is my recommendation.

Handguns - keep a minimum of six magazines, 3 loaded for use.

Rifles - keep a minimum of twelve magazines, 6 loaded for use.

Nuclear War Threats

Two North Korea Subs are Missing

To me this means one of two things.  Either we, meaning the USA, sunk them or more likely they are working towards a sub launched attack.  I don't know if they are missile capable but this could be very dangerous for the U.S. bases in the region.

Test Missile launch

Gun Grabbers on Parade

These links should provide evidence that the forces of Big Government are in full aggression mode.  They are intent on disarming the population. 

Anti gun politicians are still working on banning standard cap magazines.

Here is a very uninformed congress-critter regarding gun magazines.  She apparently knows nothing about guns.   I think the proper description is ignorant in this realm.

Rep tells senior citizen you wouldn't make it anyway regarding ability to defend self.

Here is a story of an attempted coercive search based on a facebook post.

Connecticut Bans almost everything and then requires you to get a license to keep what you already have including magazines.   The right to purchase ammo will be regulated as well.   Connecticut continues the drive to make the citizens there nothing but little supplicants in need of protection by the police since they are not allowed to defend themselves.  While other states are using common sense and armed security to protect children, this bunch of city dwelling house cats will insure that crime will increase and victims will abound.  If you love freedom leave Connecticut.

Nationally the gun grabbers have an end around ploy planned to require liability insurance for gun owners.

Maryland House passes extreme gun control measure.

Connecticut Senate passes extreme gun control measure. 

Governor of Connecticut Comments on Gun Manufacturers Leaving the State.   "Oh Well."

Universal Background Checks are Totalitarian.

Nuke War with North Korea - EMP Risk

This is not a comforting time.   The risk of nuclear war appears higher now than any time since the 1960's and early 70's.  We have a leader newly in charge in North Korea that appears intent to prove himself.  Those of you that have never lived under the threat of annihilation from nuclear attack can now get a small taste of what many of us lived through throughout the 50's, 60's, and 70's.  We got used to it and back then we didn't even have to worry about half measure attacks that only destroyed our electrical grid.

Our military experts are worried about the EMP risk due to a space vehicle capability that North Korea has developed. 

If North Korea gets the ball rolling with some form of attack it is possible that either they, China, or Russia might decide it is time to put the USA into second tier status by pulling off an EMP attack designed to destroy the electrical grid throughout the US mainland.  Yes, we could retaliate with sub based attacks against military targets but it wouldn't change the outcome for the devastated US population.  This could destroy our way of life.

To prepare for this I'd get a non electric lifestyle into place that includes lamp oil, candles, cooking fuel, wood stoves, your bicycle, and a good pair of walking shoes.  Food storage for up to at least 6 months might make sense seeing as how there might be no food deliveries for that long or longer. 

You can always store batteries and electrical devices designed to run on them in a Faraday cage with hopes of still using your CD player or computer.   These would be my last concern.

Finally, if you voted for the people in power in the USA right now including a president that cancelled development and implementation of missile defense then you have yourself to blame for this predicament.  It is a blind religious belief on the part of the left that somehow defense is provocative and as a result we have school kids gunned down in gun free zones and a country without a completed anti ballistic missile defense system.  A missile defense is no different than a bullet resistant vest that the police and politicians wear.  It is there to improve your chances of surviving an attack.  As of now, we can only protect a few cities according to military experts.  We have no shield to protect the whole continental United States.

Wow, what a revelation.  This is something must of us already knew.

A U.S. General admits that North Korea has missile capable nukes.