My first firearm – which I still have – was a Sears (Marlin) single-shot rifle with one of those skinny 4x scopes. Work the bolt, load the round (.22S, .22L, or .22LR), work the bolt, pull back the plunger. Ruger 10/22s are nice – I have at least two – but they get boring, firing through ten rounds so fast. It would be better if I went out plinking, instead of using the range; but it’s more satisfying making a round count, instead of blasting through a magazine as fast as I can pull the trigger.
I’ve spoken to a clerk at the local WalMart about this. He told me when they stock the latest shipment of .22LR at 5am there’s already a line of a dozen people waiting to buy it. 
The guy at Gander Mountain told me the same thing. The same people each week. If I was the store manager I would not put it all on the shelf at once. I’d put a few boxes out at random times through the week to thwart the hoarders. I guess they don’t care as long as it all gets sold.
Think that through. Why on earth would the store manager refuse to sell to customers who are lined up waiting to buy, in favor of potential customers who may buy in the future?
So, this may be a dumb question, but why is this still a thing? I can understand why there has been a spike in demand, but why hasn’t there been an increase in supply? You’d think manufacturers would try to up output. They’ve certainly had time.
Couldn’t agree more.
You had/have a scope!?
My first rifle that I still have was my dads. His targets where Necco Wafers. Those little candies about the size of a quarter. They would powder when hit.
It’s a 1910 Winchester. A box of 50 .22s would make for a nice afternoon. Less brass to pick up too.
I use CCI Pistol Match 40 Grain LRN. Bought a hundred boxes of 50 each about five years ago. Just before this crazy shortage hit.
I’m very thankful too. I don’t shoot as often because I don’t want to run out. Ammo is like gold these days.
Cheaper than Dirt still shows the link active. But says it’s not available. Boo!!!
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/AMM-0762?utm_source=email&utm_medium=confirmation&utm_campaign=transmark
I guess it won’t be made anymore.
If the customers are waiting to buy now, they’ll be back later. The issue isn’t with the ability to sell, but with the hoarding. Rationing thwarts hoarding.
What is a good brand for a Target quality Air pistol? I need to start practicing with one. Save my precious .22 ammo.
well, the big panic buying rush was right after Sandy Hook, and the real pinch was on calibers like 5.56mm/.223 Remington and 7.62x39mm. by now, supply and pricing on those calibers has long since returned to normal. I have no idea why some people are gobbling up and hoarding .22LR. Best guess I’ve heard is that it’s “preppers” who think we’re getting close to the point where .22LR will be “currency.”
No shortage of .22 here. Including the American brands.
You ask a good question I don’t have an answer for. I’ve heard all the horror and conspiracy theories and I ain’t buying. One thing I have heard and maybe believe is that .22 rimfire is the hardest ammo to mass manufacture in any reasonable form of quality - which is why you get tons of off-brand 9mms and stuff but few off-brand rimfires.
My guess (overall the current situation) is the makers are just jacking around for a better/best price and a chance to get out of calibers (like most of the ones I shoot) that aren’t that profitable.
Report from today – tried several “Field & Stream/Gander Mountain” type stores and nada. Did find some at a fair price at a more hardware/discount store but with a limit of 2 boxes of 50 per person per day and don’t let us get to recognize your face we don’t even like our employees that much.
I have a quarter I plugged with an AR-15. I can’t remember which one. It’s hard to keep track of them all. I want to say it was one of the carbines.
I have a 1897 Winchester Model 92 rifle (24-inch octagon barrel, and rifle stocks) in .32-20. It’s fun to shoot. My other Winchester is a 94-22. I bought it NIB five years ago, and haven’t had a chance to shoot it yet! Same with the new Marlin Model 39A I bought around the same time.
I don’t visit the gun forums much anymore, but last I did people were bragging about having 10,000 or 20,000 rounds cashed away. I recall seeing one even boasted about having 100,000.
Yep, that’s what I think is behind it, doomsday preppers that think it’s going to be the “coin of the realm” after society collapses.
I burnt up about 200 rounds in my new gun this afternoon. I’ll be regretting that once the shit hits the fan. 
Sure, but again - how is it in the store manager’s interest to prevent hoarding? A sale is a sale to her.
Also, retail managers pay close attention to what they call “turns”, which is how fast they “turn over” their stock - sell it out and refill the shelves. More sales today = quicker turns = bigger bonus check, at least at my company.
From a supply and demand perspective why don’t more companies enter the market? 22 ammo requires precision manufacturing but is not that high tech an item. If the demand is that huge why aren’t more suppliers stepping into the market?
My understanding is that the manufacturers are running 24/7 to produce ammo but are reluctant to invest in additional machinery to produce .22 ammo because they think “the shortage” will end and suddenly they are stuck with excess mfg. capacity. Supposedly the equipment to produce rimfire ammo is very costly.
I think it is in the industry’s interest to insure the average shooter can buy ammo and therefore confidently buy .22 guns, believing they will be able to buy the ammo to go with them.
Yeah, investing in nutbags doesn’t seem like a good long-term business strategy.
To be fair, you can always bank on a strong baseline of idiots, but general idiocy is different from nutty conspiracy theory. You take advantage of idiots, hook them on a line that’s flashy and gimmicky, and you’re all set for years to come. Nutbaggery, on the other hand, develops on its own in the wild and is subject to switch over to something else at any given moment.