Are the days of $0.05/rd .22lr a distant memory?

[Glock Shooter]

I thought I'd ask opinions on my fantasy of the return of $0.05/rd .22lr or is >$0.10/rd the new normal? I found some 500rd boxes from SGammo @ $0.10/rd but I still dream of days past when 1000rds was $50.

[buffalobo]

If "constant crisis" we see in society calms long enough for production to catch up and inventories to replenish prices will come down as "panic" buying wanes.

[APEXgunparts]

Talking to my old Remington area rep, who moved over to ammunition production, he had this to say.
For decades .22 ammo was referred to as "promotional pricing".
In other words sold below cost with the idea being that if you grow up shooting Remington .22 (or any other brand) you will be a buyer of that brand of ammo in all cases.
Keep in mind that manufacturing .22 ammo is dirty, and risky (The primer being what it is poured into the rim) Remington has had nasty accidents in that area.
Then came "Sandy Hook" and all the Manufacturers "learned" they could charge what .22 actually cost and even make a profit on it.
There IS NO GOING BACK!
Now it is sold at a price that the retail market will bear.

Richard

[tactical_2012]

No its still out there. Picked up a 550rd box of 22lr at Walmart 2 weeks ago for $20

[sroz]

Cabela's had 500 rd. Boxes at $20 a couple weeks ago. Course it didn't last long.

[beast556]

Hopefully things will die down, in reality it is going to be a few years before that happens. If biden gets elected we will be wishing 22lr was 10 cents a round.

[brutal]

Talking to my old Remington area rep, who moved over to ammunition production, he had this to say.
For decades .22 ammo was referred to as "promotional pricing".
In other words sold below cost with the idea being that if you grow up shooting Remington .22 (or any other brand) you will be a buyer of that brand of ammo in all cases.
Keep in mind that manufacturing .22 ammo is dirty, and risky (The primer being what it is poured into the rim) Remington has had nasty accidents in that area.
Then came "Sandy Hook" and all the Manufacturers "learned" they could charge what .22 actually cost and even make a profit on it.
There IS NO GOING BACK!
Now it is sold at a price that the retail market will bear.

Richard

I would tend to believe this to be the case when it was $0.03/rd or less.

Seems the $0.05/rd became the new normal.

[DenverGP]

Just a couple weeks before the covid stupid hit, I was buying it for 4 cents a round, so I'm expected after the election and covid stupidity is over, it'll return to somewhere around there. Took a year or two after the previous ammo-shortage for prices to return to the low levels, but it'll happen again.

[Glock Shooter]

Begrudgingly I picked up a few thousand @ $0.10/rd before they sold out on SGammo. If you're ever at a wally-world, cabellas, etc and see $0.05/rd 22lr I'd be interested in a few thousand. Just pm me and we can meet up and I'll bring some bagels as a thank you. In another life I baked bagels and recently took up the art again. Authentic old school recipe boiled and everything.

[APEXgunparts]

I would tend to believe this to be the case when it was $0.03/rd or less.

Seems the $0.05/rd became the new normal.

I should have clarified the prices.
I was buying 500 round bricks of .22 for $10 in the late 1970's.
The price remained constant ($10-$12 a brick) for decades.
Once I understood more about the retail VS wholesale prices I remember reflecting that it was amazing that .22 hadn't changed price after so many years.
After that chat with my friend at Remington I understood why.

Richard

[.455_Hunter]

Walmart had Federal Champion .22 LR at $1.47 per 50 the week before Sandy Hook in 2012. $10 in the late 70's was a hell of a lot more money than $15 in 2012.

[CS1983]

Meanwhile, Hoser's garage foundation has sunk 6" and even his great-grandkids won't need to buy ammo. lol

[brutal]

Meanwhile, Hoser's garage foundation has sunk 6" and even his great-grandkids won't need to buy ammo. lol

So it's all in the garage eh?

LOL.




P.S. I'm surprised at the high shelf rating those small rivet shelving units have.

[Brass]

Federal 550 packs are still around twenty bucks at Walmart. You just need to be there when they show up, which isn't easy. Gunshop prices are way up, which is probably why they still have some .22 available on the shelves.

[theGinsue]

This thread is neither a Trading Post ad nor a Buyer Intel alert.

It has been moved to the appropriate forum for this discussion.

To answer the OP's question: Yes, those days are memory. These days, you're lucky to find much ammunition to purchase for any price.

[DenverGP]

Saw .22LR in stock from brownells this morning, ended up a little over 5 cents per round shipped for Aguila Super Extra

It doesn't last long, but it's still available for decent prices.

[buffalobo]

Walmart on Razorback in the Springs has Federal, 4000 rds in stock, @ $.04/rd.

[Colorado Osprey]

I should have clarified the prices.
I was buying 500 round bricks of .22 for $10 in the late 1970's.
The price remained constant ($10-$12 a brick) for decades.
Richard

Longs Drug store in Colorado Springs used to have $9.99 bricks even in the late 1990's until they closed... and Win white label 223 for 3.99/20
I used to get 500 round cases of PMP South African 223 for $89 there also in the same time frame.

Luckily I stocked up on reloading supplies for a lifetime back then and that is still what it costs me to shoot.

I changed from 22lr to 22 Hornet when the rimfire got expensive. I can still shoot those for about .03 per round from days of old component pricing.

It feels like not that long ago but it has now been over 20 years

[XJ]

Longs Drug store in Colorado Springs used to have $9.99 bricks even in the late 1990's until they closed... and Win white label 223 for 3.99/20
I used to get 500 round cases of PMP South African 223 for $89 there also in the same time frame.

Luckily I stocked up on reloading supplies for a lifetime back then and that is still what it costs me to shoot.

I changed from 22lr to 22 Hornet when the rimfire got expensive. I can still shoot those for about .03 per round from days of old component pricing.

It feels like not that long ago but it has now been over 20 years


Longs was great - you could buy alcohol, tobacco, and firearms all in one store.

One time I stopped by on the way out for a camping trip, and accidentally used the company credit card instead of my personal card. At that time the receipt was required even for clearing an "oops" charge, and my Aussie boss was just a bit taken aback [ROFL1]