Anyone else move away from .22s because of the shortage?

[FISH4BUGS]

I shoot cast 9mm, 38, 357, 44 special and 44 mag cheaper than a .22. Why bother?
The last 22 I shot was getting rid of a chipmunk that took up residence in the garden. Those were shotshells that I have had for 25 years.

[WebMonkey]

the "shortage" irritated me for sure.

i, however, enjoy/utilize the .22 rimfire quite a bit so i continued to shoot it.

hunting small game for myself or kids grandkids.
plinking fun and serious firearm handling instruction for whoever
dispatching meatgoats or trapped varmints.

those will always have a prominent place here at the homestead.

i did swap out the suppressed p22 for the g26 with cast handloads for woods walking.

i'm trying to be more prepared for the next .22 rimfire drought.

[375supermag]

Hi...
Barely noticed the shortages around here.
I had and continue to have a large supply of.22 ammunition.
I shot as much .22 as I wanted during the shortages.
I also was able to replenish my supplies.
My experience was that if you looked hard enough you could find .22 ammunition although prices were much higher than pre shortage and the selection and availability might be hit and miss.

[WILCO]

I still have a strong love affair with the 22.

Me too! During the drought, I purchased an air rifle and pellets. Now they're on the shelve.

[WILCO]

I am currently hoarding for the future.

Wise man. Congratulations.

[jimlj]

I did not shoot as much 22 during the shortage, but I still shot it when I wanted to.

It was true you could reload some calibers of ammo for less than the price of .22lr, but as was pointed out before, the time involved in reloading had to be taken into consideration.

Lucky for me after the first "shortage" several years ago I stocked up and had a fairly good stash on hand. I usually buy more than I shoot now for the next time.

[TenTea]

Shortage? What shortage?

Had a plenty and shot a plenty before, during and after...still have a plenty.

[JoeJames]

I was ok during the Hussein shortage. For years before that I'd pick up a carton or so at Walmart on a regular basis. But after I got my 44 Special, I got back into reloading due to factory ammo running about a dollar a caliber - 50 round box for $44. And then I learned I could load more accurate loads than the normal factory ammo that was available locally. Then got back into loading 38 Special wc's and swc's, and 32 S&W Longs. Turns out that now I just don't shoot much 22 anymore.

[fatelk]

I’ll pick up a box or two at Walmart, $19.92/Federal 550rnd, and think now I’ve got plenty.

A month later I’ll be there again, see the shelves stacked high, and think “That’s sure a good price compared to what they were”, and I’ll buy a couple bricks with the thought that now I have plenty.

Then, a month later...

[RogerDat]

I still have some of my Y2K prep supply of 22's on hand. If you are too young to know what Y2K was use Google!
Had a tendency to use some and replace some. Don't use it much, kids are grown and only wife and one daughter use it as a rule. However I still will pick up a bulk pack from time to time. Like knowing a long day of plinking, even with family along won't make me feel like I'm running low. My motto: shoot 200 then pick up a 333 bulk pack. Same thing with primers. Use one box then go buy two.

I do light load 38's and milder .223 rounds as a substitute. I think a lever action for the 38/357 would be a nice addition but a mild accurate 30-30 load could fill the same purpose.

[mold maker]

I'll never be without again. The shortage taught me a lesson not to be forgotten in this lifetime. During the shortage, I had 3 granddaughters become responsible enough to learn and had no ammo for their crickets. Although the situation has been rectified, not being able to spend that time with them hurt.
They are now proficient with 223 and 9mm and are learning to reload.

[bangerjim]

I haven’t shot a 22 in over 2 years. I light load 30cal, 38SPL, and 45LC (both revolvers and long guns) for use in 22-like plinging. Using those is more like loading and shooting a REAL gun, rather than those little teeny toy-like 22’s.

Shot a ton of 22’s in the by-gone days when they were dirt cheap, but it is so easy and cheap to use REAL cals now, why bother paying 7-10 cents/round for those silly little things. But.....I have a s-pot full of 22’s stored up. Guess I need to start burning thru them.

Bring on the rains in AZ! I am sick of shooting inside at Caswells.

Bangerjim

[redhawk0]

I'm an ammo hoarder...always have been...didn't change my shooting habits during the drought...but I have since replenished my depleting stock...back up to over 10K again.

redhawk

[reddog81]

I never stopped shooting it during the shortage. I did and still do regularly shoot a box or 2 at each range trip. It was still possible to find the stuff during the shortage, it just took more work. The manufacturers were pumping the rounds out as quickly as possible.

The problem was a self inflicted spiral. I bet 95% of people posting on this thread had their stockpile double or more during the "shortage".

The biggest cause for me to drift from .22's was starting to cast and being able to shoot 9mm, .38's and even .45's for about the same price as .22's.

[RogerDat]

I'm still kicking myself for not buying a couple or three 22 firearms when everyone was dumping them due to no ammo available. There were some real deals to be had. A nice lever action or a bolt action with a scope at fire sale prices could be found then but now with ammo availability decent again those deals are gone.

If you reload you saw .38 or 9mm as being potentially almost as cheap as the .22 rim fire. If you cast the economics favored the center fire cartridges even more. Probably still do. However if you only buy your ammo then the .22 is still an economical choice. At 7 cents each it is half the price of 9mm even in bulk. At a cost of 7 cent per round one can shoot 200 rounds for $15 and have a choice of rifle styles or pistol types to shoot them from. Going to Wally Mart and buying center fire ammo $15 won't go nearly as far.

[Big Tom]

I had a few thousand rounds of .22 that got me through the shortage. Primarily shoot my 10/22, 1911 conversion and AR15 conversion with it - fun and inexpensive. Initially I started reloading more of the other calibers, but then started using them - ultimately, that was why I had them piled up to begin with. Now slowly rebuilding that stock...

[ShooterAZ]

I love shooting my 22's, and would never give them up. I had plenty of ammo throughout the shortage, and still have plenty now. If you aren't stocked up, prepare now for the next shortage because you never know what's gonna happen next!

[trapper9260]

I use the 22lr on my trap line and even when Zero was in office. but limit on how much I use.I made sure to just use it on the trap line only. Just got to stock up now with bulk of 22lr of Blazer for 4 cents for it and just made the order and will be here some time next week. i had you can say bite the bullet to do it for how it is for me. But it will be a life time stock for me with what I have on hand also. With this past of how it was with 22lr. I had got to have just about most of my other center fire rounds to shoot like a 22lr.. So I can take them also with the regular rounds out in the woods. It is thanks to all of you on here that made it possible for me to do it. use light boolits to do it. So I will be set now.

[Biggin]

I've got a pretty good stash of 22 ammo. I admit I did get caught short in the last obummer shortage. I think someone said buy it cheap and stack it deep. Since starting casting and getting back into reloading I'm reasonably comfortable with what I have. However this hillbilly is a hoarder by nature so I'm always looking for more. ��

[Biggin]

Btw, I still love my 22s just don't shoot em as much as I used to. Save them for future grandchildren.