Cast the new alternative to .22LR

[Jon]

I'm glad I got into casting a few years ago.

It's pretty sad that I can reload .45ACP for about the same price as 22LR these days. I just picked up 1000rds of Winchester 22LR, and it was $50.

A primer and 3gr of Bullseye is about the same per 1000 rounds. Granted there is work involved, but who would have thought it.

Musings for the morning.

[Bohica793]

Not sure I can get my 45 to cycle on only 3 grains, but I have commented for months that i can cast and load 38s for the same if not less than 22s.

[ShooterAZ]

I bought a bunch of Mini Mags before the "crisis". I have been sharing with a few needy friends, and shooting them sparingly. My "new" .22 is the RCBS 22-055-SP loaded with 3.5 grains of Titegroup in the .223 Remington. Like it says on the bottle "a little goes a long way". This is a super accurate load in my T/C Contender, and very enjoyable to shoot.

[DeanWinchester]

I've been shooting 9mm for the same price as 22 for better than year. It's sad but I'd rather shoot 9mm anyway so...

I tried for years to tell people about this hobby and what the future would hold for ammo buyers. No one listened. Now I all but ignore their cries of woe.

[lancem]

Don't know that much has changed all in all, 20+ years ago I remember making the comparison between 22's and cast loaded 38's. It's always been cheaper to reload as long as you count your time as hobby time.

[Garyshome]

An Air rifle is also a low cost alternative to 22lr. I picked one up for the grand kids [It stays at our house] and it will do most everything [limited range] that a 22 will do for A LOT less $$$$$.

[Dusty Bannister]

Cheap shooting, if you already have the air rifle. Not sure how cheap if you have to factor that cost into it. I favor being able to down load a center fire and use cast bullets. Especially, if you already have the molds, or can get the Lee 22 Bator. I also shoot buck shot, sized and tumble lubed for short range light loads. Probably hijacking talking about air guns in this thread. Dusty

[Jon]

It's ok, I've been thinking about airguns lately. I have an old Crossman, that was purchased when I was 13. There are much better ones out there now, that don't require 10 pumps, and will actually put the pellet on target. At some point high powered air rifles may be more common over here than they are in europe.

Lewis and Clarke had a nice one. It's funny how things come back around after awhile.

[dudel]

I've been doing .22 pellets loaded in a 22 Hornet case with no powder. Works surprisingly well. No hearing protection needed.

I put up what I thought was a fair stash of 22LR before the ruckus. Now I'm not sure it was enough. Supplies in Texas seem to be much better than in North Georgia. May take the nephew out this weekend (to shoot!).

[Sgtonory]

Shot 500 rounds in my new Ruger Gp100 for less than i can buy .22 these days if you can find it. I wont shoot my supply of .22 till i can find more.

[sirgknight]

An Air rifle is also a low cost alternative to 22lr. I picked one up for the grand kids [It stays at our house] and it will do most everything [limited range] that a 22 will do for A LOT less $$$$$.

It would be interesting to know how much sales have increased for air rifles since the .22 rip off. I have been seriously considering purchasing the Umarex Surge XT. It's a .177 caliber that shoots 1200 fps and comes with a 4X32 scope and costs just a little over $100. Not bad....and ammo would be very cheap compared to the .22.

[CHX77]

"Cast the new alternative to .22LR"? It was for me this fall. Not counting my time, .38 special cast loads cost less than .22lr. Lately I've been finding .22lr for around 5 cents per round, so things are getting better. I also rebuilt my old Crosman 1400 this year and picked up a new Crosman Nitro Venom, both .22 caliber. Very cheap to shoot and I can shoot them at my semi-suburban home. Our nearest outdoor range isn't kept open in the winter.

[Boolseye]

My "new" .22 is the RCBS 22-055-SP loaded with 3.5 grains of Titegroup in the .223 Remington. Like it says on the bottle "a little goes a long way". This is a super accurate load in my T/C Contender, and very enjoyable to shoot.

not to mention that it has the terminal ballistics of a .22 mag!

[Boolseye]

At some point high powered air rifles may be more common over here than they are in europe.

Nothing against airguns, but there's a plug for the new .357 crosman on youtube–the guy getting all worked up about a hi-tech rifle with the ballistics of a .38 special target wadcutter. Have to chuckle a bit.

[FLHTC]

Air guns are illegal to hunt with in my state. I own one that is scoped and it's used for backyard work but my center fire 22s and 257s go afield with cast loads and out shine the 22lr any day. I think we're seeing the end of an era in small game rifles. The 22lr was the "go to" rifle for a couple generations but I believe that has come to pass.

[jonas302]

I don't know there is not much overhead cost on paying for 22s
That said I would much rather cast and load but not for cost savings its just not there for me a least

[EMC45]

Honestly cast centerfire has been my rimfire alternative for a few years now. I have been able to reload .32 S&W-L for a lot cheaper than .22s for years now.

[Harter66]

I just tallied it up this morning , 3.5 Unique and 55gr in the 222 I'm picking up next week comes out $40/1000 . The 7RWH (7x6.8 Rem) shoots about the same w/a 130. 00B for the 30s and 0000 for 9 and 38.At $50 /1000 I get hobby time and I'm 10 bucks ahead.

[Digital Dan]

Air guns are illegal to hunt with in my state. I own one that is scoped and it's used for backyard work but my center fire 22s and 257s go afield with cast loads and out shine the 22lr any day. I think we're seeing the end of an era in small game rifles. The 22lr was the "go to" rifle for a couple generations but I believe that has come to pass.

Couple of generations? Smith & Wesson put the .22RF into production in 1857.

It won't be going away in our lifetimes.

[bedbugbilly]

What surprises me is being in a gun shop and watching folks buy 22s. Yea, I know . . . every kid (young or old) should have one and have the experience. I started out with my Dad's 1915 Stevens Favorite when you could buy a box of 22s for 50 cents - $5.00 / brick of 500. I think it's a shame that things are the way they are and I'm surprised that the 22s - rifles/pistols still seem to sell so well with the shortage of ammo. I guess a good air gun is a decent alternative to get kids started out and there are some nice ones out there. I'm in MI and AZ - different times of the year - and 22s are almost impossible to find. The CF seems to be coming back on the shelves of my LGS in MI but the prices are still high. I have about 1K of 22s and I just hate to shoot them as I don't know when I'll be able to find more and not get raped on the price at the same time. I have several rifles and four pistols that just "sit" as there isn't ammo to be found to feed them. I'm reloading 38s and 9mm and to me, that's a cheap alternative - I've got the brass, primers, powder and cast my own - and can also have the enjoyment of loading them in leisure time.

Last winter, I stopped at a local gun shop in Prescott, AZ and discovered they had gotten a shipment of CCI 22 LR in. I asked about them and was told I was limited to two boxes (100 count each) - when I asked him the price - $13.95 a box. No thank you. I'm to the point I'm thinking about just selling some of my 22s and sticking to the CF reloading.