22LR, what happened this time, they are everywhere

[churchmouse]

I happened to buy a Harley back in "the great Harley shortage". I bought a 1999 Softail Springer. The list price back then was something like $16K-$17. I had to pay $19K for one with 300 miles on it. I didn't care. I got what I wanted. He had waited the 1 1/2 to 2 year waiting period to get it and I didn't have to wait.
Did I get gouged? Hell yes! Was I happy? Hell yes!
That is what the word means.

As long as you were happy. But my point remains on those who were not actually part of the sub-culture I grew up around. My observations started long before your experience.
Glad you got to have the experience.

I paid too much for CKW's 99 Dyna Wide Glide. Buddy owned Randy's and he was getting bikes from Canada that did not sell up there. The bike was unique in color and controls as it was metric and choked way the hell down with emissions. He paid too much to get it. Needed to move it. She wanted her own Harley so we cut a deal and yeah, maybe $2K above list at the time but I saw all his paper work. She got a sweet bike that the mouse immediately modified so you could hear it run.

All in what you want I guess.

And she rode the wheels off of it.....On the Blue Ridge Parkway...

 

[johny5]

I just want to take a moment and thank Johny5 and KJQ6945 for the posts they made with excellent explanations of gouging and markets. Sad I was so busy I couldn't participate real time.

Great work gentlemen...

Thanks!!

 

[nonobaddog]

 

[churchmouse]

Baddog that is nice scooter. Love me some springers. Love-em

Me and her on a run.....

 

[KJQ6945]

And just like that they were riding Harleys down memory lane, then everybody was friendly again.

old people are so easily diverted.

 

[nonobaddog]

Churchmouse - that is a very nice springer you have there - both bikes are nice.

 

[WebSnyper]

I just want to take a moment and thank Johny5 and KJQ6945 for the posts they made with excellent explanations of gouging and markets. Sad I was so busy I couldn't participate real time.

Great work gentlemen...

Agreed, some of the most well reasoned posts I've read on INGO in quite some time.

 

[churchmouse]

Churchmouse - that is a very nice springer you have there - both bikes are nice.

Had. Times/life change. But I miss them.

 

[Mark106]

This thread's been a fascinating -- and thought provoking -- read. I've even learned stuff about free-market pricing ... and I was an English major. Numbers scare me.
One of my favorite lines from KJQ6945 (so far) was about chuckling and moving on.
That's kind of the way I've always thought about CTD. Some of their products are downright toejam when it comes to quality, IMO, and I've never thought their prices particularly good. Since the days of hardcopy catalogs in the mailbox, I've looked at their ads and thought, "Thanks, but I'll pass."
My non-participation in their business, though, in no way negates their right to carry on. Hey, some folks must dig 'em. They've been around for quite a while.
They do provoke some strong feelings on the interweb, for sure. A guy on another board had his skivvies knotted over them asking $334 for a flat of Federal 12 gauge shells. Looked up that offer, and they were Federal Premiums in 7.5 in your choice of either 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 ounce loads.
My first thought -- and I've slain a goodly amount of pheasant, quail, chukar, doves, etc -- is "Why would any experienced gunner want a flat of those?" They're a good shell, but not particularly cost efficient even at non-crazy-times retail. In terms of actual live game performance (with a bonus of reload friendliness), you can do as well for less money with something like Winchester AA or Remington Premier trap or sporting clays loads. And if you need that extra 1/8 of an ounce, shouldn't you be thinking of stepping up to No. 6?
But I guess if someone buys those flats, then someone has at least a perceived use for 'em, so good on the seller and good on the buyer.
These are the little trips my mind takes.

 

[binkerton]

I've never bought anything from CTD, I've seen their flyers from time to time, but the prices and appearance of "quality" or the lack of never seemed enticing to me. As far as the price hikes during "dark times" goes, I've just never considered myself that desperate I guess. Every business has the right to do what they wish with their stuff as long as it's not discrimination. I'd rather be patient and wait for the market to correct and go with the sellers that don't pull that stuff. That's my right.

As for the original topic of this thread. I too noticed that walmart still had plenty of .22 last week. I picked up a box of the bulk Win M22 stuff cause they still had 2. The other day was a different story. Almost all the bulk stuff is gone and there is very little of the more quality stuff like Mini mags and such. I'm thinking .22 wont be around much longer.

 

[Hohn]

The way I've been shooting lately, my meager 12k or so is a lifetime supply.

I'm more concerned these days about purging the Remington than adding more qty. I'd rather have another 2k or 5k of Geco than 20k of remington.

 

[rosejm]

I too noticed that walmart still had plenty of .22 last week. I picked up a box of the bulk Win M22 stuff cause they still had 2. The other day was a different story. Almost all the bulk stuff is gone and there is very little of the more quality stuff like Mini mags and such. I'm thinking .22 wont be around much longer.

This was forgone, as soon as folks were buying firearms based on what ammo was left.
Now, any boolits are better than none. Bubba will find a way to make it work.

 

[nonobaddog]

This was forgone, as soon as folks were buying firearms based on what ammo was left.
Now, any boolits are better than none. Bubba will find a way to make it work.

Lol, like taping a 12 ga slug shell to the end of your 22lr barrel?

 

[Hohn]

...and that makes all the difference in the world. If you think I'm not going to be on here whining about ammo prices when the next gun grabber is in the white house, economics be damned, you're mistaken.

So, I get it, supply and demand, free market economy, you don't have to buy it and all of that. However, that argument applied when it's some d-head in the oval office buying up billions of rounds of 5.56 (and all manner of other ammo) so we can't have it, and is parading dead children on the nightly news while crying like a b**** in the rose garden about how he can't my rights away but he's trying really hard anyhow, isn't going to sit well with me or others.

What I'm saying is perhaps dial it back a little bit here with the finger pointing at conservatives and telling us we're acting like leftist lunatics. You're right this time, but it comes off a bit smug to me to act like we've all just been ridiculous asshats all of the other times too. I could be reading more into it than is there, but that might all the reason needed to calm it down a touch.

And I do get it that we're all on the same team here and we're all friends. Let's just make sure everything stays friendly and that, say, come November, people aren't looking at this thread and becoming a bit annoyed when this happens again for the normal reasons.

I don't think Uncle Sam buying ammo was the cause of the previous shortage. Uncle Sam is always buying ammo. The shortages start and end with gun owners and the Pareto principle. 80% of the ammo is going to 20% of buyers.

 

[hANNAbONE]

80% of the ammo is going to 20% of buyers.

Bingo...

 

[nonobaddog]

Probably 80% of the ammo is used by 20% of the buyers too.

 

[Mark106]

Only a week after the original post, I'm not sure the "they are everywhere" remains true.
A lot of bare shelves in my town when it comes to .22LR. And bulk availability from online sellers of the better rounds without getting into Eley or Lapua territory seems to be declining noticeably.
I believe we may be headed toward another period re .22LR like 2012-13 and the few years thereafter.
I think two things would have to happen to happen to quell that: The COVID-19 pandemic trends downward and Trump gets re-elected.

 

[Expat]

I noticed on line availability is going down and prices going up. I noticed a place that still had some fancy target rounds for the same price that the bargain rounds are now selling at, so I bought some of those.

 

[yetti462]

Not been to any stores lately to check. Guessing they're bare. I should be set for awhile, might take a look tonight just for ghits and siggles.

 

[Airtevron1]

ammo hoarders represent the worst in us. sitting in their bunker/double wide watching endless Walking Dead episodes dreaming about the epic battle where whats left of humanity is reduced to whomever has the most ammo is in charge. ready to blow away a neighbor for the last twinkie on the shelf, or living in delusional paranoia that they will be attacked for their last roll of toilet paper.

stockpiling ammo to pour over like gollum to feel in control.

as an alternative, why not focus on how you can help your neighbors and fellow citizens, maybe stockpile some badly needed meds...