The making of .22 rimfire ammo

[philoshop]

Pretty cool video. Think about the quantity that is made every day by just this one company.

 

[turkeyfeathers]

and to think we couldn't find any .22 ammo for a long time

[Doc]

Great video!

[wolc123]

15 hours ago, turkeyfeathers said:

and to think we couldn't find any .22 ammo for a long time

That video makes it pretty easy to see the reason for that.   There are several large, complicated machines involved in the process.   They are quite specialized, and certainly must be very expensive.   It would not make much sense to have more of those machines than is necessary to handle the "normal" demand for the product.   When consumers "panic-buy", as happened a few years ago, the problem you describe is the logical result.     

[philoshop]

15 hours ago, turkeyfeathers said:

and to think we couldn't find any .22 ammo for a long time

 

7 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

That video makes it pretty easy to see the reason for that.   There are several large, complicated machines involved in the process.   They are quite specialized, and certainly must be very expensive.   It would not make much sense to have more of those machines than is necessary to handle the "normal" demand for the product.   When consumers "panic-buy", as happened a few years ago, the problem you describe is the logical result.     

Wolc123, that only explains part of it. Nearly every manufacturer was operating at full capacity and often adding additional shifts to the production lines. Some were running 24/7. From what I researched the ammo was being manufactured, but it wasn't getting to the public.

I don't know for sure why that 'scarcity' occurred, but I will speculate that there are probably large warehouses around the country stacked to the rafters with .22 rim-fire ammo. Who owns  the ammo, and who owns the warehouses, is the big question.

Why it might be kept away from typical consumer is a bit easier: It's an entry-level round used in entry-level firearms, purchased by entry-level people. It's also heavily used to maintain marksmanship proficiency. For someone wishing to slow or stop "the American infatuation with guns" the removal of .22 rim-fire ammo from the market would be a darned good place to start.

 

[Steuben Jerry]

Cool video Philo, thanks for posting!

[wolc123]

1 hour ago, philoshop said:

 

Wolc123, that only explains part of it. Nearly every manufacturer was operating at full capacity and often adding additional shifts to the production lines. Some were running 24/7. From what I researched the ammo was being manufactured, but it wasn't getting to the public.

I don't know for sure why that 'scarcity' occurred, but I will speculate that there are probably large warehouses around the country stacked to the rafters with .22 rim-fire ammo. Who owns  the ammo, and who owns the warehouses, is the big question.

Why it might be kept away from typical consumer is a bit easier: It's an entry-level round used in entry-level firearms, purchased by entry-level people. It's also heavily used to maintain marksmanship proficiency. For someone wishing to slow or stop "the American infatuation with guns" the removal of .22 rim-fire ammo from the market would be a darned good place to start.

 

I am not sure about what sounds like a "conspiracy theory" but I am thankful that "scarcity" occurred.  It forced me to rediscover the BB-gun.   I put a "big-loop" and adult-sized stock on my daughter's Daisy Red-ryder last summer.  Ammo for that is cheap (5000 for $5.00), and never has been hard to find.  It is also very quiet and does not disturb people or animals who may be nearby.

Thousands of practice shots last summer, most at moving targets, made it a lot easier for me to cleanly kill two moving deer last fall.  That included a large buck at a moderate walk with my crossbow and a medium doe at a slow run with my slug gun.   We rely heavily on the meat, and I do not get a lot of shot opportunities, so I need all the help I can get.   Lots of shooting practice is a good way for me to help myself.  

Thanks to the BB-gun, that practice is cheap, quiet, and convenient.  I can't say that about the .22 anymore.  Going forward, I will save .22 ammo for coons, crows, rabbits, and coyotes.   In the past, I used some on squirrels, but I will probably start using a pellet gun for that this year.  That might be more effective than the .22 rimfire due to the silent report.  It will not take the woods as long to "settle down" after each shot.           

Edited February 11, 2018 by wolc123

[ncountry]

1 hour ago, philoshop said:

 

Wolc123, that only explains part of it. Nearly every manufacturer was operating at full capacity and often adding additional shifts to the production lines. Some were running 24/7. From what I researched the ammo was being manufactured, but it wasn't getting to the public.

I don't know for sure why that 'scarcity' occurred, but I will speculate that there are probably large warehouses around the country stacked to the rafters with .22 rim-fire ammo. Who owns  the ammo, and who owns the warehouses, is the big question.

 

I could show  you 1/2 dozen or so "warehouses" within a few minutes drive of my house. Friends who went to Wal-Mart or local gun shops  and bought out every round on the shelf within hours  of them arriving .  Not realizing they or those like them were the problem..lol

[steve863]

50 minutes ago, ncountry said:

I could show  you 1/2 dozen or so "warehouses" within a few minutes drive of my house. Friends who went to Wal-Mart or local gun shops  and bought out every round on the shelf within hours  of them arriving .  Not realizing they or those like them were the problem..lol

That is exactly what was happening.  All other theories are nothing more than baloney and paranoia.

[Arcade Hunter]

Great video and comments too