Another factor is the ammo companies' refusal to expand their production capabilities for rimfire. I think the biggest factor in this is politically-induced fear - fear that political decisions in the short to mid-term will keep them from being able to make money off their investment in production expansion.

Just my 2 cents.

Out in California on Camp Pendleton at the exchange they had some 22 LR. The Staff Sergeant picked up a few boxes when he took us by there one day.

AR stuff is more common now (market seemed flooded) but ammo doesn't want to come down. We didn't find any 223/5.56 under $0.45 a round even in bulk pack. It was good to see primers and some powders appearing on shelves. Unique and Bullseye, however, were proverbial hen's teeth.

If we manage to get a republican pres. Maybe we will find where Obama has been dumping the stuff.

If I was on board of directors of a manufacturer heads would roll for not increasing production 100% or 200% several years ago.

OUR shop is able to keep a supply generally but not of what we want but of whatever we can find available. We don't turn down ANY rimfire ammo from the distributors. We don't quibble on price. They have it and are willing to sell it to us we take it and we ask for it every single day. We do not have cases and cases though, we MIGHT get a case of one load in any shipment. BIG improvement though, there were times when we got a single 50-round box, I kid you not. ONE 50-round box. We do not have a limit but we do sometimes try to accumulate some special product, such as the Christmas packs for Christmas shoppers or Troy Landry CCI stuff for when he came to a local show (some folks expressed a desire to buy boxes for him to sign). "Bricks" sell for $29.99 to $69.99 depending on what it is (e.g. Stingers are big in demand and seldom come in so get a premium price). We have ammo because we charge enough to discourage the speculators who are STILL making money off their WalMart supplier...

This time of year the match ammo starts to sell and choices are somewhat limited. Last season several of us bought some by the case just because it was available and because some guns just don't do as well with any given lot but very well with others there's been a LOT of trading going on since then. Some guys don't think they have enough for their season but they shoot 3-4 matches a month and practice with their match ammo and so go through a lot of it.

The perception of our local/repeat customers is that the shortage is easing but those who are visiting or passing through and stop are often astonished that we have .22 LR and especially that we have .22 WRM.