22 Ammo at Academy, Hixson

[Cherokee Slim]

I was at Academy in Hixson last night and as usual no .22 in the gun department.  I asked when it comes in and the clerk told me they pretty much had it all the time now, BUT that it is at customer service on top of the cabinets.  It was indeed there, 2 box limit but a pile a good 2 feet square of boxes.  They had more cases on the floor.

 

It is the Mexican Aquila, Super-Extra, 40 grain copper covered bullet.  I would buy this stuff by the 4 brick case when I worked in Mexico and it was fine.  It was $4.49 per/box, but you can't shoot what you don't have.

Cherokee Slim

[JAB]

I was at Academy in Hixson last night and as usual no .22 in the gun department.  I asked when it comes in and the clerk told me they pretty much had it all the time now, BUT that it is at customer service on top of the cabinets.  It was indeed there, 2 box limit but a pile a good 2 feet square of boxes.  They had more cases on the floor.

 

It is the Mexican Aquila, Super-Extra, 40 grain copper covered bullet.  I would buy this stuff by the 4 brick case when I worked in Mexico and it was fine.  It was $4.49 per/box, but you can't shoot what you don't have.

Cherokee Slim

Good to know.  Based on having called to check with them a couple of times over the last week or two, I don't think the Knoxville Academy can yet say that they have .22 ammo pretty much all the time, yet, because they haven't had any whenever I have called.  Still, if it is regularly available at an Academy that is as close as the Chattanooga/Hixson area maybe it will start being more plentiful around here, soon.

 

I wonder if the Aguila folks have gone into production overdrive or something.  The owner of my LGS gave me a good handful of those Aguila Super-Extras to try out and see what I think of them.  He said he expects to be able to get a fairly steady supply of them, soon.  I haven't gotten around to it, yet but expect it to be just fine.  I don't think he is the kind of shop owner who really 'gouges' people but being that it is a small shop, etc. I expect his price to be about like Academy's.  According to him, Aguila is planning to streamline their production of rimfire a bit, at least for now.  He said that he doesn't think they are going to be producing the Super Maximum any longer, for instance.

Edited August 7, 2014 by JAB

[Guest BCR#1]

$.09 a round ain't no bargain. I'll keep buying the Thunderbolts for $.05 a round at the warehouse.

 

Bill

[Cherokee Slim]

True, it's cheaper at SW and even Walmart when they have it.  But I'm not going to stand in a line on Monday mornings or any other time or place just to buy a couple of boxes.  It was there on the counter so I bought it, and sent my wife back to buy 2 more on the way out.  I don't really need any, but it was cool to just go up top the counter, see .22 ammo (not in a baggie) and be able to buy it.  It is their higher grade target level so it would cost a little more anyway.

Cherokee Slim

[battleop]

"But I'm not going to stand in a line on Monday mornings or any other time or place just to buy a couple of boxes."

 

That's why the gouging will continue...  As long as people are willing to pay high prices the prices will remain high.

[Cherokee Slim]

A simple Internet search shows the following prices per round today.  All are out of stock. 

The Armory - .16

Midway - .08

Armslist - .16

KY Imports - .16

 

This post was not intended to foster price-gouging comments.  I simply posted where it is and what it costs.  If you don’t want it, don’t buy it.  If you need it, you know where you can get it.

Cherokee Slim

[et45]

for what its worth Acadamy also gets in the 50 rd Blazer .22 from time to time it is usually .$2.99 a box and they have been getting the 325 bulk packs for $17 fairly reguarly too.

[JAB]

"But I'm not going to stand in a line on Monday mornings or any other time or place just to buy a couple of boxes."

 

That's why the gouging will continue...  As long as people are willing to pay high prices the prices will remain high.

 

There is 'gouging' and then there is 'market pricing'.  I agree with not buying ammo from profiteers and scalpers who buy ammo at Walmart for the same price you or I would pay and then re-sell at an exorbitant rate.  However, the fact is that right now .22LR demand exceeds supply, which naturally drives prices up on any product.  This does not just mean that the retail price goes up but also that the prices that retail outlets pay go up, as well.  For instance, the owner of my LGS recently told me that his supplier quoted him a price of $20 per box - meaning the store would have to pay $20 a box - for some Remington Accu-Tip .22 WMR ammo.  Before this nonsense started, while it was one of the more expensive .22 Magnum rounds, that ammo could be had for around $17 retail price.  This means that the LGS would now be paying $3 more per box for it than what was the retail price a couple of years, ago.

 

It sticks in my craw to pay $4 or more per box for ammo I bought for less than $2 no so long ago.  However, until and unless demand balances a bit more with supply, these prices are likely the new 'normal'.  For that reason, I'd say that those folks who are standing in line at 5:30 in the morning just to buy a couple of boxes (and especially those who bring 25 people with them so that they can be sure to empty the shelf) are as much a factor in perpetuating the problem - by keeping demand high while supplies remain the same - as anything else.

Edited August 8, 2014 by JAB