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lonegunman88240 · Member

anybody else having problems buying .22 pellets locally? i cannot find .22 pellets to save my life, everybody selling 177 but no .22, luckily i have to go to lubbock tx in a few days i'll have to find some there and stock pile them

AirGunEric · Site Admin

No shortage from the manufacturers- it's likely just your local market or the distributor they are purchasing from...

whm1974 · Veteran Member

With airguns becoming more popular, I was wondering if we will have shortages of pellets.

Mentolio · Veteran Member

Uh-oh, next thing you know Homeland Security will start buying-up all the pellets in America;)

But seriously...I have a similar problem in my area. The ONLY .22 pellets I can buy locally (if at all) are usually Crosman Pointed Pellets, which my guns hate! Pyramyd Air is my best friend when it comes to "real" pellets.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

For all these ammunition "shortages" did it ever occur to anyone that there is no real "shortage" at all?

Since 2008 there have been near-constant "shortages" in firearm ammunition. In any industry, this time/length of shortage would drive manufacturers to build new production capability to fill the demand- yet this has apparently not occurred. I suspect there has never been much of a 'shortage' at all, but due to stupid rumors and gossip, the manufacturers of ammunition are filling their pockets, closets and bank accounts up while every Tom, Dick and Harry is buying garden sheds to fill full of rounds to last them through the next 50 years. Any temporary "shortage" at all is as a result of panicky consumers and nothing else.

In the case of pellets there is absolutely no shortage- but if sellers have figured out the idea of such a thing causes people to stockpile and stockpile and stockpile- you better believe they won't be telling you their lack of inventory isn't because they a) forgot to order last month, b) they don't make alot on pellets so it's a waste of their time, c) they only replenish their inventory twice a year and the next cycle doesn't come up until March/April.

whm1974 · Veteran Member

AirGunEric · Site Admin

The hunting/outdoor industry works on two purchasing cycles a year- just prior to spring and just prior to autumn.

If you watch, many vendors will have a huge selection of items in April, but in July alot is "out of stock" and won't be replenished until August/September (or maybe not at all, depending).

There is somewhat of an outside factor to this as well- many manufacturers don't have inventory piled up to meet this twice-yearly purchase cycle, so they have gone with the idea of "booking" an order early in the year and delivering over the course of the next few months to the retailer as the product is produced, and not expecting the retailer to pay until October. As a result, stores take the inventory as it comes in, and they are committed to what they "booked" in order to maintain their pricing agreement- so if something popular sells out, they would rather sell you what is left on their shelf than re-order more, otherwise they may be stuck with the unpopular product by the end of the year.

This is not as applicable to small stores that can/do re-order multiple times a year- but they still would rather unload what is left on the shelf before bringing more in. To most vendors, a .22 pellet is a .22 pellet is a .22 pellet- H&N, JSB, Crosman, Stoeger, Daisy- it's all the same thing to them.

whm1974 · Veteran Member

toadmyster223 · Senior Member

Not nearly as short as the supply of .22 WMR, I tell you that much. I have honestly been to 44 sporting goods stores, across 14 counties of 3 states. None.

whm1974 · Veteran Member

There is still a ammo shortage and a run on firearms? I thought this would have died down by now.

THO · New Member

Eric is very right! Then you have the manufacture get their orders,Gov't contracts FIRST,then us.But the last bullet/lead smelter in usa was closed in dec due to the EPA so before long it will be ON TAKE NOTE!This is how I got here.I use to shoot a Thousand 223 on the weekend,then went to ak,then a 22, Now a pellet gun,I guess I should buy a slingshot and a dump truck of pee gravel.so remember beans-bullets Tho Embarassed