Rimfire ammo prices

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henry22

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Hello all. I'm new to this whole experience. I just bought a Henry H001M for funnin' and shootin' with a few friends. It's my first rifle, although I have fired more than a few in my time, just not my own rifle. I love the limited recoil, the small jerk of the rifle, and sound the WMR makes, it almost feels like a "real rifle cartridge", and CRACKS with volume, that feels like a bigger cartridge.

About these 22 WMR prices... I'm sure this has been covered somewhere, but I'll roll this out anyway. When I look at cost per round, and the fun that .22 WMR provides me, I think it's the best choice for me, based on what I want to do with it. Here's what gets me...

22LR is MUCH cheaper than 22 WMR. I don't get it. A 22 WMR round is basically twice of everything that a 22LR is, twice the brass, powder, and yet the price is TRIPLE that of 22LR

As a side by side comparison, take a box of 1000 rds of Winchester M22 .22LR with CCI .22 WMR Maxi-Mag Troy Landry Edition at a Cabela's location in eastern Ontario.

1000 rds of Winchester M22 .22LR
PRICE: $89.99
HST: $11.69
TOTAL: $101.68 ÷ 1000 ROUNDS
COST PER ROUND: 10 cents

CCI .22 WMR Maxi-Mag Troy Landry Edition
PRICE: $68.99
HST: $8.96
TOTAL: $77.95 - 200 ROUNDS
COST PER ROUND: 38.9, or 39 cents

That's 3 times as much. That's ridiculous. Why wouldn't the price only be twice as much - based on twice more brass, powder etc? Better yet, the CCI Maxi-Mag is based on 200 rounds. But if they offered it as a 1000 round box, that price should be even lower than 39 cents per round.

I'm aware that the 22 WMR casing is slightly larger in diameter, and obviously longer. But, what governs these prices - limited production?

I'd love to call CCI and ask them if I can get a better deal on 22 WMR if I buy 1000 rounds at a time. Keep in mind, I'm whining a bit here, it's not cost prohibitive. A single box of 50 rounds in 22 WMR can be had for 19-21 bucks, still too expensive, but it also seems more expensive than the CCI 200 round box when you buy 4 boxes of 50 rounds.

Look at this one: h*t*tp://www.cabelas.ca/product/88855/cci-ar-tactical-22-lr-ammunition To me, 300 rounds of that CCI ammo in a 22 WMR version for twice the price is reasonable, but not 3 times as much?


I wanted to add this:

Remington UMC Rifle Ammo:
cabelas.ca
PRICE: $139.99
HST: 18.07
TOTAL: 158.06
COST PER ROUND: .79 cents

Remington .223 Rem. FMJ 300 Round Freedom Bucket
gotenda.com
PRICE: $139.99
HST: $18.19
TOTAL: $158.18
COST PER ROUND: 52 cents

A .223 cartridge is even "more" of everything that a 22 WMR cartridge has. So why only a moderate increase in price per round for the .223 Freedom Bucket ammo cost per round?
 
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Welcome to the 'Economy of Scale'. It is cheaper per round to produce 10 million rounds than it is to produce 1 million rounds. The .22 LR is leaps and bounds more popular than the .22 WMR therefore it sells more and is produced in a much larger capacity. Same reason that the .223 REM is the cheapest centerfire round. The popularity of the AR15 in the US means there is an enormous market for the .223 REM round.
 
I know the feeling. I had always wanted a 22 magnum, but decided against it based alone on ammo prices. I stuck with a 22 LR, and am very happy I did. But this decision was also based on the fact I am mostly target shooting at 50 yards or less in which the magnum would not make any difference to me.
 
All great comments. Here's my quick story..

I had a chance recently to fire about 6 different rifles at a friend of a friend's house who had about 200 hundred acres - (man that's the way to do it). I had previously fired 22LR in various rifles as a teenager, younger 20's, and a few 10 and 12 guages, but nothing in the middle.

We got to shoot:

5.56/.223 AR tactical type of rifle
30.30 Winchester 94
270 hunting rifle
Browning 7mm X Bolt Hunter
Winchester 255 lever, 22 WMR
SKS Rifle in 7.62X39
22 Ruger Takedown


The 5.56/223 was scary the first shot, LOUD, I wasn't expecting that, and enough recoil to realize, "this is a serious piece of firepower".
30-30 also pretty imposing
270 was extremely intense
The 7mm Browning was absolutely terrifying... terrifying, - wow that's a serious round.
Ruger 10/22 Takedown - been there, done that... "pap"
Winchester 255, 22 mag lever - FUN!
Russian SKS was a very ROBUST, fat feeling round, but it was the last rifle I fired of the bunch, and so it wasn't as scary

And after we fired all of these guns, I went back to the 22 mag lever - again, then again, 1 shot at a time. And I thought, this is perfect for me, and what I want to do with it. Basically shoot water bottles, nectarines, anything where I can see the impact, and the sound and that bit of jerk in the rifle, makes you feel like you're firing a center-fire cartridge, only not as intense. I love the feel of that rifle's frame, length, it just felt right, easy to handle. And so based on that, I bought a Henry H001M.

I completely hear you neos, 50-75 yards is about as far as i'd want to walk to change targets, and pickup fragments of water bottles, but, that 22 mag will zero at 100 yards, and with a cheaper Simmons 3X9X40, you can do 150 yards no problem, maybe even a bit more. I just loved the fact that when I shot a plastic bottle of water at 50-60 yards, it went CRACK! And the bottle was in pieces = fun.

I just wish CCI, or Federal, whoever, would do better pricing on bulk buying. I really love the .22 WMR round, it's damn fun.
 
The .22 mag was three times the cost of .22lr back in 1968, learned my lesson then. More power doesn't equal more fun, just drains the ammo fund quicker. More fun to shoot three times as much, my opinion.
 
If Cabela's is charging $90 for 1000rds of M22, I'd shop elsewhere. $90 is totally ridiculous. That's $15 per 1000 more than what Canadian Tire charges ($75), and even their ammo prices aren't great. M22 is just bulk fodder, nothing special. You can grab comparable or better bricks (not loose bulk) of .22lr way cheaper than that when Tenda or SFRC have a sale, which they do on a regular basis. Or just put in a large enough order to get free shipping. SFRC has the same Landry 22wmr for $60 FYI. In any case, you can be looking at over 4 times the cost of 22lr.

22wmr is fun to shoot, but it's purposed as a hunting round. 22lr is king as far as rimfire at the range goes. You can shoot all day guilt free. There's a reason so many of us have several firearms chambered in 22lr.

Now go grab yourself one! :cool:
 
I usually make a point of stocking up on .22 LR when I find it for less than $0.07/round. I like the idea of a .22 WMR or .17 HMR but the cost of ammo is a no go for me and my uses. For close range general plinking and target shooting I'll stick with .22 LR. I'd really like to get into a .223 REM for mid range target shooting.
 
henry22 said:
All great comments. Here's my quick story..

I had a chance recently to fire about 6 different rifles at a friend of a friend's house who had about 200 hundred acres - (man that's the way to do it). I had previously fired 22LR in various rifles as a teenager, younger 20's, and a few 10 and 12 guages, but nothing in the middle.

We got to shoot:

5.56/.223 AR tactical type of rifle
30.30 Winchester 94
270 hunting rifle
Browning 7mm X Bolt Hunter
Winchester 255 lever, 22 WMR
SKS Rifle in 7.62X39
22 Ruger Takedown


The 5.56/223 was scary the first shot, LOUD, I wasn't expecting that, and enough recoil to realize, "this is a serious piece of firepower".
30-30 also pretty imposing
270 was extremely intense
The 7mm Browning was absolutely terrifying... terrifying, - wow that's a serious round.
Ruger 10/22 Takedown - been there, done that... "pap"
Winchester 255, 22 mag lever - FUN!
Russian SKS was a very ROBUST, fat feeling round, but it was the last rifle I fired of the bunch, and so it wasn't as scary

And after we fired all of these guns, I went back to the 22 mag lever - again, then again, 1 shot at a time. And I thought, this is perfect for me, and what I want to do with it. Basically shoot water bottles, nectarines, anything where I can see the impact, and the sound and that bit of jerk in the rifle, makes you feel like you're firing a center-fire cartridge, only not as intense. I love the feel of that rifle's frame, length, it just felt right, easy to handle. And so based on that, I bought a Henry H001M.

I completely hear you neos, 50-75 yards is about as far as i'd want to walk to change targets, and pickup fragments of water bottles, but, that 22 mag will zero at 100 yards, and with a cheaper Simmons 3X9X40, you can do 150 yards no problem, maybe even a bit more. I just loved the fact that when I shot a plastic bottle of water at 50-60 yards, it went CRACK! And the bottle was in pieces = fun.

I just wish CCI, or Federal, whoever, would do better pricing on bulk buying. I really love the .22 WMR round, it's damn fun.
Click to expand...

You dropped the words "scary and terrifying" a few times, were you not wearing any hearing protection? Your friend is lucky to have a CFO approved range on his property seeing you were able to blast off an AR...
 
MET said:
You dropped the words "scary and terrifying" a few times, were you not wearing any hearing protection? Your friend is lucky to have a CFO approved range on his property seeing you were able to blast off an AR...
Click to expand...

I couldn't help but laugh reading his post, and I am wondering how happy his friend would be about him posting about shooting the AR on his friends private property.
 
henry22 said:
Hello all. I'm new to this whole experience. I just bought a Henry H001M for funnin' and shootin' with a few friends. It's my first rifle, although I have fired more than a few in my time, just not my own rifle. I love the limited recoil, the small jerk of the rifle, and sound the WMR makes, it almost feels like a "real rifle cartridge", and CRACKS with volume, that feels like a bigger cartridge.

About these 22 WMR prices... I'm sure this has been covered somewhere, but I'll roll this out anyway. When I look at cost per round, and the fun that .22 WMR provides me, I think it's the best choice for me, based on what I want to do with it. Here's what gets me...

22LR is MUCH cheaper than 22 WMR. I don't get it. A 22 WMR round is basically twice of everything that a 22LR is, twice the brass, powder, and yet the price is TRIPLE that of 22LR

As a side by side comparison, take a box of 1000 rds of Winchester M22 .22LR with CCI .22 WMR Maxi-Mag Troy Landry Edition at a Cabela's location in eastern Ontario.

1000 rds of Winchester M22 .22LR
PRICE: $89.99
HST: $11.69
TOTAL: $101.68 ÷ 1000 ROUNDS
COST PER ROUND: 10 cents

CCI .22 WMR Maxi-Mag Troy Landry Edition
PRICE: $68.99
HST: $8.96
TOTAL: $77.95 - 200 ROUNDS
COST PER ROUND: 38.9, or 39 cents

That's 3 times as much. That's ridiculous. Why wouldn't the price only be twice as much - based on twice more brass, powder etc? Better yet, the CCI Maxi-Mag is based on 200 rounds. But if they offered it as a 1000 round box, that price should be even lower than 39 cents per round.

I'm aware that the 22 WMR casing is slightly larger in diameter, and obviously longer. But, what governs these prices - limited production?

I'd love to call CCI and ask them if I can get a better deal on 22 WMR if I buy 1000 rounds at a time. Keep in mind, I'm whining a bit here, it's not cost prohibitive. A single box of 50 rounds in 22 WMR can be had for 19-21 bucks, still too expensive, but it also seems more expensive than the CCI 200 round box when you buy 4 boxes of 50 rounds.

Look at this one: http://www.cabelas.ca/product/88855/cci-ar-tactical-22-lr-ammunition. To me, 300 rounds of that CCI ammo in a 22 WMR version for twice the price is reasonable, but not 3 times as much?


I wanted to add this:

Remington UMC Rifle Ammo:
cabelas.ca
PRICE: $139.99
HST: 18.07
TOTAL: 158.06
COST PER ROUND: .79 cents

Remington .223 Rem. FMJ 300 Round Freedom Bucket
gotenda.com
PRICE: $139.99
HST: $18.19
TOTAL: $158.18
COST PER ROUND: 52 cents

A .223 cartridge is even "more" of everything that a 22 WMR cartridge has. So why only a moderate increase in price per round for the .223 Freedom Bucket ammo cost per round?
Click to expand...


Like others have explained its a supply and demand thing. As well as 22 WMR is better for hunting because you shoot way less hunting than plinking and WMR will kill stuff better.

Get a 22lr and shoot all the cheapest ammo you can get. Also buy something like a 12ga, sks or 30 cal rifle to get your recoil giggle
 
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henry22 said:
Hello all. I'm new to this whole experience. I just bought a Henry H001M for funnin' and shootin' with a few friends. It's my first rifle, although I have fired more than a few in my time, just not my own rifle. I love the limited recoil, the small jerk of the rifle, and sound the WMR makes, it almost feels like a "real rifle cartridge", and CRACKS with volume, that feels like a bigger cartridge.

About these 22 WMR prices... I'm sure this has been covered somewhere, but I'll roll this out anyway. When I look at cost per round, and the fun that .22 WMR provides me, I think it's the best choice for me, based on what I want to do with it. Here's what gets me...

22LR is MUCH cheaper than 22 WMR. I don't get it. A 22 WMR round is basically twice of everything that a 22LR is, twice the brass, powder, and yet the price is TRIPLE that of 22LR

As a side by side comparison, take a box of 1000 rds of Winchester M22 .22LR with CCI .22 WMR Maxi-Mag Troy Landry Edition at a Cabela's location in eastern Ontario.

1000 rds of Winchester M22 .22LR
PRICE: $89.99
HST: $11.69
TOTAL: $101.68 ÷ 1000 ROUNDS
COST PER ROUND: 10 cents

CCI .22 WMR Maxi-Mag Troy Landry Edition
PRICE: $68.99
HST: $8.96
TOTAL: $77.95 - 200 ROUNDS
COST PER ROUND: 38.9, or 39 cents

That's 3 times as much. That's ridiculous. Why wouldn't the price only be twice as much - based on twice more brass, powder etc? Better yet, the CCI Maxi-Mag is based on 200 rounds. But if they offered it as a 1000 round box, that price should be even lower than 39 cents per round.

I'm aware that the 22 WMR casing is slightly larger in diameter, and obviously longer. But, what governs these prices - limited production?

I'd love to call CCI and ask them if I can get a better deal on 22 WMR if I buy 1000 rounds at a time. Keep in mind, I'm whining a bit here, it's not cost prohibitive. A single box of 50 rounds in 22 WMR can be had for 19-21 bucks, still too expensive, but it also seems more expensive than the CCI 200 round box when you buy 4 boxes of 50 rounds.

Look at this one: http://www.cabelas.ca/product/88855/cci-ar-tactical-22-lr-ammunition. To me, 300 rounds of that CCI ammo in a 22 WMR version for twice the price is reasonable, but not 3 times as much?


I wanted to add this:

Remington UMC Rifle Ammo:
cabels.ca
PRICE: $139.99
HST: 18.07
TOTAL: 158.06
COST PER ROUND: .79 cents

Remington .223 Rem. FMJ 300 Round Freedom Bucket
gotenda.com
PRICE: $139.99
HST: $18.19
TOTAL: $158.18
COST PER ROUND: 52 cents

A .223 cartridge is even "more" of everything that a 22 WMR cartridge has. So why only a moderate increase in price per round for the .223 Freedom Bucket ammo cost per round?
Click to expand...

Hey henry22~welcome to the shooting sports...AND to the realization that sometimes your budget dictates what your daily shooter will be. BELIEVE me...there are LOTS and LOTS of guns/calibers I'd like to own and even as a guy who hand-loads my centerfire, I'm VERY mindful of ammo cost. Also mindful of the fact that the only spot I can shoot that is even somewhat close to home~I can only really use rimfire or shotgun target loads or the noise becomes an issue with the neighbors. Then there is the .275" caliber restriction out where I do my varmint hunting, and so-on, and so-on.

I read with interest your story about that rifle and did wonder why you chose that caliber. I mean, I really LIKE 22WMR and 17HMR~but looking at what ammo costs for both, they're hunting calibers in my mind. 22LR is too (smaller game) BUT at a fraction of the cost...I'm more than happy to shoot hundreds of rounds at paper, reactive targets as well. To me, 22LR is cheap enough that I can do that without a second thought. 22WMR? No thanks. I think the "scale" remark is also spot-on. You can't look at a 22LR round and a 22WMR round and try and find the answer to the price question by comparing physical size. Look at demand instead. The stats are probably out there somewhere, but if someone told me there are 100 rounds+ of 22LR made for every 22WMR round made...I'd believe it for sure. The number is probably 5X that high. Demand is lower, less is made, price is higher, etc. Depending on who you ask, 22WMR is an antiquated caliber to begin with and for the price, lots of shooters would prefer .223. There are examples of 22WMR that costs more than .223, price-per-round. To the "bigger is better" crowd, that makes 22WMR a useless caliber but I've NEVER thought of it that way. I think it fills an interesting spot of being a magnum rimfire with proven small-game killing power.

You won't find me shooting popcans with it though. I'm far too frugal. :)

Other shooters may not choose calibers the way I do...but...before I buy ANY rifle, scope cost AND ammo cost are HUGE deciding factors. Where I can use it, what I can use it on~the next biggies. I'm eyeballing a rifle in 17 Hornet, and as nice as the rifle I have in mind IS...it's the scope I want that is holding me back on getting it at the moment. If you hand load, you look also look at powders/primers/brass availability and the required dies for your press too. In other words...LOTS of factors play into rifle selection and NO rifle/shotgun is purchased without factoring all of that in.

So...long (winded) story short~if you're shooting on a budget...and we all have one to one degree or another...it may be a 22LR you should consider as your next gun. Possibly selling your Henry 22WMR it in favor of a Henry lever in 22LR. I like the "oomph" on 22WMR allot too, but I'd rather shoot a higher volume of ammo if I choose too, and not be worried about price-per-shot.
 
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As of this morning, Cabela's is selling 800 rounds of Winchester M22 for under 7 cents per round or you can buy the 100 round box for 9 cents per round.
The 222, 333 and 555 boxes at various stores dictate that you pull out your calculator and determine he cost per round.
 
MET, it was an AR style rifle - I don't know much about them. He fired it without hearing protection, and I was about 10 feet behind him, and I thought "well, if he did it, it can't be that bad".
WRONG!

Despite the noise, the recoil, although not excessive, really reminded me of what these things are capable of, intentionally, or not. Lots of respect for them, and how to handle them.

22LR Guy, I hear you - completely. The 22 WMR lever I shot was just more.... rifle like, if that makes any sense. And friends have said to me, find the cartridge you like to shoot, and buy the rifle according to that.

I think I also chose it because I'm not going to be shooting hundreds of rounds a week. Likely, 50 per session. When we shot a few weeks ago, we took our time, it wasn't bang bang bang, and to be honest, I don't enjoy the rapid fire from semi-autos. I loved the fact that I had to engage the lever, re-focus my aim, get comfortable, take my time. It was actually one of the most relaxing, quiet times I've had in a long while.

If I do find it costs too much over time, maybe I'll just add a regular savage 22 bolt action, I see them used around where I live fairly cheap.
 
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Welcome to the sport, please leave your wallet at the door!
Start wearing hearing protection now if you want to avoid tinnitus in about 20 years. Your choice, of course.
As others have said, it's the economy of scales. Same reason a 220ml can of Pepsi costs more than a 355ml can.
I like 22LR out to 100M (for a larf, usually start at 50, then see how accurate I can get at 100M) I'm shooting a Savage MkII BV, with a Harris bipod and Nikon Rimfire 4-12X scope. Great rimfire rifles until you spend twice as much.
223REM is a great round for intermediate stuff, 200M max for me b/c of range I shoot at. I am really liking the round because it helps me work on my flinch, and by handloading I can get down to about 24 cents a round.
308 for anything longer.
I have *almost* as much fun with the 22 as I do with anything else. Depends why you shoot. I like the intense focus and trying to time my trigger pull between heartbeats if-I-can-get-my-pulse-low-enough aspect. Sometimes I want to feel the visceral *punch* of 1 oz slugs through a smoothbore.
The beauty of rimfire is no max capacity magazines for some rifles, but I no longer am trying to dispose of as many rounds as possible in a short time, sounds like you aren't either.
I find that the larger the recoil, the fewer rounds I'll shoot. At some point I may try out 243, as I can shoot it all day long, yet it is still a large enough round for deer.
 
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henry22 said:
22LR Guy, I hear you - completely. The 22 WMR lever I shot was just more.... rifle like, if that makes any sense. And friends have said to me, find the cartridge you like to shoot, and buy the rifle according to that.

I think I also chose it because I'm not going to be shooting hundreds of rounds a week. Likely, 50 per session. When we shot a few weeks ago, we took our time, it wasn't bang bang bang, and to be honest, I don't enjoy the rapid fire from semi-autos. I loved the fact that I had to engage the lever, re-focus my aim, get comfortable, take my time. It was actually one of the most relaxing, quiet times I've had in a long while.

If I do find it costs too much over time, maybe I'll just add a regular savage 22 bolt action, I see them used around where I live fairly cheap.
Click to expand...

^well, based on that advice you could be shooting 45/70 @ $2-$3 a round....50BMG @ $10 a round and have VERY short/expensive range trips. lol I'm razzing you, but if asked "what caliber should I get?" I'd probably answer with questions like; "how often do you plan on shooting, where are you planning on shooting, how many rounds, at what? etc." I get wanting to show up at the range with something other than a 22, but at the end of the day...it's an economical caliber for guys like me who (like I did yesterday) show-up for an afternoon of shooting..and don't leave until I've run at least 300-350 rounds through my rifle. There IS no right/wrong answer btw, and I've arrived at my sensibilities only after spending so much time/$ shooting calibers that didn't deliver more satisfaction, just more noise/cost.

As for hearing protection~do yourself a huge favor, and wear it every time. I shoot with guys sometimes who are totally safe re: gun safety...but don't give much consideration to hearing protection...which is just nuts to me. If you choose not to and stick with the shooting sports, you will suffer hearing damage. Not "might"...but rather, "WILL". I wear these; http://www.howardleight.com/ear-muffs/impact-sport--2 which come-in around $100 after tax, but also carry with me several pairs of disposable plugs; http://www.howardleight.com/earplugs/leight-plugs If I'm watching other shooters, or at a range where anything greater than 22LR is being used, the muffs get the nod. If I'm on my own shooting 22LR, the disposable plugs.
 
I'm pissing myself right now... Talking about tinnitus. I've played drums my entire life, much of the time without ear plugs. I actually fired the 22 mag rifle without any hearing protection, and it didn't hurt my ears at all. That 5.56/.223 - another story, I'll never do that again. We wore hearing protection for all the other rifles we fired that day - except the 5.56/.223.

I think I got hooked on the POP, CRACK of the 22 WMR sound, and that hair of recoil that makes the rifle jerk enough, to know that you're firing a "real rifle". That, and the immediate destruction of a water bottle, or can of coke, is really quite fun.

I'm a lazy shooter, I do enjoy the environment - being outside, talking about guns, stories in between shooting, so I really don't see myself shooting more than 50 rounds at one time. I think back to when I was in my 20's & 30's, I'd go to a pub, and I'd never think twice about ordering 4 or 5 pints of Guinness. Nowadays, 2-3 pints of Guinness in any pub is about 25 bucks, not including any tip.

Now I see a box of 22 WMR, as 3 pints I might have drank in a pub, and yet the fun had with 50 rounds can last me hours. We'll see what happens over time. That's why I'd like CCI to run an ammo lottery or something - like a winning ticket in a box - FREE 22 WMR for life!
 
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henry22....always wear your eyes & ears when shooting! Buy a .22lr and plink away. If/when you get bored of .22lr bring out the Henry H001M for the fix.

.22LRGUY thanks for the heads up on the Howardeight muffs. Just hit the Buy button on Amazon.....been looking around to replace my old pair.
 
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