How many 22 LR cartridges are sold every year here in America?

**4V50 Gary** · October 20, 2012, 12:31 PM

And how many world wide?

Empty minds want to know. Thanks.

Sparks1957 · October 20, 2012, 02:27 PM

That's an interesting question! All I know is that I account for about 5000 annually.

johnbt · October 20, 2012, 07:13 PM

According to a Layne Simpson article in 2009, about 2 to 2.5 billion.

johnbt · October 20, 2012, 07:14 PM

Do you count the duds?

I've never had one, but I have good .22s.

WoofersInc · October 23, 2012, 04:15 AM

Heck,
I've bought about 20,000 this year.

Don't tell the media..... I've apparently got a huge cache of ammo and could be highly dangerous.

DaleA · October 23, 2012, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Don't tell the media..... I've apparently got a huge cache of ammo and could be highly dangerous.

Yup. And if you had more than two guns to shoot it with you'd have an 'arsenal' as well.

I think it would be interesting to see how much .22 ammunition was sold each year. The farther back the better - even back into the depression era before WWII.

twobit · October 23, 2012, 12:58 PM

You mention the depression.....
My father was born in 1918 and thus experienced the depression. His family was poor. He had no father. At an early age he was tasked to hunt for the family (his mother and younger sister). He used to tell me that his mother would give him the single shot .22 rifle and two or three 22 rounds. He was expected to return with a rabbit for each round she handed out to him. No shooting cans for fun for that kid. Tough life.

pgdion · October 23, 2012, 01:35 PM

May dads family was dirt poor too. He used to go out hunting with his Marlin 39. Sure wish he still had that gun but I think he left all of his guns and stuff behind when he went in to the service. the couple of guns he had probably ended up with brothers or cousins. *sigh*

Well chock up about 10 to 12K for my house. We'll burn 6000 rounds just shooting leagues alone (not counting practice).

FrankenMauser · October 23, 2012, 04:00 PM

Prior to 2004, production was estimated to be 2 to 2.5 billion rounds per year. (Layne Simpson used an old reference.)
I can't find a newer reference; but I'm sure we're exceeding that now, especially with the increase in popularity of low-grade trash we like to call "bulk packs".

Quote:

You mention the depression.....
My father was born in 1918 and thus experienced the depression. His family was poor. He had no father. At an early age he was tasked to hunt for the family (his mother and younger sister). He used to tell me that his mother would give him the single shot .22 rifle and two or three 22 rounds. He was expected to return with a rabbit for each round she handed out to him. No shooting cans for fun for that kid. Tough life.

When I was a kid, I couldn't understand why my grandfather was so stingy. He'd give each grand kid no more than one box (50 rounds) for an entire day of shooting. But, before we could "sling lead", we had to stack up 5-10 rocks and pick them off one at a time as a demonstration of "one shot, one kill".

When we ran out of grandpa's ammo, we'd turn to our dad. He handed it out by the brick (500 rounds), and it was nothing for the group of five to six people to go through 3,000-4,000 rounds in a 6 hour shooting trip.

October 20, 2012, 12:31 PM	#1
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 15,422	How many 22 LR cartridges are sold every year here in America? And how many world wide? Empty minds want to know. Thanks. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

October 23, 2012, 04:15 AM	#5
WoofersInc Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2007 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 224	Heck, I've bought about 20,000 this year. Don't tell the media..... I've apparently got a huge cache of ammo and could be highly dangerous. __________________ If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane...

October 23, 2012, 12:58 PM	#7
twobit Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2010 Location: Coyote Creak, SW Texas Posts: 476	You mention the depression..... My father was born in 1918 and thus experienced the depression. His family was poor. He had no father. At an early age he was tasked to hunt for the family (his mother and younger sister). He used to tell me that his mother would give him the single shot .22 rifle and two or three 22 rounds. He was expected to return with a rabbit for each round she handed out to him. No shooting cans for fun for that kid. Tough life. __________________ Twobit, LEO, NRA member, Native Texan. Shooting and hunting for over 45 years!

October 23, 2012, 01:35 PM	#8
pgdion Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2010 Location: MPLS, MN Posts: 1,037	May dads family was dirt poor too. He used to go out hunting with his Marlin 39. Sure wish he still had that gun but I think he left all of his guns and stuff behind when he went in to the service. the couple of guns he had probably ended up with brothers or cousins. sigh Well chock up about 10 to 12K for my house. We'll burn 6000 rounds just shooting leagues alone (not counting practice). __________________ 597 VTR, because there's so many cans and so little time!

October 20, 2012, 02:27 PM	#2
Sparks1957 Senior Member Join Date: September 4, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,396	That's an interesting question! All I know is that I account for about 5000 annually.

October 20, 2012, 07:13 PM	#3
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 6,005	According to a Layne Simpson article in 2009, about 2 to 2.5 billion.

October 20, 2012, 07:14 PM	#4
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 6,005	Do you count the duds? I've never had one, but I have good .22s.