Why waste manufacturing capacity ramping up a cheap round like the 22lr? With DHS IRS EPA DOE USPS USFS TSA ordering billions of higly profitable ammo it makes more sense to put your resources in the that side of production. Like selling the rope with which they will hang you.
Just to get the record straight:
Completely different equipment is used for 22LR than center fire cartridges, zero interchange of capacity between the two types of ammunition...
As for the USG buying up billions...fact is in spite of what FOX new reported... it was a 5 year buy... the same 200-220 million rounds the USG agencies have been buying for years...it was bundled to save money, 5 years of ammo in one purchase. Sorry to burst your bubble with facts.