I don’t think it is all hoarding. when I go to the range, I take my 9 mm carry gun and practice with about 3 mags. Then I turn to the 22 pistol(s) for fun plinking and then to one or more of my 22 rifles for plinking. It’s too expensive to plink all day with the 9 mm. Even tho the 22 ammo is more expensive than it was, it is the most economical when just plinking and having fun at the range. So if you look at my ratio and multiply it by the many like me, you understand the shortage, the manufacturers don’t want to spend the money for machining for hoarders, but I don’t think it is hoarding. In my case, and most of my friends, it is USAGE not hoarding. The manufacturers haven’t figured this out yet.
It’s not just hoarding. Consumption is up, too. And by consumption, I mean actual rounds fired. There are Millions of new shooters, the last few years, and a lot of them are shooting 500 rounds of 22LR a week.
Everybody wants to gain proficiency, and the best way to do that is with a rimfire pistol and rifle. Even at twelve cents a round, it is a lot cheaper than training with centerfire ammo.
And if you’re firing 500 rounds a week, 5,000 rounds at home is not hoarding. It is not half enough.