.22LR upper - $$$ WTH?
 

Seriously!

I can't find one for sale, that is available, for less than $500. But I can find a complete AR15 in 22LR, Colt no less, for $299.

I can find complete AR15s in .223/5.56 for less than a stupid .22LR upper.

Any leads to a $199 or less .22LR upper?

Been in the same boat. Have a lower all assembled and waiting.

Then you are buying a .223 upper plus a conversion. It works out to about the same as a dedicated .22LR upper. (At least in my case, where I'm building a dedicated longspoon.)

Look around for a Spikes Tactical as I had one and it shoot 22LR really well. I also had another bolt, hammer and some magazines to allow switching to 5.56 easily. I think there was some people complaining about them so they stopped making them. They also make a really neat 37mm flare adapter that looks like you are ready to do some lobbing. I had one on my ST22 and the first time I took it to the indoor range in San Diego the other shooters went nuts, so did the people working in the store/range! Can't shoot grenades though.

If it makes you feel better I'm looking at paying close to $900 (Compass Lake) for one that might be able to keep up accuracy wise with my $400 10/22 build...

No sub-$200 dedicated .22LR uppers that I know of. Decent ones are going to be $500+ as you mentioned. Also, those Colt M4-22s are not made by Colt and are pretty crappy, as are most of the "officially licensed" .22LR clones. The best bang/buck (and one of the least "crappy") is probably the M&P15-22. I'd just grab one of those if you are looking for an AR-pattern .22LR. If you are open to other platforms, I'd probably get a Ruger 10/22. YMMV.

The conversions are also far less accurate and can foul up your .223/5.56 barrel pretty good.

I've had the Smith & Wesson® M&P 15-22 Sport .22 LR for years.

It's plastic, but fun to shoot.

Cabella's has it for $429
https://www.cabelas.com/product/SMITH-WESSON-M-P-SPORT-RIMFIRE-RIFLE/2232661.uts

Sportman's Outdoor Superstore has it for $329

https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore.com/products2.cfm/ID/168616/10208/smith-and-wesson-mp15-22-sport-22lr-semi-auto-rimfire-rifle

I already have a 10/22. I was simply looking to get a "conversion" upper. The price is higher than most of the .223/5.56 complete uppers.

That looks like it may be the ticket...

Banned from Appleseed due to safety issues... other AR-22s are allowed. Not sure if that was ever resolved, but it happened 2 years ago.

What is Appleseed?

Project Appleseed is an organization that teaches marksmanship skills and colonial American history:

https://appleseedinfo.org/