That's the answer for ANY caliber.

I load ALL handgun rounds for basically the same price, and rifle rounds are only pennies more.

Reloading isn't just a good idea, but its a heckofalot of fun. Casing booolits is even more fun.

In times past the phrase "things will settle down" or "prices will return to normal" may have applied but in current times I jist dont see how anyone can really believe either of those or a myriad of other hopeful, wishful notions like those. The normals that you are remembering is gone my friends, gone. Never to return. Our situation has never been this evil, this purposeful, this deliberate. Not speaking solely about our chose passion but everything, its all caving in on not just us but the world and is being directed. Now, speaking just about our sport specifically is totally different. Its hated and despised by so many of these supposed leaders today it is given special attention by all.
No folks, I just have a gut feeling that this one is different from all the other "shortages" from before, its bigger than jist us and our wants, its everything and our is just being a special victim.
Sorry to be the doom-sayer but I just cant shake the feeling this time and really dont see any hope on the horizon, there are just too many greedy, corrupt and plain wicked people on the televisions anymore. I can't name a single person on the political scene who makes me feel that there is a chance for change, and if there was one we all saw what happens to those types of people didnt we? They get crushed for daring to try to make things better for the people.
Sorry but the soapbox has failed, the ballotbox has failed and few have hands steady enough or hearts hard enough to open the last box available.

You have expressed my feelings exactly.
I will add on one more bit of pessimism. The ammo companies don't need us. They aren't our friends. They are planning for the day when shooting becomes a niche sport. They have all the LE and military contracts they need to remain profitable forever. It doesn't help us that they have been consolidated into a relatively small number of companies. They don't need to compete for our dollars any more. They only need to target that sweet spot where the majority of the commercial market will still purchase their product. The ammunition companies know that a time is coming when gun control laws will make shooting only available to the privileged elite and organized sporting clubs. What they lose on volume they will make up in price. Meanwhile, their bread and butter customer will always be the government.

I'm pretty well stocked on calibers for what I've owned before the most recent scarcity and high prices set in. But, I've just bought my first guns chambered in .38 Special & .380 ACP. So, I'm paying premium now. I do have reloading equipment, so I may get what I need for those calibers as well.

Paul, Im glad you didnt mind my little rant in your thread, and youre right about the ammo companies. The people running those companies or who own those companies arr just like the people in politics in my estimation. Theyre about as much like us as any other elitist. Sorry folks but its a rare bird who isnt effected by riches. They have very little in common with us.

Re: Prices. First time I ever bought .38 Special ammo, I paid $5.00 for a little white box of reloaded wadcutters. Then bought a $8.00 box of Hornady Frontier .30 Special ammo. Lee Loader, some wadcutter bullets, a pound of Unique and several decks of primers and I was reloading! Now, 43 years later ... Bang! Bang! It just goes on! Sincerely. bruce.

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<><

Palmettostatearmory.com has some good ammo prices.

38 Special 158 gr ball from Armscor $22.99 box of 50. I bought a box haven't fired any yet.

38 Special 132 gr ball from PMC $21.99 box of 50.

Geoff
Who notes you have to watch your prices and competition and shipping costs and additional charges, and support your local sources and small gun shops, etc.

.38 special is an important thing. It what you keep in your .357 for in the instance that the wife, or even the kids dont enjoy using magnums.

Its american.

Like P-36, cone bra's, gene harlow in a cone bra, and 300 pound guys dieing from heart attacks whilst shoveling snow.

I have both 38 and 9mm guns.

I don't loose cases with the 38 &357 revolver, while with the 9mm
there is a chance in the field that I miss a few or if I go to certain ranges, cases are a done deal when they hit the floor.

I feel the cost equals out in the end.

Our range lets us keep our own brass. Folks that don't reload usually offer their brass when they find out you reload and are picking up brass.

The other day, I found a few 10MM cases and icked them up. A range officer asked if I had a 10MM (he knows I reload), told him yes. He came back in a couple of minutes and gave me a pound coffee can full of 10MM once fired brass. I said thank you very much!!

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

The last time I remember buying .38 Special ammo was early 1980s, I needed some for duty use.

Reloading for 51 years, started with .38 Special. Casting for 50 years, started with .38 Special. Back in the day I figured $0.68 for a box of 50. My current stocks were loaded with pre-panic supplies, so about $3.00 per box.

Last reloading cycle included 2000 rounds of .38 Special, about 900 left in the ammo locker. Another 2000 cases are ready to load (sized, primed, mouth expanded, all it takes is powder and bullets which I have on hand). Probably 10,000 or more empties on hand, saved up over the years and mostly free to me.

Similar stockpiles in .357, 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP, .44 Special, and a couple of others I like to use regularly. Lower quantities of the less common calibers.

I suppose I was a bit more prepared than most folks.

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Life of the party until 8:00PM

But if you are a revolver person and have fired a few hundred rounds over the years with your revolvers you don't need to have hundreds of rounds on hand.

You don't really need to touch off dozens of rounds weekly to maintain proficiency. Try a little dry-fire (be extra safe, of course). If it's recreation you want, shoot your .22 revolver. Don't have a .22? Shame on you.

Now of course I am a geezer and have probably enough components to load .38 or .357 to last til I kick the bucket. If I was 30 I'd be more concerned.

As stated, it is simply supply and demand. Folks shoot way more 9mm as opposed to any revolver round. Manufacturers are in business to supply what is demanded, that's just the way it is.

If there were to be a resurgence in the sale of revolvers (probably not too likely), the price for .38/.357 would gradually come down.

One can only hope, as a simple, safe, easy to operate and less prone to jamming, etc. revolver, say a Model 10 or a 640, 642, 442 IMHO better serves most folks as a self defense gun than ANY semi-auto.

Or this Model 60 which I have posted a zillion times.It will be the last handgun I part with. Maybe I can smuggle it into the nursing home in my depends when the time comes!

Attached Images

Model 60 (2).JPG (289.7 KB, 39 views)

.38 Special ammo has never been very common in the Ozarks in most my lifetime, and I am old.
Quite a few older people have them in their dresser drawers, but they don’t shoot them.

How many of you have a 5-1300$ cell phone... how much powder would that have bought? primers?

In today's climate it seems anything and everything gun related is a seller's market.

*
Or golf clubs, or a boat, both of which are huge money sinks with no real value.

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NHI, 10-8.

A good golfer that knows how to play the game..........
will be money ahead , when he retires, the game.

Some just go out to chase the "Ball" around the course.

A boat Guide, is in the same "Boat" !!

That may be a good analogy to some but not to others. I have a pretty minimal cell phone and don't know what it cost. I don't have it handy much of the time and seldom use it. A cell phone just isn't very important to me.

Many have no interest in handloading; it's of no importance to them. That's easy to understand and no cause for criticism.

Some reloaders only reload to save money. They have no interest in load development or making good quality ammunition that is also accurate. Mediocre accuracy and reliable (and hopefully safe) ammunition that fires every time is adequate.

Some non-reloaders probably still consider reloaded ammunition as being inferior to factory ammo. Regrettably, a true statement in many instances.

If handloading isn't a hobby in itself for the person doing it, that person will never come close to realizing the full spectrum of handloading. If one can't produce ammunition that is at least of the same quality or better than that produced by the big manufacturers, that person has considerable learning and experimentation ahead.

A big factor is accuracy. A good handloader should be able to easily exceed the accuracy level of commercial ammunition for his gun or guns about 98% of the time.

If the interest and enthusiasm isn't there, it isn't there. Handloading isn't for everyone.

its not at all about the fun of reloading. Its about a cost perspective.

People will rightfully complain about the price of primers, but yet are too eager to overlook the cost of what they actually pay day to day.

a good .360 diameter 148 grain DEWC pushed a tad to fast for its lead hardness makes a fine little friend when the only common option is FMJ or 1.50-1.80 self defense labeled factory rounds

"Fun of reloading vs. cost perspective" was covered in the post you're referencing.

Whenever I get stressed I go make some noise and blast off a box or 2. When I'm REALLY stressed I go for a boatride, anchor on the sandbar and watch the pretty girls in bikinis.

Please replace "no real value" above with "the utmost value". I know a few geezers that would respond the same when talking about golf, which they do 3 times a week.

As for the $1300 cell phone, that's just a joke. Mine cost $100 and I simply can do all the stuff the other one does. I even have an app tied to my boat that gives me mpg data in real time.

You absolutely need to start reloading.

Exactly. With the nominal cost of equipment amortized over years and years, it's shocking to me that anyone pays factory ammo prices.

It's like a brake job nowadays. 4 wheels with rotors will cost you $800-$1200 depending on location.

You can get it done yourself for $350-$400.

That's a similar ratio for reloading vs. buying factory, and reloading ammunition is a lot less labor intensive than changing your own brakes!

Depends on the value of your time, or how YOU value it.

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NHI, 10-8.

its all on if you KNOW how to do it, and have the tools.

My old impala, 1 wheel hub died every 13 months. cost me 130$ for the replacement hub, and about 200$ to have it installed.

I COULD have gotten the same OEM wheel hub for 65$ online, and installed it myself. But i would have needed to purchase about 600$ in tools and equipment

I’ve reloaded off and on since I was a kid. It was strictly for economic reasons. I have to come to the conclusion I really dislike reloading.

I’ll keep my gear for a while. Maybe one of my kids or nephews/nieces will want to give it a try. As for me - nope. Its too boring and I can afford ammo.

My shooting buddy actually likes reloading, so it works for him.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

"To each their own"

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Absolutely nothing wrong with that reasoning.

I came to to the same conclusion except that for many years I really enjoyed trying to find loads that gave the best possible accuracy in my rifles. But eventually I got tired of it.

I still have the equipment and a lot of components. Selling it can be a hassle. Due to the weight I would need to sell it locally and since a lot of reloaders are very cost conscious they only want the equipment and components they need, not the whole lot. Selling it in one transaction would be a lot easier than a dozen or more piecemeal transactions. Some of the stuff is old too. Not sure how many people would want a box of 700 large magnum rifle primers from 1982. I gave all my powder to a friend that burned it in a bonfire, selling open cans of powder sound like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

The first gun I ever bought was a S&W 686 with a 6 inch barrel in 1991. Still have it to this day and it's still a tack driver. I loved to shoot it so much i got into reloading just to feed it. Best decision I ever made. You might want to look into reloading for your revolvers. It might be a little tougher today but I think it's still worth a shot.

I would drop my .39 special because of ammo
Price. I would learn to reload. The 38 specials are excellent and one of my favorites next to the .44

Shooting 38 Special today without the shell shucking of bottom feeders makes getting your brass easy. Hardcast 158 swc's are cheap and easy to reload and the brass last a long time. I load the 158swc to 850fps and its a general purpose do it all load. My M10 4" heavy barrel is my favorite along with a M10 2" round butt for ccw. Both super accurate and great d/a shooters. Whats not to like?

I could use some 38 Special.
Have 3-38s and a Dozen 357s I shoot it in.
I have a fair amount, just don’t shoot that much.
9mm appears to be The Round.
More on shelves, variety, price competition.
When I was talking to that Dude at Cabelas who had a Custom Rifle on Order- 25-35 Caliber.
He was lamenting about the problems of finding 25-35 Ammo.
Say what? You couldn’t find that when you could find lots of ammo.
So I’m mostly plinking with 22LR and 9mm.
Just bought a Sig 365 XMacro.
May buy another one.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

I ran into the same problem with the 357 magnum. Luckily, there are a few options short of getting rid of your 38 specials.

1. Reloading: I know components can be hard to find, but one bulk purchase of everything necessary will last a while if stored properly will last a while and save you tons of money. Especially in less common calibers like 38 special.

2. Buy bulk online/in-store of your preferred ammo and stockpile constantly. I bought out the entire stock of Winchester Silvertip ammo from Aim Surplus recently and will again when they re-stock it. Try to not let your stockpile of 38 get below 1,000 rounds and re-stock to 1,000 every 250 or so.

3. Or as you mentioned you can go to a more common caliber such as 9mm or 380. Just realize if there is a real military demand crunch those can become scarce too. I know it is common due to military and police use, but that can go both ways, it can become scarce due to military and police getting first priority if things go South.

No matter what, I wish you the best. I just know I would stockpile tens of thousands of rounds of 357 magnum components if I ever thought it would go the way of the Dodo before I would give that up.

What one does has little to no effect on the rest of us 167,999,987,686,000 that like and shoot the .38 spl.

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S&W Accumulator

Depends upon the caliber .


Back at the original sub topic :

The Revolver Era is over. Generic 9mm fmj has taken the market share that used to be occupied by cheap .38 Special . .38 Special is now a niche caliber , at niche prices . And .38 " practice ammo " is most commonly seen in 130 fmj .

Lots of .38 Spl Guns continue to be sold , primarily in small frame snub defensive guns . But the average buyers ( not enthusiasts like us) typically buy a box or two of premium Defense loads , and not bulk plinking ammo .

I can’t even count that high but I am in that group that has several .38 Specials, quite a bit of factory .38 Special ammo and also reloads for my 38’s and still have lots of brass to use for reloading.
I used to buy Remington and Winchester new unprimed brass by the case in .38 Special and .357 Magnum for reloading. Those days are gone long time ago.
Now don’t get me wrong because I have a lot more 9mm in reloads and factory ammo because it takes a lot more 9mm ammo because of the magazine capacities, you can go through a lot more ammunition. I like my 9mm pistols and my .45acp-1911 guns too.
I still like to slow down and shoot my revolvers regardless of the caliber. Been doing it a long time now.

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James
On the Llano Estacado

I agree that the crises will be more frequent.
The pre-China Virus status quo is not coming back.
The politics of the recent past has dealt a serious and permanent blow to the future of the shooting sports.

I have never really cared for 9mm except out of a carbine. .38 special is a better and more generally useful cartridge when considering that bullet diameter. .44 Special and .45 ACP are good too.
But due to ammo availability and price over the long-term, I feel forced to get a 9mm or two, buy factory ammo, and save my powder and primers for my other calibers.

"The revolver era is over".............That made me bust out laughing. So uninformed.

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S&W Accumulator

9mm was the first cartridge I cast bullets for and loaded in 1972. For a BHP P35 that I bought myself for high school graduation. Now 51 years later I cast and load for multiplies of calibers and gauges.......The only factory ammo I buy(rarely) is self defense ammo. and only for liability reasons,

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S&W Accumulator

I thought 38 Special was overpriced at $12 for 50 which is why I started reloading 45 years ago. Most of my components were purchased when it looked like there would be a President Dukakis.

You would do well to do the same.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Look for Estates that are being sold. You may hit the jackpot and find one that belonged to a reloader. Usually the family is receptive to a reasonable offer accompanied by cash.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I don't reload . Never have , never will . It is not the solution for everybody .

You sir are correct. Wish there were more with your philosophy. Seriously. if you were not into reloading before this mess and starting out getting set up to reload it can be expensive, Some of us bought components years ago and are surviving on them. Nowadays, the present cost of components, equipment and your time makes just buying store bought ammo attractive to many.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Thank you for the laugh this morning.

The revolver era is far from over. Even as States like California continue to pass laws restricting Semiautomatic pistols it doesn’t reduce citizens need for self-defense. Citizens simply buy whatever pistols that are still legal. Since revolvers so far have been free of specific laws restricting them or their features (magazine capacity for example) there is a strong market for them especially in those States.

Shopping for K-Frame size revolvers (S&W, Ruger, Colt) is the main reason I go to Gun Shows. If the Gun Show I went to this past Spring finding them in good condition is getting difficult. I have been giving a lot of thought to buying a Taurus Tracker.

....X2.......The last few years of "humps & bumps" haven't really affected my shooting at all.

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S&W Accumulator

I was in a local gun shop this morning . I saw a 100 rd box of .38 spcl target ammo for $75 .

What was it? Vintage .38 Special 148 grain HBWC? Have seen some stupid prices on that.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.