I suggested a "minimal" setup. I doubt they are outrageously expensive. Most basic tools will make ammo just as good as higher priced equipment, it's just a slower process. When learning handloading, slow is better anyway.

There are plenty of used revolvers for sale. I just purchased one from a well know website. They aren't inexpensive however, just like ammo.

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That's just somebody talkin.

It's too unpredictable to be honest.
I was of the mindset to bank on "the wheezing geezers" of the gun rack.
The 30-30's, 38-55's, 32-20's, and 45-70's.
Those crusty old arms few wanted but were capable of putting a chunk of lead in motion even after all the WhizzBang new kids ran dry.
The philosophy worked great up until this last run, where it seems to be exactly wrong.
About the only thing that seems solid about anything is the concept of what I call the "Swiss reserve".
For any gun you have, you should also have 200 rounds for it. Under no peaceful circumstances should you ever fire that 200.
200 rounds of ammo is the same as being out of ammo.
Target quantities should be a minimum of the maximum amount of ammo you'd expend with that particular arm times two.
There in, you get to enjoy your arms with enough of a cushion that they will serve you in darker times.

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it just needs more voltage

About 5 years ago I bought 5K rds of CCI 22lr. I think that's 10 bricks. Cost was about $265 IIRC. How does a product more than triple in price in 5 years? Unbelievable.

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That's just somebody talkin.

At this point in history, .38 is a reloader's cartridge.

"The Secrets of Double Action Shooting" by Bob Nichols.

^^^Worked for me. Just ignore the parts where he insists you can only do it with a 5 screw S&W. I learned on an H&R 22.

It's easy to do. It's been challenging for me. I'm a better person because of it though.

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That's just somebody talkin.

For as long as I can remember, I've bought ammo whenever I've come across a good deal on it, whether I needed it at that particular moment or not. As a result of that habit, I have a good stock set aside.

It's far better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it...

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Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins

I see reloading being spoken about here. Unfortunately it's a bad time to start reloading and has been for around the past 2 years or so. Still, with the unavailable of ammo still there and the extremely high costs associated with buying it, reloading is still a viable alternative.

Basic setups:
An RCBS Reloader Special-5 single stage kit on sale right now for $244.43 (Midway)
This kit comes with a digital scale and a reloading manual.

A Lee 4 Hole Turret Press w/auto-index kit on sale right now for $199.99 (Midway)
This kit comes with a balance beam scale which is rudimentary and usable. No manual included

Add a set of calipers and you are set up to start reloading.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

You just have to shop around to find the deals. Some of the major retailers in my area are somewhat reasonable and the small gun stores are outrageous. Saw .380 for $60.00 a box a few days ago.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I wonder if there is any safe way to advertise locally that I am willing to buy a revolver. I'm real picky about who knows I have guns.

You could start small with a Lee Loader. That, a pound of powder, a hundred primers, and some commercial bullets (projectiles) and you are good to go for probably $100.

I would definitely go that route. Definitely.

Lee Loader 38 Spl - Lee Precision

People like me have extra stuff laying around that we would sell to people like you for a song. Stuff like our old Lee Loaders, scales, measures, dippers, etc.

I was in the Kittery Trading Post recently.(a gigantic place, just over the border into Maine from NH) Loads of 9mm for sale. Not a round of 38 special to be had. Loads of rimfire, unlike my lgs.

powder is going to cost you a minimum of 35$ plus hazmat and standard shipping. One place had hp-38 for 25$/lb but wanted a hazmat charge of 46$ and charged 6 dollars to "disquise the shipping box"

primers expect to pay 120$ per 1000. SOME gun auction site has folks selling/auctioning primers for 250$ per 1000.

Then find brass..

I have not bought factory 38 Special SWC's in ages. For a spell I used Speer swaged SWC's, but I was afraid those would also be in short supply. So, about 3 years ago I got back into serious bullet casting. I already had a two cavity Lee wad cutter mold, but went ahead and got the Lee 358 158TL SWC double cavity mold. I noticed last year that the Speer swaged SWC' bullets were unobtainable. BTW I have found my home cast Lee SWC's are a bit more accurate than the Speer SWC's.

Why the heck wouldn't you reload?

357 and 38 special become some of the cheapest calibers to shoot when you do. I cast my own bullets so I'm probably shooting 38 special target loads for cheaper than 22 LR nowadays.

Whoa, you haven't been out in a while.

I just bought a pound of 2400 for $32 in store, so no hazmat.

Primers are available in-store around me for about $8 per 100.

Brass is super common for 38 or 357. I'm looking right now at a $25 buy now on gunbroker for 100 new starline 38 special cases. And that's brand new. There are oodles of auctions for used ones.

Reloading is very easy to get into right now, and the prices are way down from just a year ago.

I don't know if it's just local here, but 38/357 doesn't seem at all like a dying cartridge/caliber at my LGS and range. I go to the range about once a month or so. Every time I visit he's got about a dozen or more revolvers in the case, and every time it's a totally different stock than the last time I was there. He always has a fair selection of ammo on hand, not as cheap as mail order, but usually around $30 for a box of 50. Hell, even the rangemaster has a Chiefs Special on his belt when he's working, so I never notice that revolvers and revolver calibers are a dying breed.

It's true, you do t need to shoot as much with a revolver to practice. I can burn through a staggering amount of ammo with a semiautomatic rifle or my wife's 380 in a short time, but I do most of my revolver practice dry fire, then don't use near as much range ammo.

I don't think think there is a safe way, and I don't blame you for not advertising your gun hobby. I think everyone that collects and shoots should limit who knows. As long as gun thiefs and people who use stolen guns in crimes are allowed to go free without bail and are treated as minor criminals we all need to play it safe as legal owners and collectors. Someday maybe the criminals will be treated as such, and the good guys will get their break, but I don't expect it anytime soon. Sorry, I don't want to get this thread off track. Back to the discussion of 38 prices...

Happened to go in Academy Sports today, 38 Spl. JHP in 20 round box for under $30, couple of mfgs. There was almost an entire shelf of assorted 9 mm. Even quite a few assorted 45 ACP but at obscene prices.
I feel for guys/ gals just starting out, however for those that have been shooting for years, you should have learned from past “ events”.
Thank God have been casting and reloading since 70s.

All I have are .38s mostly Smiths and a mix of Colts.Eleven to be exact.

I love the guns and caliber.I have stored a lot of ammo over the years and am fortunate enough to be able to put some money aside monthly for the times I find the prices a little more reasonable. The prices are never going back so I'm a little more selective now when buying.As stated earlier by RWPBR the free shipping offers from SGA are something I always take advantage of. I am not good enough to reload so that's why I buy.I will never let my .38s go and am satisfied to keep feeding them even at an increased cost and I hope my son and grandsons decide to keep them when they become theirs.

Double post

38 Special +P 125GR CCI Blazer JHP (3514)
– Bone Frog Gun Club

This place has rolling deals, some are very good. Here is .38 +p for under 25, it was 20 last month

It's a small world: I was in the LL Bean store in Freeport two weeks ago...had some time to kill before a flight home out of Portland...and noticed that they too had loads of .22, a fair amount of 9mm, and almost no .38...

My local WalMart is stocked pretty much the same way...

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Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins

Courtesy of the Ammoseek search engine, I found it a bit cheaper...

.38 Special +P 125GR CCI Blazer JHP 3514 (50 rounds) - Canoe Club USA

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Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins

A Lee hand press and a set of there 38 special dies will take care of your needs. Mastercast bullets in PA. makes great bullets too.

Cost has never been a consideration for me. I want the ability to make my own ammo. Period. That ability has paid off handsomely for me over my shooting career.

The Black Helicopter Crowd & Preppers are hoarding the Para Military ammo. The ammo companies can make big bucks and not have to change tooling for lesser sales volume cartridges. Pair this with the No Inventory type business plan and you got shortages. Little companies are springing up if it’s profitable they will make it- for higher price.
I’m 72, shot up a storm for several years, RVn Vet and I know guys in their 20s that have burnt up more Ammo already than I did my entire life. Getting ammo to them is like getting a bucket of balls at a driving range.

That's true but it was dirt cheap to reload.

Bingo, it's an investment, just like stocks.

It's like people complaining they don't have any money, but then they aren't willing to invest in order to make money!

It's the chicken and the egg.

I swear some people just complain about everything. They say ammo is too expensive so you tell them to reload. Then they say equipment is too expensive. Then you say cheap equipment is available, then they say "well you can't find primers."

Ughhhhhhh.

Best look around, can find better prices with a white stick with red end….

Sounds like 'work' to me. I don't work anymore. Recently bought two 500rd cases of R-P .357SWC from LGSs in Montana. NO SALES TAX in that state. And .357 prices have come down from $60 a box to the $35 range. And I DO miss the $28 100rd boxes of R-P 125gr JHP in both .38 and .357 in Walmart!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

There is some competitive priced Blazer .38 ammo posted in this thread. Check with your range before you buy as the places I frequent won't allow me to shoot aluminum cased ammo.

I am looking at Remington's website and they now have both the Reminton UMC 125 grain semi jacketed hollow point 357 Mag and 38 Special +P in stock and ready to ship. Their 357 Mag has been in stock again for months now, but the 38 Special +P thankfully showed up again today as being available. The 38+P is $37.99 a box of 50 rounds and a box of 100 for $76.99. Soon enough you may find it even cheaper from online sellers.

...and watch out for the flame fest if you suggest that they cut back their shooting to save money.

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Release the Kraken

One advantage of .38 revolvers is that when you get a new one you don’t have to put a couple of hundred rounds of expensive ammo thru it to check reliability.
With a revolver, you can fire two or three cylinders-full of ammo thru it and if it works okay, you are good to go.

I suspect that the ammo companies are having a heck of a time with new-hires, getting them to stick around long enough to be trained and develop competence at the job.

With reloading, money buys you speed, not quality.

.38 Special and .45 ACP with cast bullets were the standby chamberings for serious handgun shooters for decades. They still are for me but apparently not for today's shooting / handloading majority. 9mm must have taken over.

This is why I'm still.loading my handgun ammo on a Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press. It works plenty fast for me. I can load between 180 to 200 rounds/hour safely and correctly.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

On that I have no doubt.

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Release the Kraken

Particularly true for boutique ammo. I have never heard of anyone having to put stronger recoil springs or make other modifications to a revolver the way many 10mm shooters have to make to get the hot Underwood/BuffaloBore ammo to cycle reliably through their semi-auto pistols.

I went to a gunshow this past weekend and no .380 anywhere & ammo prices were over the roof. Went home w/o buying a thing.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Gun shows are a rip-off anymore, buyer beware the sharks are circling.

i shot some of my Klinton 94 .38& .357s about a week ago flawless

.38 Spl became an enthusiast's cartridge 40 years ago when high capacity plastic wonder-nines began to appear. In my neck of the woods, with little NRA Bullseye competition, target .38 Spl factory ammo was a rarity, and is to this day. So be it. I'm puzzled these days when I see young folks at the range dumping high capacity semi's at man sized silhouettes 7 yards away into watermelon sized groups. To each his own. I prefer the pleasure of .38 Spl HBWC's from a Model 14 that is far more accurate than my shaky hand.

Accuracy seems to be very secondary these days for many shooters, if they have an interest in it at all.

Handload…even with the cost of components, it’s still cheaper and best yet much more rewarding. Otherwise, get yourself a Glock 19 and be happy!

...or 3 rapid double-taps on 3 silos at real-life ranges from an 'obsolete/obsolescent' 4" K-frame. With a 2nd 4" K-frame as a 'back.' Range officer once told me, "Point, don't use the sights." With my results!?

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

.50 CPR is cheap?
Not in my world.
Best,
Gary