I know that I am preaching to the choir and probably beating a dead horse, but I have toyed with the idea of picking up another.38 Special or .357 revolver. Then I look at ammo prices. About a year ago (maybe 18 months), I was in a store and a box of .38 Special was $54/Box of 50. Same brand in .45 ACP was around $39/Box of 50.

I thought prices were coming back down and perhaps they have. Saw .38 Special for $32.49/50 rounds. Lead Tiund Nose, no less! Same brand in .45 ACP was $32.99 for 50 rounds. If I’m going to pay big bore prices, I’m going to shoot big bore handguns.

Fortunately for me I was able to scratch the revolver itch and stick with a reasonably priced caliber. Picked up a S&W 940 from a forum member here at a very good price!

__________________
otis

I reload for all the hand guns I have.
Not a problem for me....

__________________
Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

People are buying more and more ammo every day.we are hedging because we have no clue if the local, city, state or federal governments will stop or limit civilian sales. That and the ban on Russian ammo and the increase of federal aid to other countries. Ammo companies have upped production but most of the runs are for popular rifle and pistol cartridges. 9mm, .40 S&aw is 10mm and .45 ACP. That leaves less time to produce revolver cartridges. Rifle shooters are facing the problem. 5.56 x 45 and 7.62 x 51, .300 Blackout etc. are being made but try and find .45-70. There are only so many ammo plants and we shoot a lot here. Plus we horde a lot as well because we are unsure if we can get more. Hand loaders are looking at massive increases and shortages in powder, new brass, projectiles and primers. Even black power shooters are feeling the pinch. The last U.S. company to make black powder went out of business a few years ago so again it's usually Swiss powder coming in and percussion caps are crazy expensive too.

Same here. I’ve gotten to where I mostly shoot 38spl and 22LR. For 158gr loads I’m using Accurate Nitro 100nf which goes a long way like Bullseye, polymer coated cast lead semi wad cutters and flat nose and picked up several thousand Argentine SPP recently. Brass is what I’ve been reloading for years and was picked up on the range so no cost here. My bullets run about a dime, powder under a nickel and primers a nickel. In total I’m spending about 18-20 cents a round or $20/100 rounds.

I don’t count my brass because I picked it up off the grange and have loaded it for several years. My investment in my Dillon Square Deal B, I bought it about 35 years ago and have loaded tens of thousands of rounds with it so my investment is only a fraction of a penny per round.

I load my 45acp, 45 Colt, 380, 44spl and magnum, 357mag, 9mm, 38 super and 38 S&W as well. Once you’ve made the investment for equipment and shop priced and shoot cast lead you can keep cost way down. You also can tailor your loads to what works best for you.

I just bought a bunch of factory .38 at LGS retail for mid-$20's per box.

I worked for a dinosaur agency, the Calif. DOC. They only recently completed the move over to semi-autos. Not because semi-autos were better. Prison guards do not use hand guns as a primary weapon, but they have to qualify with them anyway. The reason for the move was ammunition cost.

I personally like revolvers in semiauto rimless calibers. I don't like moon clips being a requirement for a carry gun. If I want to shoot 9mm or a rimless round, I'll buy a handgun designed for it.

IMHO, I think the logic is silly not to buy a revolver you want in the caliber you want because of the prices of a specific semi-automatic caliber. So if 45acp rises to 50cpr and 38spc remains the same at .32cpr, you'd happily would buy the 38spc/357mag revolver you want, but because 45acp is a similar price as 38spc, you're not going to buy a revolver in the caliber you want. I guess if prices drop and 38spc and 45acp are both 10cpr, you still couldn't bring yourself to buy a 38spc or 9mm handgun because they're priced the same or more than 45acp? Using the same logic, those who purchased or plan on purchasing the new S&W 432 or 632 UC in 32 H&R should not purchase what they want because the larger calibers are less expensive... It just makes little sense to me. Plus, 40s&w, 45acp, 38spc, and 357mag were in the realm of similar price points as far as I've seen over the last decade.

To each their own though. Hopefully prices for 45acp will go up at least for a short period of time so you can finally buy the 38/357 revolver you want.

Gotta say I only reload revolver pistol ammo. I used to do 45ACP but gave that up. Straight case revolver is the simplest easiest stuff to reload IMO and the only issue now is getting the components or the cost of same I guess. Mostly primers cost. Revolvers can be loaded with a wider variety of bullets and powders compared to the more critical auto and your brass stays in the gun, instead of going off into neverland. I started loading with a Lee Loader cheap tool, a box of spent cases, one can of powder and I forget what bullets, but now I use alot of cast lead. I thus give zero toots about the cost of factory 38 or 357 with the resources I have on hand. Except I don't have the latest amazing space bullets that turn into a spinning chopper on impact. Supposedly.

You can find expensive ammo in many gunstores. It was bought during the ammo shortage when prices were high, and the store is not about to sell it at a loss. Nor are they going to put out cheaper ammo until it is sold. Search the Web for online deals and you will easily find cheaper 38 SPL. If you insist on supporting your LGS, then pay up.

__________________
Release the Kraken

Not a Problem Me either ... in fact ...
I cast bullets and reload for every firearm I own ...
... handguns , rifles and shotguns !

Being an "Ammo Maker" feels Good !
Gary

__________________
Certified Cajun
NRA Member

My ex and two sisters are retired CDC. They carried model 10s when doing transports, hospital coverage.

Yep, glad I reload. 38/357 prices have really risen.

__________________
213th FBINA

The 10-8 CA DOC I ordered off GB didn't have a high round count based on the forcing cone and top strap erosion, but was completely wore-out from what I assume was excessive loading/unloading and general manipulation. I have never seen another Model 10 that was so loosey goosey.

People choose firearms for a variety of reasons. One such reason is the price and availability of ammunition. Not everyone reloads. Even those who reload are having difficulty finding supplies. The comparison between .38 and .45 is to highlight how the price of .38 Special, once one of the cheapest and most readily available calibers, has become. By the same token, if one compares the price of.38 Special and 9mm, one can see why price makes 9mm more attractive. The fact that 9mm can be fired in a revolver is a bonus. Revolvers chambered in a semi-auto caliber may not be for everyone but they are a great option for people like me with hand issues who like a revolver but may find it difficult to rack a slide or otherwise manipulate semi-auto controls. Silly is purchasing a handgun that you can’t find or afford ammunition for. Without ammo, a handgun becomes a wall hanger or a paperweight. While some people can afford ammo at any price and the firearms to shoot it from, not everyone is on the same socio-economic ladder.

__________________
otis

I see .38s for between $25 and $29 for a box of 50.

__________________
No baby we aint

When I find 38 special at a reasonable price I buy it. Lots of guns to feed plus it never goes bad. 357 too but I much prefer the "kick" of a 38. for targets etc. Shooting should not be torture. Makes me wonder why I like 44 magnums snubbies though..

__________________
Remain Viable

When Walmart stopped selling handgun ammunition (2019) I bought 38 Special at $11.80 box of 50. It was cheaper than new Starline brass (I'm a reloader) So I bought every case they had before I had that boating accident.

I can load for every caliber I use, plus some I don't that friends have. The most common ammo 9mm and .223 are iffy as to the economy of reloading, but I can make non-standard loads and often even the common loads are scarce. I still buy some off the shelf ammo, but I don't HAVE to.

__________________
"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Right now .38 is the only caliber i reload.
I shoot bullseye and use HBWC. Try to find em on a shelf.

__________________
Some assembly required..

Not on the shelf, but Precision Delta has them most of the time at about $100 / 1,000.

While it’s certainly gone up, I don’t find it prohibitively expensive. I buy a few boxes from time to time but .38 Spl is one of the cartridges that I still reload pretty consistently.

__________________
Some Might Say.

...I couldn't afford to shoot if I didn't reload. I like to shoot around 100 rounds of three or four varying calibers in a range trip.

__________________
"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I can afford to shoot and don't reload. Since the .357 mag is same price i'm buying it instead. this Hungarian is top quality @ $.40/rd. Joe
New Republic Training and Range 38 Special Ammo 158 Gr FMJ FP - Ammo Deals

__________________
Behavior Creates Destiny

Well , that was quick . Post #2 .

Like night follows day, one of us reloaders will pipe up when someone mentions the high cost of ammo. For us, "going shooting" is a trivial expense, followed by a few hours of our other hobby, ammo making.

Having ammo is like food and water. Being without is unthinkable. Others will see it differently.

__________________
Just Say No - To Social Media

Indeed. There many of us (most?) who have no interest in reloading, or even if we did lack a safe space to do it. The "I reload" posts just clutter up the thread when the OP is just looking for suggestions on obtaining factory ammo at a better price. Now he/she has to do a lot more sorting of the wheat from the chaff.

__________________
Release the Kraken

I buy in case lots and get it for around $20+tax a box (free shipping)

It's not going to change ..

Most shooters, reloaders included, have a shooting budget. The reloaders shoot more for the same amount of money. I have always preferred revolvers because I never come up short on brass, whether you reload or exchange the brass for loaded ammo (do they even still do that?), and stooping to pick up the empties is becoming more difficult with each passing year.

I was reloading when I decided $19 was too much for 357 Magnum. It's been 45 years or so - I bought powder when the President was named Reagan.

I had to buy more primers recently, that was pretty expensive but not like buying ammo.

__________________
S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Actually the OP is just making a statement about how he's dealt with the cost of revolver ammo. He doesn't ask for guidance or suggestions on anything. Maybe there should be no replies since there was no question or request.

Some deal with the cost pressures by reloading. It's a fair option. You don't need a lot of room, or even a bench. I have a complete kit that will reload .38 Special that fits in a plastic ammo can. I take it in the RV.

The .38 Special is a most forgiving cartridge to reload. It's really not difficult. But yes while we may come off as proselytizing, it's really intended as encouragement.

As a recovering reloader I have been on both sides of this. Ammo is expensive and most of us try to limit expenses by some combination of shooting less, choosing inexpensive calibers, buying in bulk or reloading. I reloaded for 25 years before I quit about 15 years ago. While I was a reloader I too made a few "Sure am glad I reload!" posts online.

It was only after I quit I started to see why some people get tired of the chorus of I reload posts dominating threads about ammo costs. I find it easy to skip over the reloading posts so it doesn't really bother me. But there is a fine line between encouragement and proselytizing and some of you are getting really close to that line if not stepping over it.

Reloading is a good way to shoot more for the same money if you like reloading. I really liked reloading for many years until I didn't. There is nothing wrong with responses pointing out the very real advantages of reloading. But it isn't the answer for everyone.

I once posted a poll asking "Do you reload" in the GlockTalk ammo forum and it got moved to the reloading section. That seemed odd to me so a few months later I posted a similar poll in this forum and the same thing happened. In both cases two different moderators on two different forums decided asking people if they reload was a reloading question that belonged in the reloading forum, not the ammo forum. The point being the ammo forum is for talking about ammo, not reloading.

You are just a bit behind the times on your information. For example the former Goex plant that was operated by Hodgdon had been completely rebuilt and is back in operation with many added Safety measures. It seems that Black Powder is a critical component for 155mm Artillery Shells and the US government didn't like our being dependent on a Swiss supplier.

Concerning Powder prices and Shortages, we have all found alternates. While nobody likes the prices a small positive is the Vihtavouri now has a price structure that is a bit BELOW Hodgdon and Alliant and they make some fantastic powders. A favorite of mine is 3N37. It has zero position sensitivity, meters wonderfully, and it's a bit of magic for 9mm or 38 caliber ammunition in terms of produced velocity.

The biggest issue for handloaders today is Primers. If it's a US brand primer it's stupid expensive and very difficult to find. The good news that Alternate choices from Europe and South America are becoming available at somewhat reasonable prices. Cheddite has become the GOTO primer for Shot Shells since Covid and there are indications that Federal and Winchester has lost that particular market, perhaps permanently. The only way for Federal and Winchester to recover the Shot Shell market would be with a major drop in prices at the retail level to match Cheddite and a much higher level of availability.

Preach it . brother . It won't change anything , but it needs to be said ..

I am like STCM. Only factory ammo I buy are .22's. Everything else is homemade. I actually enjoy producing my own ammo in my shop with some country music. YMMV

-don

__________________
SWCA LM#2190 SWHF#414

It's times like this that I wish I was a Mod . I'd go scorched Earth on this thread ..

Plenty of time and space for the contrarians who don't like NFL football, haven't watched TV since Rawhide left the air and never heard of Taylor Swift.

Point taken.

But now that I've thought it over thoroughly sometimes the "I reload" posts are not so much proselytizing as they are taking a position of moral superiority.

Even within the reloaders, the "I have 10,000# of metal I got free and I bought all my components in 1964" posts are rather nauseating. Not to mention irrelevant.

From a personal position I will endeavour to not comment on reloading in the ammo forum. Because you are right. I'm sure it's annoying to many and really does belong in the reloading forum.

Same goes for the "I stocked up before the pandemic" posts in the ammo forum. I might be guilty of a couple of posts like that but am going to avoid making more.

I try not to brag about stocking up back in the day; however, having said that, the reason I ended up stocking up when I did was from reading posts back in the mid- 2000s where those who had learned that lesson already posted about it.

I mentioned before that I saved all my revolver cases and reload. But I am reloading with pre-panic large bulk purchases of lead bullets and existing stash of powder. Some jacketed bullets that are at the old prices from years ago too. But I would not call the cost of reloading negligible for anyone getting started now. Last winter I bought another thousand pistol primers just so I could have a safety cushion of supply in case. The price was painful but not near peak I had seen before. The cost of new components and loading machinery for a beginner now is pretty profound for those of us that got started many years ago. Sure you probably can save some money as you use the same cases over and over but it is still substantial. And good luck finding some components, you might have to settle for subs or different loads than you wanted.

Personally, I feel the prices on 38 Sp is ridiculous...that said it was at one time the most widely used round out there. There were a lot of small companies selling commercially reloaded ammo cheap. The factories quite often had really good sales. But that was at the time when the police almost universally used 38s. Now it's the 9 mm. And for the average every day blow away ammo...the factories really only need load 2-4 different rounds...Sure they have the pretty, really expensive "self defense" rounds. And to be honest that cottage industry is a BIG money maker for all calibers these days. With the internet testers shooting all those water jugs and gel blocks helping that SD industry. The 38 and others have been relegated mostly to the back of the shelf...with much higher prices. Most of the self defense stuff could be reloaded by any enterprising shooter. Even in ammunition that the average buyer of ammo spends money on...pretty sells. Not the looks of the ammo...what the makers push and want you to believe...Kinda started way back yonder with Super-vel. As far as SD ammo...the 9mm NEEDS a bit of help...still. The boutique stuff on any caliber is actually eye candy...and evidently worth much more...Yep...I AM old and jaded. I'm not gonna shoot water jugs with ammo that costs 2 to 3 dollars or more per round

I've noticed similar trends. Just when you think prices are dropping, they shoot back up again. I get what you're saying about big bore prices for .38 Special—it almost makes more sense to go with a .45 ACP.

Lucky for me, I managed to pick up an S&W 940 for a steal, so I can still enjoy revolvers without breaking the bank on ammo. If you're looking for more info on ammo, I found a great read at 5.56 vs 223 Ammo - What's the Difference? 19 Things You Need To Know. It's super informative and helped me a lot.

That problem has an easy fix ...
Reload them empty 38 special cases ...
It can be done cheaply and easily ...
And it must not be too hard to do ... I been doing it since 1967 .
Started out with Lee Classic Loader ($45) on the net and a powder scoop ...add plastic mallet ... you in business !
A little slow but ... that's still a viable way to do it !

Or you could move up to a Lee Hand Press ($64) and omit the hammering ... the best buy is the Lee Hand Press Kit $74 !
Gary

__________________
Certified Cajun
NRA Member

I reload for revolvers. IT is relatively easy to do. Best thing for beginners probably. I don't bother reloading for auto pistols anymore. .38 cases will hardly if ever stretch from firing and last really long with standard power loads. So you are not that worried about trimming or headspace issues. I started with the simple/very cheap Lee Loader tool for revolvers. Slow and tedious but a good way to learn the basics. Only loaded .38 ammo is defensive that I hoarded a long time ago when it was cheap. The cost of reloading components is horrible now but I also hoarded that stuff years ago too. Even at current prices I think you will come out well ahead depending on how fancy your bullets are.

Before I saw a shortage of any kind a friend told me he has a mold and dies for every caliber he owns.

I followed his lead and did the same. One of the best pieces of advice I've ever received.

Do you what ammo prices were in 1974?

Until American Law Enforcement and Military adopted the 9mm that was expensive due to supply and demand. .38 Special was the most affordable centerfire handgun cartridge.

If you are complaining about the price of ammo I will guess you have never taken Professional Training. Defensive Revolver at Thunder Ranch requires 1000 rounds of 38 Special.

Several brand names online 16 to 18 bucks a box.
Cheap.

Here is a good place to find the best price on ammo:
38 Special Ammo | Cheap 38 Special Ammunition - AmmoSeek.com 2024
As of today, lowest price (w/shipping included) on .38 Special ammo was about $0.32 per round which is $16 for a box of 50 rounds. Not great but not horrible either.

I bought 500 rounds of Winchester white box 38 special 138gr for $199.00 with free shipping yesterday from Bereli Inc. web site.

That’s $20 for a box of 50 rounds. Expensive.