I heard or read various causes ranging from mfgr's "Funneling their resources to the troops" and "Hoard hysteria with a new Demo President", et al. I must admit I wasn't prepared and wound up not firing that caliber for months...It really peeved me off since I paid top dollar at some gun shows and retail outlets when a box was available. Anyone have a clue to what went on? It's real abundant in all stores in my neck of the woods...
Was the .380 shortage a year ago contrived?
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Enframe
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I think the explosion of small polymer .380's had more to do with it than anything. 'Better' performance from the available rounds, too. Try to get Hornady Critical Defense loads, for example.
A rep told me 380 is loaded on the same lines as 9mm. Since they were selling all of the 9 they were making, they were not going to shut down the line and switch to 380.
I heard the same thing Max. Once the word went out about a 380 shortage, every one started hoarding it which made it even worse.
Kind of like the toilet paper scare of a few years ago.
Kind of like the toilet paper scare of a few years ago.
CAJUNLAWYER
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Maybe so...but try shooting corn cobs out of your .380!
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There were shortages of everything, trying to keep ammo in stock got to be really difficult. The appearance of lots of new, little 380's made that the caliber that was most noticed. Sucks to have a new gun and no ammo available. Lots of other calibers disappeared from the shelves too and many are still in short supply. Just do a search for 38 S&W or 32 H&R Mag. The ammo makers are getting more 380 out there and the variety is starting to improve. For quite a while if you could find 380 it was one brand in only one loading, take it or leave it.
I work for a gunstore and the panic buying and hoarding started before the O's election and continues to some extent to this day. When we can find a caliber that has been in short supply for a while it disappears of the shelf in a hurry. When people buy far more than they normally do it kind of throws the supply chain out of whack!
I work for a gunstore and the panic buying and hoarding started before the O's election and continues to some extent to this day. When we can find a caliber that has been in short supply for a while it disappears of the shelf in a hurry. When people buy far more than they normally do it kind of throws the supply chain out of whack!
Maximumbob54
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I think this is an all of the above kind of answer. I think the Kel-Tec .380's started the avalanche of people buying pocket .380's, the ever growing anti-gun agenda, and the fact that a person who has voted, signed, or agreed with every anti-gun scrap of paper was elected president with a Senate and House controlled by Democrats scared everyone for valid reasons. Add in the "So goes California, so goes the nation" hype and I really think it was a valid fear. The micro stamping may have failed and the more recent internet sales ban failed but they have both come close enough. Then the lead ban scare, and on and on… I'm still stocking up on anything I find a good deal on. I started casting my own, loading my own, whatever it takes to make me feel comfortable that if/when the prices are driven so high as to make it a rich man's sport that I can still go out every now and then as long as I a free to do so. I don't even max out my reloads just to make the brass last longer. Factor in that we are spending more on social programs than ever before and these people tend to vote for whomever will give them more assistance money… Yep, I still say valid fear of shortages. It may have ebbed a bit lately but that is only because many factories that produce ammo are running 24/7/365 darn near. Oh, and don't forget that with many foreign countries industrializing, we are going to start running into ever increasing prices for all raw materials not just on ammo components. So the status quo days of cheap ammo and massive availability are history. Last, I will even take a stab at the menagerie of ammo selection out there. Like we really need a selection for every thousandth of an inch added to every half millimeter there is. Too much selection isn't always a good thing.
44 Shooter
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Several years ago I bought a quanity of .380. During the shortage, I sold a few boxes to a dealer and got more than I paid for the whole lot.
Now I see it is back to $17.95 at Walmart.
I did well.
Now I see it is back to $17.95 at Walmart.
I did well.
I recall talking to the sporting goods clerk at a WalMart, he stated that once word got out when they stocked their shelves, there were more than few that would buy the entire lot. I suspected, but with no proof or credence, that some clerks were getting a small kick-back from some of the local gun-ammo outlets in town for out-of-sight ammo. I'm naturally suspicious....One fella I talked with who also was moaning the fact of not having any ammo blamed it on the brisk sales of the Ruger LCP. He had a new one and had not fired it....I forgot to add when WalMart placed a limit on the number of boxes: per purchase, it didn't stop those that really wanted it.
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In a year or two there will be a lot of this panic bought ammo for sale at gun shows and elsewhere. I know individuals who bought huge quantities just because he might not be able to get any because the government was going to outlaw everything. Somehow I don't thing he will ever shoot up 5,000 rounds of 380.
Maximumbob54
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I also remember seeing little "Not For Resale" type stickers on the WWB I picked up there during that time. It was for .45ACP but I bet it was on a bunch of other boxes. Not sure if it was Wally doing it or not.
right before the shortage, i had bought a bersa .380, well i didnt get to fire it once had it about 8 months and ended up selling it so i could buy a gun that i could get ammo for. the whole time i had it, all i had was a 20 round box of gold dots. EVERYWHERE i went i was LAUGHED at when i asked if they had any. it really sucked. happened like 3 weeks after i bought it, one day they had tons and the next nobody had any whatsoever. i believe obama had a tad to do with it, lots of people went out and ccp, and thats popular in cc pistols. just another thing to blame on O.
