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Started By
Message
Ammo prices...380 vs. 9mm
Posted on 8/27/24 at 12:40 pm
Posted on 8/27/24 at 12:40 pm
Ammo prices...380 vs. 9mm.
Why is 380 ammo so much more expensive than 9mm ?
I know that 9mm is the most popular pistol round,
But after going to the range last week I went to replace what I shot. I haven't had to buy either in a couple of years...I was shocked at the price of 380 ball ammo.
Replacement 9mm was $13 for 50 rounds, 380 was $27 for 50 rounds. That was for FMJ ammo, not hollow points. WTF !
I can attribute some of that to popularity of the round, but that's a big difference for a much smaller round.
Why is 380 ammo so much more expensive than 9mm ?
I know that 9mm is the most popular pistol round,
But after going to the range last week I went to replace what I shot. I haven't had to buy either in a couple of years...I was shocked at the price of 380 ball ammo.
Replacement 9mm was $13 for 50 rounds, 380 was $27 for 50 rounds. That was for FMJ ammo, not hollow points. WTF !
I can attribute some of that to popularity of the round, but that's a big difference for a much smaller round.
10
Posted on 8/27/24 at 12:45 pm to midnight1961
supply & demand. Same reason why .410 shotgun shells are more expensive than 12 gauge - "quantity of production".
Posted on 8/27/24 at 1:03 pm to midnight1961
Yep… they shouldn’t cost that much but we’re still recovering from the last ammo availability/inflation period.
Don’t feel bad though, I just spent $5 a round for some 300 SAUM a while back.
Edit: Actually, I just looked and they’ve come down quite a bit. You should be able to find some for about half that price online.
Don’t feel bad though, I just spent $5 a round for some 300 SAUM a while back.
Edit: Actually, I just looked and they’ve come down quite a bit. You should be able to find some for about half that price online.
This post was edited on 8/27/24 at 1:08 pm
Posted on 8/27/24 at 1:54 pm to midnight1961
economies of scale
Posted on 8/27/24 at 1:57 pm to midnight1961
quote:
380ACP is the most common LEO caliber in Europe.
quote:
As a result of the prior caliber restrictions, Brazilians own lots of .22 Short, .22 LR, .25 ACP, .32 ACP and .380 ACP pistols.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 2:04 pm to Shexter
quote:
380ACP is the most common LEO caliber in Europe
I find that difficult to believe.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 2:38 pm to midnight1961
My reloading press should be coming in today. I know I may not save a ton overall, but hope to not think much of the dollar value if each trigger pull since I'm not buying inflated per box values of certain rounds.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 3:18 pm to Jon A thon
quote:
My reloading press should be coming in today.
What did you get?
Posted on 8/27/24 at 3:29 pm to Flats
quote:
380ACP is the most common LEO caliber in Europe
I find that difficult to believe.
I think the article was written incorrectly. .380 WAS the caliber of choice all the way into the 70's. They're all 9mm now.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 5:19 pm to bbvdd
RCBS Rebel.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 5:43 pm to midnight1961
Go to ammoseek.com.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 7:17 pm to midnight1961
I would think they can run 9mm continuously on a line and cost stays low. With .380, they have to stop a production line, retool for .380, restart, run a specific amount, stop again, and retool for another caliber. All the while 9mm keeps running.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 8:29 pm to Jon A thon
quote:
RCBS Rebel.
What calibers to you plan to load starting out?
I started working up some loads for my new rifle and shot them last week. Cleaned the brass, annealed, sized and primed that brass.
I’ll probably load them up in the next day to two.
I need to make some 9mm as well. I’m taking a course in a couple of weeks and need some for it.
Several guys here load if you have questions.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 9:03 pm to bbvdd
Right now plan to load 223/5.56, 300 BLK, and 9mm. That's mostly what I burn through. 9mm is not enough financial justification for the press. Even .223 is borderline. But there seemed to be some value in reloading 300 BLK and if I already have the press, I can load the others.
Already getting the itch to play around and get a long range gun and hand load something like 6.5 Creedmore.
Already getting the itch to play around and get a long range gun and hand load something like 6.5 Creedmore.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 9:12 pm to Jon A thon
quote:
I know I may not save a ton overall
From my experience, you won't save any because you'll end up shooting a lot more.
You'll prob also find yourself experimenting w/ different powders and bullets you otherwise wouldn't try. OTOH, congrats on starting your new hobby. I'm also curious what press you bought. I'm in the process of upgrading my reloading room. I'm looking forward to my first ever reloading bench after 40 years of hand loading. I'm going to add a Forster Co-Axial press. This post was edited on 8/27/24 at 9:14 pm
Posted on 8/27/24 at 9:33 pm to Jon A thon
quote:
reloading 300 BLK
If you don’t have brass you can cut .223/5.56 at the shoulder, size it, and then trim
Really easy.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 9:33 pm to midnight1961
I don't know how it works for all ammo manufactures, but a lot of the big US suppliers run 9mm and .380 on the same line, they run 9mm for 50 weeks, swap over, run .380 a week and swap back. The cost of materials are damn near identical but that swap over is expensive, not as expensive as a new line, and you are paying for that labor and there are more storage costs.
Lots of niche calibers are only made for a short period of time, that is why it availability can fluctuate so much on certain calibers.
Lots of niche calibers are only made for a short period of time, that is why it availability can fluctuate so much on certain calibers.
Posted on 8/27/24 at 11:01 pm to midnight1961
.380 ... or 9 Kurz as a lot of us call it (9 short) is NOT the most popular or common round amongst LEOs in Europe.
Kurz is easy to reload from shortened 9mm brass. I never buy new factory loaded. 380 ACP.
Now, with that said, the new Smithy M&P and SIGs in .380 may ("may") change things .... although, I doubt they will.
.380 ACP is expensive, factory loads, because they very rarely run it through the presses and 95 grain freedom seeds are hard to come by. Kinda like 35 Remington. They do it once in awhile but you'd better get it when it's available IF you insist upon shooting it.
Kurz is easy to reload from shortened 9mm brass. I never buy new factory loaded. 380 ACP.
Now, with that said, the new Smithy M&P and SIGs in .380 may ("may") change things .... although, I doubt they will.
.380 ACP is expensive, factory loads, because they very rarely run it through the presses and 95 grain freedom seeds are hard to come by. Kinda like 35 Remington. They do it once in awhile but you'd better get it when it's available IF you insist upon shooting it.
Posted on 8/28/24 at 8:20 am to scrooster
quote:
380 ACP is expensive, factory loads, because they very rarely run it through the presses and 95 grain freedom seeds are hard to come by. Kinda like 35 Remington. They do it once in awhile but you'd better get it when it's available IF you insist upon shooting it.
One reason I got rid of my LCP. It wasn't very fun to shoot, and the ammo was more expensive. I initially bought it because it was so small of a gun and could carry it anywhere. I went back to a 9mm. I've got the XDs now, and the frame isn't that much bigger, and ammo is widely available, cheaper, and it holds a few more rounds.
Posted on 8/28/24 at 8:25 am to midnight1961
quote:
I was shocked at the price of 380 ball ammo.
It has literally always been this way. Or at least since the mid-80s.
Ironically, I'm surprised that you are surprised by this.
Worse than price, though, is availability. Setting cost aside, there are easily 12 9mm options for every .380. Probably worse than that.
(ETA: Somewhat akin to .45 LC or other what I would call esoteric loadings, if you are committed to such a platform/chambering, you almost have to get into handloading for it to payoff, IMHO.)
This post was edited on 8/28/24 at 8:27 am
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